Third Journey to Berlin--Frustrated Plan of Hebrew Authorship--Journey
to Breslau--Divorce.
On my arrival in Berlin I called upon Mendelssohn, as well as some other
old friends, and begged them, as I had now acquired some knowledge of
languages, to employ me in some occupation suited to my capacity. They
hit upon the suggestion, that, in order to enlighten the Polish Jews
still living in darkness, I should prepare in Hebrew, as the only
language intelligible to them, some scientific works, which these
philanthropists were to print at their own expense, and distribute among
the people. His proposal I accepted with delight. But now the question
arose, with what sort of works a beginning should be made. On this point
my excellent friends were divided in their opinions. One of them thought
that the history of the Jewish nation would be most serviceable for this
purpose, inasmuch as the people would discover in it the origin of their
religious doctrines and of the subsequent corruption which these had
undergone, while they would thus also gain an insight into the fact,
that the fall of the Jewish state, as well as all the subsequent
persecution and oppression which they had suffered, had arisen from
their own ignorance and opposition to all rational arrangements.
Accordingly this gentleman recommended that I should translate from
French Basnage's _History of the Jews_; he gave me the work for this
purpose, and asked me to furnish a copy of my translation. The specimen
gave satisfaction to them all, even to Mendelssohn, and I was ready to
take the work in hand; but one of our friends thought that we ought to
begin with something on natural religion and rational morals, inasmuch
as this is the object of all enlightenment. Accordingly he recommended
that for this purpose I should translate the _Natural Religion_ of
Reimarus. Mendelssohn withheld his opinion, because he believed that
whatever was undertaken in this line, though it would do no harm, would
also be of little use. I myself undertook these works, not from any
conviction of my own, but at the request of my friends.
I was too well acquainted with the rabbinical despotism, which by the
power of superstition has established its throne for many centuries in
Poland, and which for its own security seeks in every possible way to
prevent the spread of light and truth. I knew how closely the Jewish
theocracy is connected with the national existence, so that the
abolition of the former must inevitably bring with it the annihilation
of the latter. I saw therefore clearly that my labours in this direction
would be fruitless; but I undertook this commission, because, as already
stated, my friends would have it so, and because I could think of no
other means of subsistence. Accordingly without fixing anything definite
about the plan of my labours, my friends resolved to send me to Dessau,
where I could carry on my work at leisure.
I reached Dessau in the hope, that after a few days my friends in Berlin
would resolve upon something definite about my work: but in this I was
deceived; for, as soon as I turned my back on Berlin, nothing further
was thought of the plan. I waited about a fortnight; but when during
that period I received no communication, I wrote to Berlin in the
following terms:--"If my friends cannot unite upon a plan, they might
leave the settlement of it to my own judgment. For my part I believe
that, to enlighten the Jewish nation, we must begin neither with history
nor with natural theology and morals. One of my reasons for thinking so
is, that these subjects, being easily intelligible, would not be able to
instil any regard for science in general among the more learned Jews,
who are accustomed to respect only those studies which involve a strain
upon the highest intellectual powers. But a second reason is, that, as
those subjects would frequently come into collision with religious
prejudices, they would never be admitted. Besides, sooth to say, there
is no proper history of the Jewish nation: for they have scarcely ever
stood in political relation with other civilised nations; and, with the
exception of the Old Testament and Josephus and a few fragments on the
persecutions of the Jews in the middle ages, nothing is to be found
recorded on the subject. I believe, therefore, that it would be best to
make a beginning with some science which, besides being most favourable
for the development of the mind, is also self-evident, and stands in no
connection with any religious opinions. Of this sort are the
mathematical sciences; and therefore with this object in view I am
willing to write a mathematical text-book in Hebrew."
To this I received the answer, that I might follow my plan. Accordingly
I applied myself with all diligence to the preparation of this
text-book, using the Latin work on mathematics by Wolff as its basis;
and in two months it was finished. I then returned to Berlin, to give an
account of my work, but received immediately from one of the gentlemen
interested the disappointing information, that, as the work was very
voluminous, and as it would entail heavy expenditure especially on
account of the copper-plates required, he could not undertake the
publication at his own expense, and I might therefore do with my
manuscript whatever I chose. I complained of this to Mendelssohn; and he
thought, that certainly it was unreasonable to let my work go without
remuneration, but that I could not require my friends to undertake the
publication of a work which could not calculate on any good result in
consequence of that aversion to all science, which I myself knew to be
prevalent among the Jewish nation. His advice therefore was, that I
should get the book printed by subscription; and of course I was
obliged to content myself with this. Mendelssohn and the other
enlightened Jews in Berlin subscribed, and I received for my work merely
my manuscript and the list of subscriptions. The whole plan, however,
was thought of no more.
On this I fell out again with my friends in Berlin. Being a man with
little knowledge of the world, who supposed that human actions must
always be determined by the laws of justice, I pressed for the
fulfilment of the bargain made. My friends, on the other hand, began,
though too late, to see, that their ill-considered project must of
necessity collapse, because they had no assurance of a market for such
voluminous and expensive works. From the religious, moral and political
condition of the Jews up to this time it was easy to foresee that the
few enlightened men among them would certainly give themselves no
trouble to study the sciences in the Hebrew language, which is very
ill-adapted for the exposition of such subjects; they will prefer to
seek science in its original sources. The unenlightened, on the other
hand,--and these form the majority,--are so swayed by rabbinical
prejudices, that they regard the study of the sciences, even in Hebrew,
as forbidden fruit, and persistently occupy themselves only with the
Talmud and the enormous number of its commentaries.
All this I understood very well, and therefore I never thought of
demanding that the work I had prepared should be printed; I asked merely
remuneration for the labour spent on it in vain. In this dispute
Mendelssohn remained neutral, because he thought that both parties had
right on their side. He promised to use his influence with my friends,
to induce them to provide for my subsistence in some other way. But when
even this was not done, I became impatient, and resolved to quit Berlin
once more, and go to Breslau. I took with me some letters of
introduction, but they were of little service; for before I reached
Breslau myself, letters in the spirit of those which Uriah carried had
preceded me, and made a bad impression on the most of those to whom my
letters of introduction were addressed. As a natural result, therefore,
I was coldly received; and as I knew nothing of the later letters, I
found it impossible to explain my reception, and had made up my mind to
quit Breslau.
By chance, however, I became acquainted with the celebrated Jewish poet,
the late Ephraim Kuh. This learned and high-minded man took so much
interest in me, that, neglecting all his former occupations and
enjoyments, he confined himself entirely to my society. To the wealthy
Jews he spoke of me with the greatest enthusiasm, and praised me as a
very good fellow. But when he found that all his complimentary remarks
failed to make any impression on these gentlemen, he took some trouble
to find out the cause of this, and at last discovered that the reason
lay in those friendly letters from Berlin. Their general tenor was, that
I was seeking to spread pernicious opinions. Ephraim Kuh, as a thinking
man, at once saw the reason of this charge; but with all the efforts he
made, he could not drive it out of the heads of these people. I
confessed to him that, during my first sojourn in Berlin as a young man
without experience or knowledge of the world, I had felt an irresistible
impulse to communicate to others whatever truth I knew; but I assured
him that, having for some years become wise by experience, I went to
work with great caution, and that therefore this charge was now wholly
without foundation.
Irritated by my disheartening situation, I resolved to form the
acquaintance of Christian scholars, by whose recommendation I thought I
might find a hearing among the wealthy men of my own nation. I could not
but fear, however, that my defective language might form an obstacle to
the expression of my thoughts; so I prepared a written essay, in which I
delivered my ideas on the most important questions of philosophy in the
form of aphorisms. With this essay I went to the celebrated Professor
Garve, explained to him briefly my intention, and submitted my aphorisms
to him for examination. He discussed them with me in a very friendly
manner, gave me a good testimonial, and recommended me also orally in
very emphatic language to the wealthy banker, Lipmann Meier. This
gentleman settled a monthly allowance on me for my support, and also
spoke to some other Jews on the subject.
My situation now improved every day. Many young men of the Jewish nation
sought my society. Among others the second son of Herr Aaron Zadig took
so much pleasure in my humble personality, that he desired to enjoy my
instruction in the sciences. This he earnestly begged his father to
allow; and the latter, being a well-to-do enlightened man of great good
sense, who wished to give his children the best German education, and
spared no expense for that object, willingly gave his consent. He sent
for me, and made the proposal that I should live at his house, and for a
moderate honorarium should give his second son lessons for two hours a
day in physics and _belles lettres_, and also a lesson in arithmetic of
an hour a day to his third and youngest son. This proposal I accepted
with great willingness; and, not long after, Herr Zadig asked me, if I
would not also consent to give lessons in Hebrew and elementary
mathematics to his children who had hitherto had for their teacher in
these subjects a Polish Jew, named Rabbi Manoth. But I thought it would
be unfair to supplant this poor man, who had a family to support, and
who was giving satisfaction at any rate; and therefore I declined this
request. Accordingly Rabbi Manoth continued his lessons, and I entered
upon mine.
In this house I was able to carry on but little study for myself. In the
first place, there was a want of books; and, in the second place, I
lived in a room with the children, where they were occupied with other
masters every hour of the day. Besides, the liveliness of these young
people did not suit my character which had already become somewhat
stern; and therefore I had often occasion to get angry at petty
outbursts of unruliness. Consequently, as I was obliged to pass most of
my time in idleness, I sought society. I often visited Herr Hiemann
Lisse, a plump little man of enlightened mind and cheerful disposition.
With him and some other jolly companions I spent my evenings in talk and
jest and play of every sort. During the day I strolled around among the
coffee-houses.
In other families also I soon became acquainted, particularly in those
of Herr Simon, the banker, and Herr Bortenstein, both of whom showed me
much kindness. All sought to persuade me to devote myself to medicine,
for which I had always entertained a great dislike. But when I saw from
my circumstances, that it would be difficult for me to find support in
any other way, I allowed myself to be persuaded. Professor Garve
introduced me to Professor Morgenbesser, and I attended his medical
lectures for some time; but after all I could not overcome my dislike to
the art, and accordingly gave up the lectures again. By and by I became
acquainted with other Christian scholars, especially with the late Herr
Lieberkühn, who was so justly esteemed on account of his abilities, as
well as for his warm interest in the welfare of mankind. I also made the
acquaintance of some teachers of merit in the Jesuits' College at
Breslau.
But I did not give up wholly literary work in Hebrew. I translated into
Hebrew Mendelssohn's _Morgenstunden_. Of this translation I sent some
sheets as a specimen to Herr Isaac Daniel Itzig in Berlin; but I
received no answer because this excellent man, owing to his business
being too extensive, cannot possibly give attention to subjects that are
not of immediate interest to him, and therefore such affairs as the
answering of my letter are easily forgotten. I also wrote in Hebrew a
treatise on Natural Philosophy according to Newtonian principles; and
this, as well as the rest of my Hebrew works, I still preserve in
manuscript.
At last, however, I fell here also into a precarious situation. The
children of Herr Zadig, in pursuance of the occupations to which they
were destined in life, entered into commercial situations, and therefore
required teachers no longer. Other means of support also gradually
failed. As I was thus obliged to seek subsistence in some other way, I
devoted myself to giving lessons; I taught Euler's _Algebra_ to a young
man, gave two children instruction in the rudiments of German and Latin,
&c. But even this did not last long, and I found myself in a sorrowful
plight.
Meanwhile my wife and eldest son arrived from Poland. A woman of rude
education and manners, but of great good sense and the courage of an
Amazon, she demanded that I should at once return home with her, not
seeing the impossibility of what she required. I had now lived some
years in Germany, had happily emancipated myself from the fetters of
superstition and religious prejudice, had abandoned the rude manner of
life in which I had been brought up, and extended my knowledge in many
directions. I could not therefore return to my former barbarous and
miserable condition, deprive myself of all the advantages I had gained,
and expose myself to rabbinical rage at the slightest deviation from the
ceremonial law, or the utterance of a liberal opinion. I represented to
her, that this could not be done at once, that I should require first of
all to make my situation known to my friends here as well as in Berlin,
and solicit from them the assistance of two or three hundred thalers, so
that I might be able to live in Poland independent of my religious
associates. But she would listen to nothing of all this, and declared
her resolution to obtain a divorce, if I would not go with her
immediately. Here therefore it was for me to choose the less of two
evils, and I consented to the divorce.
Meanwhile, however, I was obliged to provide for the lodging and board
of these guests, and to introduce them to my friends in Breslau. Both of
these duties I performed, and I pointed out, especially to my son, the
difference between the manner of life one leads here and that in Poland,
while I sought to convince him by several passages in the _Moreh
Nebhochim_, that enlightenment of the understanding and refinement of
manners are rather favourable than otherwise to religion. I went
further: I sought to convince him, that he ought to remain with me; I
assured him, that, with my direction and the support of my friends, he
would find opportunities of developing the good abilities with which
Nature had endowed him, and would obtain for them some suitable
employment. These representations made some impression upon him: but my
wife went with my son to consult some orthodox Jews, in whose advice she
thought she could thoroughly confide; and they recommended her to press
at once for a divorce, and on no account to let my son be induced to
remain with me. This resolution, however, she was not to disclose till
she had received from me a sufficient sum of money for household
purposes. She might then separate from me for ever, and start for home
with her booty.
This pretty plan was faithfully followed. By and by I had succeeded in
collecting some score of ducats from my friends. I gave them to my wife,
and explained to her that, to complete the required sum, it would be
necessary for us to go to Berlin. She then began to raise difficulties,
and declared at once point-blank, that for us a divorce was best, as
neither could I live happily with her in Poland, nor she with me in
Germany. In my opinion she was perfectly right. But it still made me
sorry to lose a wife, for whom I had once entertained affection, and I
could not let the affair be conducted in any spirit of levity. I told
her therefore that I should consent to a divorce only if it were
enjoined by the courts.
This was done. I was summoned before the court. My wife stated the
grounds on which she claimed a divorce. The president of the court then
said, "Under these circumstances we can do nothing but advise a
divorce." "Mr. President," I replied, "we came here, not to ask advice,
but to receive a judicial sentence." Thereupon the chief rabbi rose from
his seat (that what he said might not have the force of a judicial
decision,) approached me with the codex in his hand, and pointed to the
following passage:--"A vagabond, who abandons his wife for years, and
does not write to her or send her money, shall, when he is found, be
obliged to grant a divorce." "It is not my part," I replied, "to
institute a comparison between this case and mine. That duty falls to
you, as judge. Take your seat again, therefore, and pronounce your
judicial sentence on the case."
The president became pale and red by turns, while the rest of the judges
looked at one another. At last the presiding judge became furious, began
to call me names, pronounced me a damnable heretic, and cursed me in the
name of the Lord. I left him to storm, however, and went away. Thus
ended this strange suit, and things remained as they were before.
My wife now saw that nothing was to be done by means of force, and
therefore she took to entreaty. I also yielded at last, but only on the
condition, that at the judicial divorce the judge, who had shown himself
such a master of cursing, should not preside in the court. After the
divorce my wife returned to Poland with my son. I remained some time
still in Breslau; but as my circumstances became worse and worse, I
resolved to return to Berlin.[60]