He does not go to church; not even to
communion, and he prays seldom. For, says he, I am not hypocrite
enough for that. At times he seems at rest with regard to certain
subjects; at other times, however, very far from being so. He
reverences the Christian religion, but not as our theologians present
it. He believes in a future life and a better state of existence. He
strives after truth, and yet attaches more importance to feeling than
to demonstration as the test of it. He has already accomplished much;
has many acquirements and much reading, but has thought and reasoned
still more. He has mainly devoted himself to _belles lettres_ and the
fine arts, or rather to all branches of knowledge, only not to the
so-called bread-winning ones. I wished to describe him, but to do so I
should run to too great length, for he is one of whom there is a great
deal to be said. _In one word, he is a very remarkable man._"[126]
[Footnote 126: Kestner's characterisation of Goethe will be found in
Biedermann, _op. cit._ i. pp. 21-3.]
CHAPTER VIII
AFTER WETZLAR
1772--1773
In _Goetz von Berlichingen_ Goethe had given expression to the ideals
and emotions he had brought with him from Strassburg; Shakespeare and
the memory of Friederike had been the main impulses to its production.
Pages:
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198