The International Monthly, Volume 2, No. 1, December, 1850Various
History
The International Monthly, Volume 2, No. 1, December, 1850
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
We find in the _Deutsche Zeitung aus Böhmen_, an account of a visit to
the great German satirist and poet Henry Heine, who lives at Paris,
where, as is known, he has long been confined to his bed with a
lingering illness. We translate the following for the _International_:--
"It is indeed a painful or rather a terrible condition in which Heine
now is and has been for the past year; though the paralysis has made no
progress, it has at least experienced no alleviation. He has now lain
near two years in bed, and during that time has not seen a tree nor a
speck of the blue sky. He cannot raise himself, and scarcely moves. His
left eye is blind, his right can just perceive objects, but cannot bear
the light of day. His nights are disturbed by fearful torments, and only
morphine can produce him the least repose. Hope of recovery has long
been given up, and he himself entertains no illusions on that subject.
He knows that his sufferings can end only with death. He speaks of this
with the utmost composure."
The writer goes on to contradict, as calumnious, the report that Heine
had become religious, saying, that he bears his tortures without "the
assistance of saints of any color, and by the inward power of the free
man." He does not regard himself as a sinner, and has nothing to repent
of, since he has but rejoiced like a child, in everything
beautiful--chasing butterflies, finding flowers by the way-side, and
making a holiday of his whole life. He has, however, often called
himself religious, by way of contradiction, and from antipathy to a
certain clique who openly proclaim themselves atheists, and under that
sonorous title seek to exercise a certain terror on others.
It seems that Heine has lost a great deal of property through various
speculators who have persuaded him to join in their schemes. The writer
says: "Heine's friends are enraged at many of these individuals, and
urge him to attack them publicly, and show them up in their true light.
He owes this satisfaction to himself and to us; at the same time it
would conciliate many who have not pardoned him the cavalier air with
which he has turned off the most respectable notabilities of literature
and patriotism, in order to amuse himself in the company of some
adventurer." By this love for out-of-the-way characters, the writer
thinks that Heine must have collected the materials for a humorous
novel, which could equal the best productions of Mendoza, Smollett, or
Dickens; his experiences in this line have cost him a great deal of
money. We translate the conclusion of the article:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account