New-York tribune., 1907-08-11

that their requests were of no avail thay aey saw
os oSstnaey m He carried @ oHt his pGrpSse HFpS so9s
he had studied his state under the fire OF canS .'
as physician observes his patient. he rode CAIN,
back to his quarters
During the discussion OF the events Of the davt
the 9Ge5s a 70 eEDre ~ his se Opinion s; e4
and this day mark the beginning Of a new sn9t sSt
in the history of the world and you win be able n
day the old Europe had laid down its arms beas @
the new
The curious thing is that the foresight deno..se
by Goethe's remark was of only momentary s,
nifcance. Students of his career are well axa,,
of his failure to adjust himself to the new &.
s,es of the Revolutionary period with the svif,
ness that might have been expected Of him ana
even Herr BieIschowsky finds It necessary a,
this point, to admit that his Olympian had som.
limitations His discussion OF the poets VII,
fngs on the subject is frankly regretfuI. and h,
goes SO far as to make these candid observa-
tions: Goethe later excused his antasuniS+i,
attitude toward the Revolution by saying tha.
at the time its benefcent results were not vss
TO be foreseen They were not to be foreseeu. II
IS true: but they were TO be hoped for and a
man of his keen and profound penetration might
have been expected to recognize beyond an the
reactions, disappointments, cOnfUsiOns and hor-
rors the great blessings which were latent i,
the Revolution, and must therefore Of necessirv
manifest themselves in the course OF time
There were minds Of much smaller calibre tba,
recognized them" OF course. the biograpbe-
endeavors to explain in some detail why Goet5s
observed a tremendous social movement for
long time without apPrehending its essential
drift. but nothing can obscure the fact that thu
chief historical event OF his period found him al
most incredibly wanting in sympathetic under.
standing.
He was slow to comprehend the dawn Of +ba
democratic idea IT needed some personal ev
perience to stir his imagination. II Is intar
esting to note his quick response when ne met
face to face, the man who embodied the Revo-
luton The incidents OF the audience which
Napoleon gave the poet at Weimar, and the et
feet of the interview upon the latter are so sig
nificant that we must quote from this part Of
Bielschowsky's book
When Goethe entered the French Emperor gazpI
at him long and attentively. then exclaimed with
Goethe was no stranger to him; he had formed an
excellent idea Of him from Nerther. which he
had read seven times. The poets personal appear
ance however. seemed TO surpass his expectations
He did not enter at once into discussion OF Wer-
In this connection Daru. VINO was present, men
toned the fact that Goethe had translated vO
'MalOrnet 2
replied the Emperor, and then gave very detailed
exposition of how improper it is that the great
world conQueror should be made to give such
turned the conversation to "Werther. and Goethe
now learned for the first time that Napoleon was
one of his readers He made various ingenious
remarks: among others. that Goethe had weakened
the impression OF WertherS overpovTer1ng love By
mingiing the suicide motive with that OF OFFENDED
ambition. In addition. he pointed out certain
passage never definitely indicated BY Goethe. and
hence difficult TO discovery. and said why did
you do that? IL IS not naturA ana gave e1-
tended for this criticism. which were per
Il listened 20 him." says Goethe. IN his brief IT.
complete sketch of the interviews. with serene
face and answered with pleased smile that I
did not know. to be sure whether any one else had
made this same criticism; but I considered II
treIy lust and confessed that there vas something
untrue 70 be found in the passage But / added.
perhaps the author is TO be pardOned II he EMPLOYS
certain effects which he could not have achieved in
a simple, natural way The Emperor Seerled 20 o.
satisfied with this explanation, came back % Ias
drama and made some very sienifleant reIna-hs
such as one would make who had studied ue
tragic stage. as a Judge studies a criminal win
the closest attention. and had felt very keenIy M
tIeparture OF the French theat-e from nature ard
truth Then he spoke also or fat1l-Suc dramds
with disapproval saying that they belonged 70 a
he sslid-politics is fate
.aTbe greatest understanding the world has ever
seem Goethe 70 BOiSSeree. August = lsl9l An
this tremendous personality now Stepped lP ~
Goethe and showed him tne h;S3esl helOT- 60 ~
could not ask anything more than tie reeogllli'l
contained IN these words. coming from sush /.
tn dot above the "i'' (of his life). To Gotta ne
wrote: 'T will gladly confess tlat noll4ns ms
and more pleasing could nave Es hppg - r. FIre-- NJ
on such a footing Without enterinS On lhe ~ Ce.1-.
of our conversation. may say that ! nave Ie'S. ~
before been so received by one or hlsher rams. y
occentad me for what was and with especial con-
ddence and he gave me 70 underStand ir ana ~ ~ I,