more by the abominable fashion of dressing the hair back on the head,
contributed to leave a certain unpleasant impression, although it
bore the best testimony to her moral and intellectual qualities. I
can fancy, that if after the modern fashion, she had surrounded the
upper part of her face with curls, and clothed her temples and cheeks
with ringlets, she would have found herself more agreeable before the
mirror, without fear of displeasing others as well as herself. Then
there was the grave fault, that her skin was seldom clean, an evil
which from her youth up, by some demoniacal fatality, was most sure to
show itself on all festal occasions, and at concerts, balls, and other
parties.
In spite of these drawbacks she gradually made her way, however, as her
better and nobler qualities showed themselves more distinctly.
A firm character not easily controlled, a soul that sympathised and
needed sympathy, a highly cultivated mind, fine acquirements and
talents; some knowledge of languages and a ready pen--all these she
possessed--so that if she had been more richly favored with outward
charms, she would have been among the women most sought after in her
day.
Besides all this there is one strange thing to be mentioned: there was
not the slightest touch of sensual passion in her nature. She had grown
up with me, and had no other wish than to continue and pass her life
in this fraternal union. Since my return from the University we had
been inseparable; with the most unreserved confidence we shared all
our thoughts, feelings, and humors, and even the most incidental and
passing impressions of every accidental circumstance. When I went to
Wetzlar, the loneliness of the house without me seemed insupportable;
my friend Schlosser, neither unknown nor repugnant to the good girl,
stepped into my place. In him, unfortunately, the brotherly affection
changed into a decided, and to judge from his strictly conscientious
character, probably a first passion. Here there was found what people
call as good a match as could be wished, and my sister, after having
stedfastly rejected several good offers, but from insignificant men,
whom she always had an aversion to, allowed herself to be, I may well
say, talked into accepting him.
I must frankly confess that I have frequently indulged in fancies about
my sister's destiny, I did not like to think of her as the mistress of
a family, but rather as an Abbess, as the Lady Superior of some noble
community. She possessed every requisite for such a high position,
while she was wanting in all that the world deems indispensable in
its members. Over feminine souls she always exercised an irresistible
influence; young minds were gently attracted towards her, and she ruled
them by the spirit of her inward superiority. As she had in common
with me an universal tolerance for the good, the human, with all its
eccentricities, provided they did not amount to perversity, there was
mo need for seeking to conceal from her any idiosyncrasy which might
mark any remarkable natural talents, or for its owner feeling any
constraint in her presence; hence our parties, as we have seen before,
were always varied, free, ingenuous, and sometimes perhaps bordering
on boldness. My habit of forming intimacies with young ladies of a
respectful and obliging nature, without allowing any closer engagement
or relations to grow out of them, was mainly owing to my sister's
influence over me. And now the sagacious reader, who is capable of
reading into these lines what does not stand written in them, but is
nevertheless implied, will be able to form some conception of the
serious feelings with which I then set foot in Emmendingen.
But at my departure, after a short visit, a heavier load lay on my
heart, for my sister had earnestly recommended not to say enjoined
me, to break off my connection with Lili. She herself had suffered
much from along-protracted engagement; Schlosser, with his spirit
of rectitude, did not betroth himself to her, until he was sure of
his appointment under the Grand Duke of Baden; indeed, if one would
take it so, until he was actually appointed. The answer to his
application, however, was delayed in an incredible manner. If I may
express my conjecture on the matter, the brave Schlosser, able man
of business as he was, was nevertheless on account of his downright
integrity, desirable neither to the prince as a servant, immediately
in contact with himself, nor to the minister, who still less liked to
have so honest a coadjutor near to him. His expected and earnestly
desired appointment at Carlsruhe was never filled up. But the delay
was explained to me, when the place of Upper Bailiff in Emmendingen
became vacant, and he was instantly selected for it. Thus an office
of much dignity and profit was now intrusted to him, for which he had
shown himself fully competent. It seemed entirely suited to his taste,
his mode of action, to stand here alone to act according to his own
conviction, and to be held responsible for everything, whether for
praise or blame.
As no objections could be raised to his accepting this place, my sister
had to follow him, not indeed to a Court-residence, as she had hoped,
but to a place which must have seemed to her a solitude, a desert; to a
dwelling, spacious to be sure, with an official dignity, and stately,
but destitute of all chance of society. Some young ladies, with whom
she had cultivated an early friendship, followed her there, and as the
Gerock family was blessed with many daughters, these contrived to stay
with her in turn, so that, in the midst of such privation, she always
enjoyed the presence of at least one long-trusted friend.
These circumstances, these experiences, made her feel justified in
recommending to me, most earnestly, a separation from Lili. She thought
it hard to take such a young lady (of whom she had formed the highest
opinion) out of the midst of a lively, if not splendid circle, and to
shut her up in our old house, which, although very passable in its way,
was not suited for the reception of distinguished society, sticking
her, as it were, between a well-disposed, but unsociable, precise, and
formal father, and a mother extremely active in her domestic matters,
who, after the household business of the day was over would not like to
be disturbed over some notable bit of work by a friendly conversation
with forward and refined young girls. On the other hand, she in a
lively manner set Lili's position before me; for, partly in my letters,
partly in a confidential but impassioned conversation, I had told her
everything to a hair.
Unfortunately her conception was only a circumstantial and well-meant
completion of what a gossiping friend, in whom, by degrees, all
confidence ceased to be placed, had contrived by mentioning a few
characteristic traits to insinuate into her mind.
I could promise her nothing, although I was obliged to confess that she
had convinced me. I went on with that enigmatic feeling in my heart,
with which passion always nourishes itself; for the Child Cupid clings
obstinately to the garment of Hope, even when she is preparing with
long steps to flee away.
[Side-note: Schaffhausen--Zurich--Lavater.]
The only thing between this place and Zurich which I now clearly
remember, is the falls of the Rhine at Schaffhausen. A mighty cascade
here gives the indication of the mountainous region which we designed
to enter; where, each step becoming steeper and more difficult, we
should have laboriously to clamber up the heights.
The view of the lake of Zurich, which we enjoyed from the gate of the
"_Sword_," is still before me; I say from the gate of the tavern,
for, without stopping to enter it, I hastened to Lavater. He gave me
a cheerful and hearty reception, and was, I must confess, extremely
gracious; confiding, considerate, kind, and elevating was his bearing,
indeed, it would be impossible to expect anything else of him. His
wife, with somewhat singular, but serene tenderly pious expression of
countenance, fully harmonized, like everything else about him, with his
way of thinking and living.
Our first, and perhaps only theme of conversation, was his system of
Physiognomy. The first part of this remarkable work, was, if I mistake
not, already printed, or, at least, near its completion. It might be
said to be at once stamped with genius and yet empirical: methodical,
but still in its instances incomplete and partial. I was strangly
connected with it, Lavater wanted all the world for co-operators
and sympathizers. During his travels up the Rhine, he had portraits
taken of a great many distinguished men, in order to excite their
personal interest in a work in which they were to appear. He proceeded
in the same way with artists; he called upon every one to send him
drawings for illustrations. The latter came, and many were not exactly
suited for his purpose. So, too, he had copperplates engraved in all
parts, which seldom tinned out characteristic copies. Much labor had
been bestowed on his part; with money and exertions of all kinds an
important work was now ready, and full honor was done to Physiognomy.
But when in a great volume, illustrated by examples, Physiognomy,
founded on doctrine, was to set up its claims to the dignity of
science, it was found that not a single picture said what it ought to
say; all the plates had to be censured or to be taken with exceptions,
none to be praised, but only tolerated; many, indeed, were quite
altered by the explanations. For me, who in all my studies sought a
firm footing before I went further, I had now to perform one of the
most painful tasks which industry could be set to. Let the reader
judge. The manuscript, with impressions of the plates inserted was sent
to me at Frankfort. I was authorized to strike out whatever displeased
me, to change and put in what I liked. However I made a very moderate
use of this liberty. In one instance he had introduced a long and
violent piece of controversy against an unjust orator, which I left
out, and substituted a cheerful poem about nature; for this he scolded
me, but afterwards, when he had cooled down, approved of what I had
done.
Whoever turns over the four volumes of Physiognomy, and (what he will
not repent of) reads them, may conceive the interest there was in our
interviews, during which, as most of the plates contained in it were
already drawn and part of them had been engraved, we examined, and
decided on those fit to be inserted in the work, and considered the
ingenious means by which those, which did not exactly tally with its
principles, might be made instructive and suitable.
Whenever at present I look through the work of Lavater, a strange
comic, merry feeling comes over me; it seems as if I saw before me the
shadows of men formerly known to me, over whom I once fretted, and in
whom I find little satisfaction now.
The possibility, however, of retaining in some sort, much that
otherwise would have been unsuitable, was owing to the fine and
decided talent of the sketcher and engraver, Lips. He was, in fact,
born for the free prosaic representation of the actual, which was
precisely the thing wanted in this case. He worked under a singularly
exacting physiognomist, and therefore was obliged to look sharp to
approximate to the demands of his master; the clever peasant-boy felt
the whole responsibility of working for a clerical gentleman from a
city so highly privileged, and gave his best care to the business.
Living in a separate house from my companions, I became every day more
of a stranger to them, without the least unpleasant feeling having
arisen; our rural excursions were no longer made together, although in
the city we still kept up some intercourse. With all the arrogance of
young counts they had honored Lavater with a visit and appeared to the
skilful physiognomist somewhat different from what they did to the rest
of the world. He spoke to me about them, and I remember quite well,
that, speaking of Leopold Stolberg, he exclaimed: "I know not what you
all mean; he is a noble, excellent youth, and full of talent; but you
have described him to me as a hero, as a Hercules, and I have never in
my life seen a softer and more sensitive young man; nor, if need be,
one more easily influenced. I am still far from having formed a clear
physiognomical judgment of him, but as for you and all the rest, you
are in a fog altogether."
Since Lavater's journey on the Lower Rhine, the public interest in him
and his physiognomical studies had greatly increased; visitors of all
sorts crowded upon him, so that he felt in some sort embarrassed at
being looked upon as the first of spiritual and intellectual men, and
the chief point of attraction for strangers. Hence, to avoid envy and
all unpleasant feelings, he managed to remind and warn his visitors
that they must treat other distinguished men with friendship and
respect.
[Side-note: Visit to Bodmer.]
In this especial regard was had to the aged BODMER, and, accordingly,
we were compelled to visit him and pay our youthful respects to him. He
lived on a hill, above the large or old town, which lay on the right
bank, where the lake contracts its waters into the Limmat. We crossed
the old town, and, by a path that became steeper and steeper, at last
ascended the height behind the walls, where, between the fortifications
and the old wall, a pleasant suburb had sprang up, partly in
continuous and partly in detached houses, with a half country look. The
house where Bodmer had passed his whole life, stood in the midst of an
open and cheerful neighbourhood, which, the day being beautiful and
clear, we often paused on our road to survey with the greatest pleasure.
We were conducted up a flight of steps into a wainscoted chamber, where
a brisk old man, of middle stature, came to meet us. He received us
with his usual greeting to young visitors; telling us that we must
consider it an act of courtesy on his part to have delayed so long his
departure from this world in order that he might receive us kindly,
form our acquaintance, refresh himself with our talents, and wish us
joy in our future career.
We, on the other hand, congratulated him that, as a poet belonging to
the patriarchal world, he had yet in the neighbourhood of the most
highly cultivated city, possessed during his whole life a truly idyllic
dwelling, and, in the high free air, had enjoyed for so many long years
such a wide and beautiful prospect to feed his eyes with unfading
delight.
It seemed anything but displeasing to the old man when we asked
permission to take a view from his window of the neighbouring scenery;
and truly the prospect in the cheerful sunshine, and in the best season
of the year, appeared quite incomparable. The prospect commanded much
of the slope, from the great town down to the water's edge, as well
as the smaller town across the Limmat, and the whole of the fertile
Sihl-feld, towards the west. Behind us, on the left, was a part of
the lake of Zurich, with its bright rippled surface, and its shores
endlessly varying with alternating hill and valley and height after
height in greater variety than the eye could take in, which, dazzled
by this splendour, delighted to rest on the blue range of the loftier
mountains in the distance, whose snowy summits man has been so far
intimate with as to give names to.
The rapture of us young men at sight of the marvellous beauty which,
for so many years, had daily been before him, appeared to please the
old poet; he became, so to speak, ironically sympathizing, and we
parted the best of friends, but rot before a yearning for those blue
mountain heights had taken possession of our souls.
Now I am on the point of leaving our worthy patriarch, I remark,
for the first time, that I have as yet said nothing of his form and
countenance, of his movements, and his carriage and bearing.
In general, I do not think it quite right for travellers to describe
every distinguished man, whom they visit, as if they wanted to furnish
materials for advertising a runaway. No one sufficiently considers that
he has only looked at the great man during the moment of introduction,
and then only in his own way; and that according to the circumstances
of the moment the host may or not be what he seemed, proud or meek,
silent and talkative, cheerful or morose. In this particular case,
however, I may excuse myself from the attempt, by saying that no verbal
description of Bodmer's venerable person would convey an adequate
impression. Fortunately there exists a picture of him by Graff, of
Bause, which perfectly represents the man as he appeared to us, and,
indeed, exactly preserves his peculiar penetrating and reflective look.
[Side-note: Passavant--Lavater.]
A great, not indeed unexpected, but still highly coveted gratification
awaited me in Zurich, where I met my young friend, Passavant. Of a
respectable family of the reformed persuasion, and born in my native
city, he lived in Switzerland, at the fountain-head of the doctrine
which he was afterwards to proclaim as a preacher. With a frame not
large, but active, his face and his whole manner promised a quick and
agreeable resoluteness of character. His hair and beard were black, his
eyes lively. On the whole, you saw in him a man of some sensitiveness,
but of moderate energy.
Scarcely had we embraced one another and exchanged the first greeting,
when he immediately proposed to me to visit the smaller cantons. Having
himself already walked through them with great delight, he wished, with
the sight of them, to awaken my rapture and enthusiasm.
While I was talking over, with Lavater, the most interesting and
important points of our common business, until we had nearly exhausted
them, my lively fellow-travellers had already sallied forth in various
directions, and, in their own fashion, had examined the country.
Passavant, receiving and welcoming me with hearty friendship, believed
that he had gained thereby a right to the exclusive possession of my
society, and, therefore, in the absence of my companions, contrived
to entice me to the mountains, the more easily, since I was decidedly
inclined to accomplish the long desired ramble in quiet and at liberty
to follow my own whims. Without further deliberation, therefore, we
stepped into a boat and sailed up the glorious lake, on a fine clear
morning.
A poem inserted here may give the reader some intimation of those happy
moments:
New draughts of strength and youthful blood,
From this free world I've press'd;
Here nature is so mild, so good--
Who clasps me to her breast.
The billows rock our little boat,
The oars in measure beat,
The hills, while clouds around them float,
Approach our barque to meet.
Eye, mine eye, why sink'st thou mourning?
Golden dreams, are ye returning?
Though thou'rt gold, thou dream, farewell;
Here, too, life and love can dwell.
Countless stars are blinking,
In the waters here,
On the mountains drinking
Clouds of mist appear;
Round the cool bay flying,
Morning breezes wake,
Ripen'd fruits are lying
Mirror'd in the lake.
We landed in Richterswyl, where we had an introduction from Lavater to
Doctor HOTZE. As a physician, and a highly intelligent and benevolent
man, he enjoyed great esteem in his immediate neighbourhood and in the
whole country, and we can do no better honor to his memory than by
referring to a passage in Lavater's Physiognomy, which describes him.
After a very hospitable entertainment, which he relieved with a
highly agreeable and instructive conversation, describing to us the
next halting-places in our journey, we ascended the mountains which
lay before us. When we were about to descend again into the vale of
Schindellegi, we turned round to take in once more the charming
prospect over the lake of Zurich.
Of my feelings at that moment some idea may be gathered from the
following lines, which, just as I wrote them down, are still preserved
in a little memorandum book:
Dearest Lili, if I did not love thee,
I should revel in a scene like this!
Yet, sweet Lili, if I did not love thee,
What were any bliss?
This little impromptu seems to me more expressive in its present
context, than as it stands by itself in the printed collection of my
poems.
[Side-note: St. Mary's Hermitage.]
The rough roads, which led to St. Mary's hermitage, did not wear out
our good spirits. A number of pilgrims, whom we had remarked below
upon the lake, now overtook us and asked the aid of our prayers in
behalf of their pious object. We saluted them and let them pass,
and as they moved regularly with their hymns and prayers, they lent
a characteristic graceful animation to the dreary heights. We saw
livingly marked out the serpentine path which we too had to travel,
and seemed to be joyously following. The customs of the Romish church
are altogether significant and imposing to the Protestant, inasmuch
as he only recognises the inmost principle, by which they were first
called forth, the human element by which they are propagated from race
to race; thus penetrating at once to the kernel, without troubling
himself, just at the moment with the shell, the rind, or even with the
tree itself, its twigs, leaves, bark, and roots.
We now saw rising a dreary, treeless vale, the splendid church, the
cloister, of broad and stately compass, in the midst of a neat place of
sojourn for a large and varied assembly of guests.
The little church within the church, the former hermitage of the saint,
incrusted with marble, and transformed as far as possible into a
regular chapel, was something new to me; something that I had not seen,
this little vessel, surrounded and built over with pillars and vaults.
It could not but excite sober thoughts to reflect how a single spark of
goodness, and of the fear of God, had here kindled a bright and burning
flame, so that troops of believers, never ceased to make painful
pilgrimages in order to light their little tapers at this holy fire.
However the fact is to be explained, it plainly points at least to an
unbounded craving in man, for equal light, for equal warmth, with that
which this old hermit cherished and enjoyed in the deepest feeling and
the most secure conviction. We were shewn into the treasure chamber,
which was rich and imposing enough, and offered to the astonished eye
busts of the size of life, not to say colossal, of the saints and
founders of different orders.
A very different sort of feeling was awakened at the sight of a closet
opening upon this. It was filled with antique valuables here dedicated
and honored. My attention was fixed by various golden crowns of
remarkable workmanship, out of which I contemplated one exclusively. It
was a pointed crown, in the style of former days, such as one may have
seen in pictures on the heads of ancient queens, but of a most tasteful
design and of highly elaborate execution. The colored stones with which
it was studded were distributed over it or set opposite to each other,
with great effect and judgment; it was, in short, a work of that kind
which one would pronounce perfect at the first glance, without waiting
to bring out this impression by an appeal to the laws of art.
In such cases, where the art is not recognised, but felt, heart and
soul are turned towards the object, one would like to possess the
jewel, that one might impart pleasure to others with such a gift. I
begged permission to handle the little crown, and as I held it up
respectfully in my hand, I could not help thinking that I should like
to press it upon the bright, glittering locks of Lili, lead her before
the mirror, and witness her own joy in it, and the happiness which she
spread around her. I have often thought since, that this scene, if
realized by a skilful painter, would be highly touching and full of
meaning. It were worth one's while to be the young king to receive a
bride and a new kingdom in this way.