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N° 3.
GETHE (JOHAN-WOLFGANG VON)
(BORN AT FRANKFORT 1749 - DIED AT WEIMAR 1832)
The greatest German poet the 18th Century. His father Jo-
hann Kaspar Goethe, was an imperial councillor.
In 1765 young Goethe professedly to study law entered as a stu-
dent at Leipsic University. His real intentions however were to
devote his time and energies to literature. As quite a youth it is
recorded that he was singularly susceptible to love affairs. He
however was more readily moved to love than persevering in his
devotions. In 1771 Goethe took his degree as Doctor of Laws. The
upshot of a visit to Wetzlar on the Lahn whither he went to study
law was the production in 1774 of the « Sorrows of Werther » ; a
book which was translated into English by Sir Walter Scott. In
1775 he was invited by Karl-August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar
to take up his residence in his capital. Gæthe did so and for the
rest of his life divided his time between diplomacy and literature.
In both he succeeded. Within four years he had became « actual
privy councillor » the highest post he could obtain. In 1782 he was
enobled and shortly after travelled much in Switzerland and Italy
producing « Iphigenia », « Egmont », « Tasso » and the « Venetian
Roman Elegies ». He married though not till 1806 a lady with whom
he had for some years lived. Created Minister of State in 1815 he
devoted the last seventeen years of his life to poetry and the fine
arts.
Gothe fills a great place in literature, still he has his limitations.
He had a singular absence of historic feeling and dramatic
power » ; and though « attached to character and picture, indiffe-
rent to action and event. With the English, for various reasons,
Goethe wil never be such a favorite author as Schiller.
This is one of a set of 104 pictures of celebrated men.
writo for album to Bensdorp's Royal Dutch Cocoa works and enclose 10 pence (20 cents)
iu stamps.
