The Life of Friedrich Schiller: Comprehending an Examination of His WorksCarlyle, Thomas
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The Life of Friedrich Schiller: Comprehending an Examination of His Works
Carlyle, Thomas
Authors, German -- 18th century -- Biography; Schiller, Friedrich, 1759-1805; Schubart, Christian Friedrich Daniel, 1739-1791
Soon after the publication of _Wallenstein_, Schiller once more
changed his abode. The 'mountain air of Jena' was conceived by his
physicians to be prejudicial in disorders of the lungs; and partly in
consequence of this opinion, he determined henceforth to spend his
winters in Weimar. Perhaps a weightier reason in favour of this new
arrangement was the opportunity it gave him of being near the theatre,
a constant attendance on which, now that he had once more become a
dramatist, seemed highly useful for his farther improvement. The
summer he, for several years, continued still to spend in Jena; to
which, especially its beautiful environs, he declared himself
particularly attached. His little garden-house was still his place of
study during summer; till at last he settled constantly at Weimar.
Even then he used frequently to visit Jena; to which there was a fresh
attraction in later years, when Goethe chose it for his residence,
which, we understand, it still occasionally is. With Goethe he often
stayed for months.
This change of place produced little change in Schiller's habits or
employment: he was now as formerly in the pay of the Duke of Weimar;
now as formerly engaged in dramatic composition as the great object of
his life. What the amount of his pension was, we know not: that the
Prince behaved to him in a princely manner, we have proof sufficient.
Four years before, when invited to the University of Tübingen,
Schiller had received a promise, that, in case of sickness or any
other cause preventing the continuance of his literary labour, his
salary should be doubled. It was actually increased on occasion of the
present removal; and again still farther in 1804, some advantageous
offers being made to him from Berlin. Schiller seems to have been,
what he might have wished to be, neither poor nor rich: his simple
unostentatious economy went on without embarrassment: and this was all
that he required. To avoid pecuniary perplexities was constantly
among his aims: to amass wealth, never. We ought also to add that, in
1802, by the voluntary solicitation of the Duke, he was ennobled; a
fact which we mention, for his sake by whose kindness this honour was
procured; not for the sake of Schiller, who accepted it with
gratitude, but had neither needed nor desired it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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