The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 05: Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English
Philosophy
The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 05: Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English
German literature -- 19th century -- Translations into English; German literature -- 20th century -- Translations into English
If, now, those higher claims upon life, together with the sense of
their divine right, still remain living and potent in any one, he,
with deep indignation, feels himself crushed back into those first
ages of Christianity in which it was said: "Resist not evil: but
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other
also. And if any man will take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak
also." And rightly so, for as long as he still sees a cloak upon thee,
he seeks an opportunity to quarrel with thee in order to take this
also from thee; not until thou art utterly naked dost thou escape his
attention and art unmolested by him. Even his higher feelings, which
do him honor, make earth a hell and an abomination to him; he wishes
that he had not been born; he wishes that his eyes may close to the
light of day, the sooner the better; unceasing sorrow lays hold upon
his days until the grave claims him; he can wish for those dear to him
no better gift than a quiet and contented spirit, that with less pain
they may live on in expectation of an eternal life beyond the grave.
These addresses lay upon you the task of preventing, by the sole means
which still remains after the others have been tried in vain, the
destruction of every nobler impulse that may in the future possibly
arise among us and this debasement of our entire nation. They present
to you a true and omnipotent patriotism, which, in the conception
of our nation as of one that is eternal, and as citizens of our own
eternity, is to be deeply and ineradicably founded in the minds of
all, by means of education. What this education may be, and in what
way it may be achieved, we shall see in the following addresses.
[Illustration: VOLUNTEERS OF 1813 BEFORE KING FRIEDRICH WILHELM III IN
BRESLAU _From the Painting by F.W. Scholtz_]
* * * * *
ADDRESS FOURTEEN
Conclusion of the Whole
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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