The Life of Friedrich Schiller: Comprehending an Examination of His Works — John Shaqi
The Life of Friedrich Schiller: Comprehending an Examination of His WorksCarlyle, Thomas
General
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
[Footnote 6: On this subject Doering gives an anecdote, which
may perhaps be worth translating. 'One of Schiller's teachers
surprised him on one occasion reciting a scene from the
_Robbers_, before some of his intimate companions. At the
words, which Franz von Moor addresses to Moser: _Ha, what!
thou knowest none greater? Think again! Death, heaven,
eternity, damnation, hovers in the sound of thy voice! Not
one greater?_—the door opened, and the master saw Schiller
stamping in desperation up and down the room. "For shame,"
said he, "for shame to get into such a passion, and curse
so!" The other scholars tittered covertly at the worthy
inspector; and Schiller called after him with a bitter smile,
"A noodle" (ein confiscirter Kerl)!']
[Footnote 7: His Latin Essay on the _Philosophy of
Physiology_ was written in 1778, and never printed. His
concluding _thesis_ was published according to custom: the
subject is arduous enough, "the connection between the animal
and spiritual nature of man,"—which Dr. Cabanis has since
treated in so offensive a fashion. Schiller's tract we have
never seen. Doering says it was long 'out of print,' till
Nasse reproduced it in his Medical Journal (Leipzig, 1820):
he is silent respecting its merits.]
[Footnote 8: The obnoxious passage has been carefully
expunged from subsequent editions. It was in the third scene
of the second act; Spiegelberg discoursing with Razmann,
observes, "An honest man you may form of windle-straws; but
to make a rascal you must have grist: besides, there is a
national genius in it, a certain rascal-climate, so to
speak." In the first edition, there was added: "_Go to the
Grisons, for instance: that is what I call the thief's
Athens._" The patriot who stood forth on this occasion for
the honour of the Grisons, to deny this weighty charge, and
denounce the crime of making it, was not Dogberry or Verges,
but 'one of the noble family of Salis.']
Informed of all these circumstances, the Grand Duke expressed his
disapprobation of Schiller's poetical labours in the most unequivocal
terms. Schiller was at length summoned to appear before him; and it
then turned out, that his Highness was not only dissatisfied with the
moral or political errors of the work, but scandalised moreover at its
want of literary merit. In this latter respect, he was kind enough to
proffer his own services. But Schiller seems to have received the
proposal with no sufficient gratitude; and the interview passed
without advantage to either party. It terminated in the Duke's
commanding Schiller to abide by medical subjects: or at least to
beware of writing any more poetry, without submitting it to _his_
inspection.
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