Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3): Tales by Musæus, Tieck, RichterCarlyle, Thomas
General
Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3): Tales by Musæus, Tieck, Richter
Carlyle, Thomas
German fiction -- Translations into English
I could scarcely lay aside this indignant mood, so sweet was it to me,
and so much did I feel refreshed by the fire of rage, and quickened in
my breast as by a benignant stimulant. It belongs certainly to the class
of Unrecognised Mercies (on which, in ancient times, special sermons
were preached), that one is never more completely in his Heaven and
_Monplaisir_ (a pleasure-palace) than while in the midst of right hearty
storming and indignation. Heavens! what might not a man of weight
accomplish in this new walk of charity! The gall-bladder is for us the
chief swimming-bladder and Montgolfier; and the filling of it costs us
nothing but a contumelious word or two from some bystander. And does not
the whirlwind Luther, with whom I nowise compare myself, confess, in his
_Table-talk_, that he never preached, sung, or prayed so well, as while
in a rage? Truly, he was a man sufficient of himself to rouse many
others into rage.
The whole morning till noon now passed in viewing sights, and
trafficking for wares; and indeed, for the greatest part, in the broad
street of our Hotel. Berga needed but to press along with me into the
market throng; needed but to look, and see that she was decorated more
according to the fashion than hundreds like her. But soon, in her care
for household gear, she forgot that of dress, and in the potter-market
the toilette-table faded from her thoughts.
I, for my share, full of true tedium, while gliding after her through
her various marts, with their long cheapenings and chafferings, merely
acted the Philosopher hid within me: I weighed this empty Life, and the
heavy value which is put upon it, and the daily anxiety of man lest it,
this lightest down-feather of the Earth, fly off, and feather him, and
take him with it. These thoughts, perhaps, I owe to the street-fry of
boys, who were turning their market-freedom to account, by throwing
stones at one another all round me: for, in the midst of this tumult, I
vividly figured myself to be a man who had never seen war; and who,
therefore, never having experienced, that often of a thousand bullets
not one will hit, feels apprehensive of these few silly stones lest they
beat-in his nose and eyes. O! it is the battle-field alone that sows,
manures and nourishes true courage, courage even for daily, domestic and
smallest perils. For not till he comes from the battle-field can a man
both sing and cannonade; like the canary-bird, which, though so
melodious, so timid, so small, so tender, so solitary, so
soft-feathered, can yet be trained to fire off cannon, though cannon of
smaller calibre.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account