GOETHE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

GOETHE.

i , A STUDY. br is not so very long since the concept ion of Goethe its a cold, impassive observer—an Olympian throned above the world, as Jean 1 "ill called him—was sufficiently common even in Germany, and it still lingers on in fids country. One of the results of modern Crtei lie-study has boon to emphasise the eiroiieoasness of that idea. Of-course, it is perfectly true that Goethe especially in his later years, generally show-e-a a calm and apparently callous exterior; bu., the heart within him was always ready to beait- far more passionately than lie would let the world suppose. 'It may be said," remarks Bielscliowskv, that halt of Goethe's life was- gone before he succeeded in adjusting an equilibrium between his body and spirit and establishing a. just, lance among his various mental faculties, so as to avoid serious disturbances in his inner and outer life, lie felt it- his duty to exercise a rigorous self-con-trol which sometimes had the appearance of co.dness or indifference, but was, in fact merely the persistent effort, to harmonise his really .vehement- and passionate nature. His emotions were profound, but he would' not let himself be carried away by them: and even when he gave poetical expression to them, us he often did. it was never 111 a narrow and personal sense. He sought to strip them of what war, personal '"'"j accidental, to get at their inner truth. wild express that—an infinitely harder proceeding, if seldom so popular and it is this that makes him so great as a writer a.nd ; gives Ins finer work if.« enduring quality Hindering it equally significant for all periods. 1 " Goethe and life are one,'' said Rahel: and assuredly life may continually leach us I" read Goethe, and Goethe teach us to lead life, a. little better. He, at, least, gamed a, height from which he could contemplate it all without confusion ; and when we are dismayed by the opposition of the brute world, and feel helpless to confront it. we may look up to him, not without wonderment and consolation. . " Goethe accompagne notre ame stir Jes mages -de la, mer <Je la Serenile," says .Maeterlinck beautifully; and he does so not only in his writings, but also in his lite, which jkjssibly was, as some, of his friends considered, the greatest of all his , works of art.—Athenasuin.