OF

GOETHE:

WITH

SKETCHES OF HIS AGE AND CONTEMPORARIES,

FROM

PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED SOURCES.

BY

G. H. LEWES,

AUTHOR OF THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY,' ETC.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

'Goethe's heart, which few knew, was as great as his intellect,
which all knew.' - JUNG STILLING.

BOSTON:

TICKNOR AND FIELDS.

M DCCC LVI.

A

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY

FROM

THE BEQUEST OF

EVERT JANSEN WENDELL

19.2

CAMBRIDGE:

THURSTON AND TORRY, PRINTERS.

CONTENTS

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

BOOK THE FIFTH.

CRYSTALS.

1779 To 1793.

CHAPTER I.

NEW BIRTH.

Passage of youth to Manhood. - Composition of the Iphigenia' in

prose. The prose mania

-

3

CHAPTER II.

IPHIGENIA.

Mistaken notion that the Iphigenia is a specimen of the Greek

tragedy.— Necessary calmness of evolution in the Greek drama

confounded with calmness of life. - Deepest and darkest passions

called into play by the Greek dramatists. Profound difference

between Goethe and Euripides. — Iphigenia ' not a Greek but a

German play. Not a drama, but a dramatic poem. - Parallel

between the Iphigenia of Goethe and the Iphigenia of Euripides.

- Analysis of the Iphigenia

-

-

CHAPTER III.

PROGRESS.

9

Goethe active in his official duties. Raised to the rank of Geheim-

-

rath. — Journey with Karl August to Frankfurt and Strasburg.

-

Switzerland. - Return to Weimar.

-

Interview with Frederika. Interview with Lili. - Journey to

Changes his mode of life. -

Passionate study of science. — Tendency to believe in the unity of

nature. Slow advance to a more serious and decisive plan of ex-

istence. Increased devotion to the Frau von Stein. Occasional

discords with Karl August. - Feels authorship to be the true

mission of his life

-

27

CHAPTER IV.

PREPARATIONS FOR ITALY.

-

--

Birth of a crown-prince. - Goethe's poem of 'Ilmenau.' Increased

official burdens. Journey in the Harz with Fritz von Stein.

Prepares the Planet Dance. - Pronounces an oration on the re-

opening of the Ilmenau mines. — Discovers an intermaxilary bone

in man. Biographical significance of the discovery. Studies

in natural history. Numerous charities. - Changes in Weimar

society. Separation of opinion between Goethe and Jacobi. —

Goethe disgusted with the hypocritical nature of Lavater. — Strong

impulse to visit Italy. His secret departure

-

CHAPTER V.

ITALY.

-

Goethe in Italy under an assumed name. The Italiänische Reise.'

- His delight in the present, and not in the past. His residence

at Venice and Rome. - Passion for art. Tries to discover the

secret of vegetable forms.

to Naples.Sir William and Lady Hamilton. — Vesuvius, Pæs-

tum, Pompeii, Herculaneum and Capua. Palermo. Visits

the parents of Cagliostro. Return to Rome.

- Effect of his residence in Italy. - Result of his study of art.

Falls in love with a young Milanese.

---

Returns to Weimar. 52

CHAPTER VI.

EGMONT.

'Egmont' a universal favorite, but not a masterpiece. — A novel in

dialogue, not a drama. - The character of Egmont a type of

humanity. Materials and construction of the play. - Analysis

of' Egmont.'

-

CHAPTER VII.

RETURN HOME.

-

Melancholy return from Italy to Weimar. -His previous letter to

Karl August. Relieved from the more onerous duties of office.

- Rapid progress of crystallization. Coolness towards the Frau

von Stein. First interview with Schiller. Wide gulf between

the two. Difference in their fortunes

-

-

-

77

CHAPTER VIII.

-

CHRISTIANE VULPIUS.

-

Christiane's petition to Goethe. - Her position, education and

character. Her connection with Goethe. Composition of the

Roman Elegies.' - How far a poet is justified in disregarding the

conventional proprieties of his age. Goethe's love for Christiane.

— Disapprobation of Weimar society. — Rupture with the Frau

von Stein. Goethe's letters to Frau von Stein. Her subsequent

letter concerning him

-

-

-

-

86

CHAPTER IX.

TASSO.

'Tasso' a series of faultless lines, but no drama.- Purely psycho-

logical. Analysis of 'Tasso'

Studies Kant. Studies in art and science. His treatise on the

Metamorphoses of Plants.' Its cold reception. — Recognition of

his labors, by St. Hilaire. - General recognition of his discovery.

- High character of his botanical and anatomical studies..

Unfortunate studies in Optics. — Misunderstanding of Newton's

theory. Publication of the Beiträge zur Optik.' - Opposition

to it. Goethe's obstinacy and irritability. His Theory of Col-

ors.' Anecdote in illustration of the blueness of darkness.

Goethe's explanation of the phenomena of refraction. Source of

his mistake in his rejection of every mathematical explanation.

Efforts to supply the place of experiment and mathematics by ob-

servation and reason. Native direction of his mind towards the