"Ravenna, 8bre 17°, 1820.
"Enclosed is the Dedication of Marino Faliero to _Goethe_.
Query,--is his title _Baron_ or not? I think yes. Let me know your
opinion, and so forth.
"P.S. Let me know what Mr. Hobhouse and you have decided about the
two prose letters and their publication.
"I enclose you an Italian abstract of the German translator of
Manfred's Appendix, in which you will perceive quoted what Goethe
says of the _whole body_ of English poetry (and _not_ of me in
particular). On this the Dedication is founded, as you will
perceive, though I had thought of it before, for I look upon him as
a great man."
* * * * *
The very singular Dedication transmitted with this letter has never
before been published, nor, as far as I can learn, ever reached the
hands of the illustrious German. It is written in the poet's most
whimsical and mocking mood; and the unmeasured severity poured out in it
upon the two favourite objects of his wrath and ridicule compels me to
deprive the reader of some of its most amusing passages.
DEDICATION TO BARON GOETHE, &c. &c. &c.
"Sir,--In the Appendix to an English work lately translated into
German and published at Leipsic, a judgment of yours upon English
poetry is quoted as follows: 'That in English poetry, great genius,
universal power, a feeling of profundity, with sufficient
tenderness and force, are to be found; but that _altogether these
do not constitute poets_,' &c. &c.
"I regret to see a great man falling into a great mistake. This
opinion of yours only proves that the '_Dictionary of ten thousand
living English Authors_' has not been translated into German. You
will have read, in your friend Schlegel's version, the dialogue in
Macbeth--
"'There are _ten thousand_!
_Macbeth_. _Geese_, villain?
_Answer_. _Authors_, sir.'
Now, of these 'ten thousand authors,' there are actually nineteen
hundred and eighty-seven poets, all alive at this moment, whatever
their works may be, as their booksellers well know; and amongst
these there are several who possess a far greater reputation than
mine, although considerably less than yours. It is owing to this
neglect on the part of your German translators that you are not
aware of the works of * * *.
"There is also another, named * * * *
"I mention these poets by way of sample to enlighten you. They form
but two bricks of our Babel, (WINDSOR bricks, by the way,) but may
serve for a specimen of the building.
"It is, moreover, asserted that 'the predominant character of the
whole body of the present English poetry is a _disgust_ and
_contempt_ for life.' But I rather suspect that, by one single work
of _prose_, _you_ yourself have excited a greater contempt for life
than all the English volumes of poesy that ever were written.
Madame de Staël says, that 'Werther has occasioned more suicides
than the most beautiful woman;' and I really believe that he has
put more individuals out of this world than Napoleon himself,
except in the way of his profession. Perhaps, Illustrious Sir, the
acrimonious judgment passed by a celebrated northern journal upon
you in particular, and the Germans in general, has rather
indisposed you towards English poetry as well as criticism. But you
must not regard our critics, who are at bottom good-natured
fellows, considering their two professions,--taking up the law in
court, and laying it down out of it. No one can more lament their
hasty and unfair judgment, in your particular, than I do; and I so
expressed myself to your friend Schlegel, in 1816, at Coppet.
"In behalf of my 'ten thousand' living brethren, and of myself, I
have thus far taken notice of an opinion expressed with regard to
'English poetry' in general, and which merited notice, because it
was YOURS.
"My principal object in addressing you was to testify my sincere
respect and admiration of a man, who, for half a century, has led
the literature of a great nation, and will go down to posterity as
the first literary character of his age.
"You have been fortunate, Sir, not only in the writings which have
illustrated your name, but in the name itself, as being
sufficiently musical for the articulation of posterity. In this you
have the advantage of some of your countrymen, whose names would
perhaps be immortal also--if any body could pronounce them.
"It may, perhaps, be supposed, by this apparent tone of levity,
that I am wanting in intentional respect towards you; but this will
be a mistake: I am always flippant in prose. Considering you, as I
really and warmly do, in common with all your own, and with most
other nations, to be by far the first literary character which has
existed in Europe since the death of Voltaire, I felt, and feel,
desirous to inscribe to you the following work,--_not_ as being
either a tragedy or a _poem_, (for I cannot pronounce upon its
pretensions to be either one or the other, or both, or neither,)
but as a mark of esteem and admiration from a foreigner to the man
who has been hailed in Germany 'THE GREAT GOETHE.'
"I have the honour to be,
"With the truest respect,
"Your most obedient and
"Very humble servant,
"BYRON.
"Ravenna, 8bre 14°, 1820.
"P.S. I perceive that in Germany, as well as in Italy, there is a
great struggle about what they call '_Classical_' and
'_Romantic_,'--terms which were not subjects of classification in
England, at least when I left it four or five years ago. Some of
the English scribblers, it is true, abused Pope and Swift, but the
reason was that they themselves did not know how to write either
prose or verse; but nobody thought them worth making a sect of.
Perhaps there may be something of the kind sprung up lately, but I
have not heard much about it, and it would be such bad taste that I
shall be very sorry to believe it."