Among the guests was one Hasenkamp, a pietistic illuminist,
who suddenly, when the company was in the full flow of amicable
conversation, turned to Goethe and asked him if he were the Herr
Goethe, the author of _Werther_. "Yes," was the answer. "Then I feel
bound in my conscience to express to you my abhorrence of that
infamous book. Be it God's will to amend your perverted heart!" The
company did not know what to expect next, when Goethe quietly replied:
"I quite understand that from your point of view you could not judge
otherwise, and I honour you for your candour in thus taking me to
task. Pray for me!"[182]
[Footnote 181: Basedow remained for a time at Muelheim. As we shall
see, he and Goethe met again later in the month.]
[Footnote 182: As _Werther_ was not published till the autumn of 1774,
there must be some confusion in Lavater's narrative.]
Among the guests who were present at the same motley gathering was the
third distinguished personage whose acquaintance Goethe made during
these memorable weeks. This was Fritz Jacobi, one of the interesting
figures in the history of German thought, alike by his personal
character and the nature of his speculations.
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