On the subject of this utterance, even that orthodox Christian, Kierkegaard, says: "In order not to misjudge Schlegel, we must bear in mind the perverted ideas which had insinuated themselves into men's minds in regard to many of the relations of life, and which had specially and indefatigably striven to make love as tame, well broken-in, heavy, sluggish, useful, and obedient, as any other domestic animal--in short, as unerotic as possible.... There is a very narrow-minded morality, a policy of expediency, a futile teleology, which many men worship as an idol, an idol that claims every infinite aspiration as its legitimate offering. Love is considered nothing in itself; it only acquires importance from the purpose it is made to serve in the paltry play which holds the stage of family life." It is perhaps admissible to conclude that what Kierkegaard says about "the tame, well broken-in, sluggish, and useful domestic animal, love," found its most apt application in Germany, which at that time was undoubtedly the home of the old-fashioned womanliness. The satirical sallies in Tieck's comedies occasionally point in the same direction. In his _Däumling_ ("Hop-o'-my-thumb") a husband complains of his wife's craze for knitting, which gives him no peace; a complaint which, perhaps, can only be understood in Germany, where to this day ladies are to be seen knitting even in places of public entertainment--at the concerts on the Brühlsche Terrasse in Dresden, for example. Herr Semmelziege says:-- "Des Hauses Sorge nahm zu sehr den Sinn ihr ein, Die Sauberkeit, das Porzellan, die Wäsche gar: Wenn ich ihr wohl von meiner ew'gen Liebe sprach, Nahm sie der Bürste vielbehaartes Brett zur Hand, Um meinem Rock die Fäden abzukehren still. * * * * * * * * * * * Doch hätt' ich gern geduldet Alles, ausser Eins: Dass, we sie stand, und we sie ging, auswärts, im Haus, Auch im Concert, wenn Tongewirr die Schöpfung schuf, * * * * * * * * * * * Da zaspelnd, haspelnd, heftig rauschend, nimmer still, Ellnbogen fliegend, schlagend Seiten und Geripp, Sie immerdar den Strickstrumpf eifrig handgehabt."[1] The most comical part of this satire is the passage which, whether intentionally or unintentionally on the author's part, reads like a parody of the well-known Roman Elegy in which Goethe drums the hexameter measure, "leise mit fingernder Hand," upon his mistress's back:--