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
Beautiful Nanette; with such a softly-glowing soul, and such a brief
tragically-beautiful little life! Like a Daughter of the rosy-fingered
Morn; her existence all a sun-gilt soft auroral cloud, and no sultry
Day, with its dusts and disfigurements, permitted to follow. Father
Schiller seems, in his rugged way, to have loved Nanette best of them
all; in an embarrassed manner, we find him more than once recommending
her to Schiller's help, and intimating what a glorious thing for her,
were it a possible one, education might be. He followed her in few
months to her long home; and, by his own direction, 'was buried in the
Churchyard at Gerlingen by her side.'
_Luise (born 24th January 1766; married 20th October 1799; died 14th
September 1836)._
Of Luise's life too, except what was shown above, there need little be
said. In the dismal pestilential days at Solitüde, while her Father
lay dying, and poor Nanette caught the infection, Luise, with all her
tender assiduities and household talent, was there; but, soon after
Nanette's death, the fever seized her too; and she long lay
dangerously ill in that forlorn household; still weak, but slowly
recovering, when Christophine arrived.
The Father, a short while before his death, summoned to him that
excellent young Clergyman, Frankh, who had been so unweariedly kind to
them in this time of sickness when all neighbours feared to look in,
To ask him what his intentions towards Luise were. It was in presence
of the good old man that they made solemn promise to each other; and
at Leonberg, where thenceforth the now-widowed Mother's dwelling was,
they were formally betrothed; and some two years after that were
married.
Her Mother's death, so tenderly watched over, took place at their
Parsonage at Clever-Sulzbach, as we saw above. Frankh, about two years
after, was promoted to a better living, Möckmühl by name; and lived
there, a well-doing and respected Parson, till his death, in 1834;
which Luise's followed in September of the second year afterwards.
Their marriage lasted thirty-five years. Luise had brought him three
children; and seems to have been, in all respects, an excellent Wife.
She was ingenious in intellectuals as well as economics; had a taste
for poetry; a boundless enthusiasm for her Brother; seems to have been
an anxious Mother, often ailing herself but strenuously doing her best
at all times.
A touching memorial of Luise is Schiller's last Letter to her, Letter
of affectionate apology for long silence,—apology, and hope of doing
better,—written only a few weeks before his own death. It is as
follows:
"Weimar, 27th March 1805.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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