of the old faith in Religion, in the invisible, a poor era; that any little morality it had was celestial nature of Virtue, which our French chiefly borrowed, and from those very ages Purifiers, by their utmost efforts of lavation, which it accounted so barbarous. For this had not been able to wash away. The men "Honour," this "Force of Public Opinion,” is did their best, but no man can do more. Their not asserted, on any side, to have much renoworst enemy, we imagine, will not accuse vating, but only a sustaining or preventive them of any undue regard to things unseen power; it cannot create new Virtue, but at best and spiritual: far from practising this invisi- may preserve what is already there. Nay, of ble sort of Virtue, they cannot even believe the age of Louis XV., we may say that its very in its possibility. The high exploits and en- Power, its material strength, its knowledge, all durances of old ages were no longer virtues, that it had, was borrowed. It boasted itself to but "passions;" these antique persons had a be an age of illumination; and truly illuminataste for being heroes, a certain fancy to die tion there was of its kind: only, except the for the truth: the more fools they! With our illuminated windows, almost nothing to be seen Philosophers, the only virtue of any civilization thereby. None of those great Doctrines or Inwas that they call "Honour," the sanctioning stitutions that have "made man in all points deity of which is that wonderful "Force of a man," none even of those Discoveries that Public Opinion." Concerning which virtue have the most subjected external Nature to his of Honour, we must be permitted to say that purposes, were made in that age. What she reveals herself too clearly, as the daughter Plough, or Printing-press, what Chivalry, or and heiress of our old acquaintance Vanity, Christianity; nay, what Steam-engine, or Quawho indeed has been known enough, ever kerism, or Trial by Jury, did these Encyclosince the foundation of the world, at least pedists invent for mankind? They invented since the date of that "Lucifer, son of the simply nothing; not one of man's virtues, not Morning;" but known chiefly in her proper one of man's powers, is due to them: in all character of strolling actress, or cast-clothes these respects, the age of Louis XV. is among Abigail; and never till that new era had seen the most barren of recorded ages. Indeed, the her issue set up as Queen and all-sufficient whole trade of our Philosophes was directly the Dictatress of man's whole soul, prescribing opposite of invention: it was not to produce, with nicest precision what, in all practical that they stood there; but to criticise, to quarrel and all moral emergencies, he was to do and with, to rend in pieces, what had been already to forbear. Again, with regard to this same produced;-a quite inferior trade: sometimes Force of Public Opinion, it is a force well a useful, but on the whole a mean trade; often known to all of us, respected, valued as of in- the fruit, and always the parent, of meanness, dispensable utility, but nowise recognised as in every mind that permanently follows it. a final or divine force. We might ask what divine, what truly great thing had ever been effected by this force? Was it the Force of Public Opinion that drove Columbus to Ame-ness, without high virtues, or high manifestarica; John Kepler, not to fare sumptuously among Rodolph's Astrologers and Fire-eaters, but to perish of want, discovering the true System of the Stars? Still more ineffectual do we find it as a basis of public or private Morals. Nay, taken by itself, it may be called a baseless basis; for without some ulterior sanction, common to all minds; without some belief in the necessary, eternal, or which is the same, in the supramundane, divine nature of Virtue, existing in each individual, what could the moral judgment of a thousand or a thousand thousand individuals avail us? Without some such celestial guidance, whencesoever derived, or howsoever named, it appears to us the Force of Public Opinion would, by and by, become an extremely unprofitable Enlighten Self-interest!" cries the Philosophe; “Do but sufficiently enlighten it! We ourselves have seen enlightened Self-interests, ere now; and truly, for most part, their light was only as that of a horn-lantern, sufficient to guide the bearer himself out of various puddles: but to us and the world of comparatively small advantage. And figure the human species, like an endless host, seeking its way onwards through undiscovered Time, in black darkness, save that each had his hornlantern, and the vanguard some few of glass! However, we will not dwell on controversial niceties. What we had to remark was that this era, called of Philosophy, was in itself but

one.

Considering the then position of affairs, it is not singular that the age of Louis XV. should have been what it was: an age without noble

tions of talent; an age of shallow clearness, of polish, self-conceit, skepticism, and all forms of Persiflage. As little does it seem surprising, or peculiarly blamable, that Voltaire, the leading man of that age, should have partaken largely of all its qualities. True, his giddy activity took serious effect, the light firebrands, which he so carelessly scattered abroad, kindled fearful conflagrations: but in these there has been good as well as evil; nor is it just that, even for the latter, he, a limited mortal, should be charged with more than mortal's responsibility. After all, that parched, blighted period, and the period of earthquakes and tornadoes which followed it, have now wellnigh cleared away: they belong to the Past, and for us and those that come after us, are not without their benefits, and calm historical meaning.

"The thinking heads of all nations,” says a deep observer, "had in secret come to majority; and, in a mistaken feeling of their vocation, rose the more fiercely against antiquated constraint. The Man of Letters is, by instinct, opposed to a Priesthood of old standing: the literary class and the clerical must wage a war of extermination, when they are divided; for both strive after one place. Such division became more and more perceptible, the nearer we approached the period of European manhood, the epoch of triumphant Learning; and Knowledge and Faith came into more decided

contradiction. In the prevailing Faith, as was visited that land which was the most modernthought, lay the reason of the universal degra-ized, and had the longest lain in an asthenic dation; and by a more and more searching state, from the want of freedom. * * * Knowledge men hoped to remove it. On all "At the present epoch, however, we stand hands, the Religious feeling suffered, under high enough to look back with a friendly smile manifold attacks against its actual manner of on those bygone days; and even in those existence, against the Forms in which hitherto marvellous follies to discern curious crystalit had imbodied itself. The result of that mo-lizations of historical matter. Thankfully will dern way of thought was named Philosophy; we stretch out our hands to those Men of and in this all was included that opposed itself Letters and Philosophes: for this delusion too to the ancient way of thought, especially, required to be exhausted; and the scientific therefore, all that opposed itself to Religion. side of things to have full value given it. More The original personal hatred against the beauteous and many-coloured stands Poesy, Catholic faith passed, by degrees, into hatred like a leafy India, when contrasted with the against the Bible; against the Christian Reli- cold, dead Spitzbergen of that closet-logic gion, and at last against Religion altogether. That in the middle of the globe, an India, sc Nay, more, this hatred of Religion naturally warm and lordly, might exist, must also a cold extended itself over all objects of enthusiasm motionless sea, dead cliffs, mist instead of the in general; proscribed Fancy_and Feeling, starry sky, and a long night, make both Poles Morality and love of Art, the Future and the uninhabitable. The deep meaning of the laws Antique; placed man, with an effort, foremost of Mechanism lay heavy on those anchorites in the series of natural productions; and in the deserts of Understanding: the charm of changed the infinite, creative music of the the first glimpse into it overpowered them : the Universe into the monotonous clatter of a Old avenged itself on them; to the first feelboundless Mill, which, turned by the streaming of self-consciousness, they sacrificed, with of Chance, and swimming thereon, was a Mill of itself, without Architect and Miller, properly, a genuine perpetuum mobile, a real, self-grinding

Mill.

wondrous devotedness, what was holiest and fairest in the world! and were the first that, in practice, again recognised and preached forth the sacredness of Nature, the infinitude of Art, the independence of Knowledge, the worth of the Practical, and the all-presence of the Spirit of History; and so doing, put an end to a Spectre-dynasty, more poient, universal, and terrific than perhaps they themselves were aware of."**

"One enthusiasm was generously left to poor mankind, and rendered indispensable as a touchstone of the highest culture, for all jobbers in the same: Enthusiasm for this magnanimous Philosophy, and above all, for these its priests and mystagogues. France was so happy as to be the birthplace and dwelling of How far our readers will accompany Novalis this new Faith, which had thus, from patches in such high-soaring speculation is not for us of pure knowledge, been pasted together. Low to say. Meanwhile, that the better part of as Poetry ranked in this new Church, there them have already, in their own dialect, united were some poets among them, who for effect's with him, and with us, in candid tolerance, in sake made use of the old ornaments and old clear acknowledgment, towards French Philights; but, in so doing, ran a risk of kindling|losophy, towards this Voltaire and the spiritual the new world-system by ancient fire. More period which bears his name, we do not hesicunning brethren, however, were at hand to tate to believe. Intolerance, animosity, can help; and always in season poured cold water | forward no cause; and least of all beseems the on the warming audience. The members of cause of moral and religious truth. A wise this Church were restlessly employed in clear-man has well reminded us, that "in any coning Nature, the Earth, the Souls of men, the troversy, the instant we feel anger, we have Sciences, from all Poetry; obliterating every already ceased striving for Truth, and begun vestige of the Holy: disturbing, by sarcasms, striving for Ourselves." Let no man doubt that the memory of all lofty occurrences, and lofty Voltaire and his disciples, like all men and men; disrobing the world of all its variegated all things that live and act in God's world, * Pity that Nature con- will one day be found to have "worked totinued so wondrous and incomprehensible, so gether for good." Nay that with all his evil, poetical and infinite, all efforts to modernize he has already accomplished good, must be her notwithstanding! However, if any- admitted in the soberest calculation. How where an old superstition, of a higher world much do we include in this one little word : and the like, came to light, instantly, on all He gave the death-stab to modern Superstition. hands, was a springing of rattles; that, if pos- That horrid incubus, which dwelt in darkness, sible, the dangerous spark might be extin- shunning the light, is passing away; with all guished, by appliances of philosophy and wit: its racks, and poison-chalices, and foul sleepyet Tolerance was the watchword of the culti-ing-draughts, is passing away without return. vated; and in France, above all, synonymous He who sees even a little way into the signs with Philosophy. Highly remarkable is this | of the times, sees well that both the Smithfield history of modern Unbelief; the key to all the vast phenomena of recent times. Not till last century, till the latter half of it, does the novelty begin; and in a little while, it expands to an immeasurable bulk and variety: à second Reformation, a more comprehensive, and more specific, was unavoidable: and naturally it first

vesture.

*

*

*

fires and the Edinburgh thumbscrews (for these too must be held in remembrance) are things which have long, very long, lain behind us; divided from us by a wall of centuries, transparent indeed, but more impassable

* Novalis Schriften, i., s. 198.

more.

|

than adamant. For, as we said, Superstition | commiseration. If he seek Truth, is he not is in its death-lair; the last agonies may endure our brother, and to be pitied? If he do not for decades, or for centuries; but it carries the seek truth, is he not still our brother, and to iron in its heart, and will not vex the earth any be pitied still more? Old Ludovicus Vives has a story of a clown that killed his ass because it had drunk up the moon, and he thought the world could ill spare that luminary. So he killed his ass, ut lunam redderet. The clown was well-intentioned, but unwise. Let us not imitate him; let us not slay a faithful servant who has carried us far. He has not drunk the moon; but only the reflection of thẹ moon, in his own poor water-pail, where, too, it may be, he was drinking with purposes the most harmless.

That, with Superstition, Religion is also passing away, seems to us a still more ungrounded fear. Religion cannot pass away. The burning of a little straw may hide the stars of the sky; but the stars are there, and will re-appear. On the whole, we must repeat the often-repeated saying, that it is unworthy a religious man to view an irreligious one either with alarm or aversion or with any other feeling than regret, and hope, and brotherly |

NOVALIS.*

[FOREIGN REVIEW, 1829.]

A NUMBER of years ago, Jean Paul's copy | we would contend that such soap-bubble guild of Novalis led him to infer that the German reading world was of a quick disposition; inasmuch as with regard to books that required more than one perusal, it declined perusing them at all. Paul's Novalis, we suppose, was of the first Edition, uncut, dusty, and lent him from the Public Library with willingness, nay, with joy; but times, it would appear, must be considerably changed since then; indeed, were we to judge of German reading habits from these volumes of ours, we should draw quite an opposite conclusion of Paul's; for they are of the fourth Edition, perhaps therefore the ten-thousandth copy, and that of a Book demanding, whether deserving or not, to be oftener read than almost any other it has ever been our lot to examine.

Without at all entering into the merits of Novalis, we may observe that we should reckon it a happy sign of Literature, were so solid a fashion of study here and there established in all countries; for directly in the teeth of most "intellectual tea-circles," it may be asserted that no good Book, or good thing of any sort, shows its best face at first; nay, that the commonest quality in a true work of Art, if its excellence have any depth and compass, is that at first sight it occasions a certain disappointment; perhaps even, mingled with its undeniable beauty, a certain feeling of aversion. Not as if we meant, by this remark, to cast a stone at the old guild of literary Improvisators, or any of that diligent brotherhood whose trade it is to blow soap-bubbles for their fellow-creatures; which bubbles, of course, if they are not seen and admired this moment, will be altogether lost to men's eyes the next. Considering the use of these blowers, in civilized communities, we rather wish them strong lungs, and all manner of prosperity: but simply

* Novalis Schriften. Herausgegeben von Ludwig Tieck und Friedrich Schlegel. (Novalis' Writings. Edited by Ludwig Tieck and Friedrich Schlegel.) Fourth Edition. 2 vols. Berlin, 1826.

should not become the sole one in Literature; that being indisputably the strongest, it should content itself with this pre-eminence, and not tyrannically annihilate its less prosperous neighbours. For it should be recollected that Literature positively has other aims than this of amusement from hour to hour; nay, perhaps, that this, glorious as it may be, is not its highest or true aim. We do say, therefore, that the Improvisator corporation should be kept within limits; and readers, at least a certain small class of readers, should understand that some few departments of human inquiry have still their depths and difficulties; that the abstruse is not precisely synonymous with the absurd; nay, that light itself may be darkness, in a certain state of the eyesight; that, in short, cases may occur when a little patience and some attempt at thought would not be altogether superfluous in reading. Let the mob of gentlemen keep their own ground, and be happy and applauded there: if they overstep that ground, they indeed may flourish. the better for it, but the reader will suffer damage. For in this way, a reader, accustomed to see through every thing in one second of time, comes to forget that his wisdom and critical penetration are finite and not infinite; and so commits more than one mistake in his conclusions. The Reviewer, too, who indeed is only a preparatory reader, as it were, a sort of sieve and drainer for the use of more luxurious readers, soon follows his example: these two react still further on the mob of gentlemen; and so among them all, with this action and reaction, matters grow worse and worse.

It rather seems to us as if, in this respect of faithfulness in reading, the Germans were somewhat ahead of us English; at least we have no such proof to show of it as that fourth Edition of Novalis. Our Coleridge's Friend, for example, and Biographia Literaria, are but a slight business compared with these Schrif ten; little more than the Alphabet, and that in

gilt letters, of such Philosophy and Art as is | fool in low-lying, high-fenced lanes: retracing here taught in the form of Grammar and Rhe- the footsteps of the former, to discover where torical Compend: yet Coleridge's works were he deviated, whole provinces of the Universe triumphantly condemned by the whole review- are laid open to us; in the path of the latter, ing world, as clearly unintelligible; and among granting even that he have not deviated at all, readers they have still but an unseen circula- little is laid open to us but two wheel-ruts and tion; like living brooks, hidden for the present two hedges. under mountains of froth and theatrical snowpaper, and which only at a distant day, when these mountains shall have decomposed themselves into gas and earthly residuum, may roll forth in their true limpid shape, to glad den the general eye with what beauty and everlasting freshness does reside in them. It is admitted, too, on all hands, that Mr. Coleridge is a man of "genius," that is, a man having more intellectual insight than other men; and strangely enough, it is taken for 'granted, at the same time, that he has less intellectual insight than any other. For why else are his doctrines to be thrown out of doors, without examination, as false and worthless, simply because they are obscure? Or how is their so palpable falsehood to be accounted for to our minds, except on this extraordinary ground; that a man able to originate deep thoughts (such is the meaning of genius) is unable to see them when originated; that the creative intellect of a Philosopher is destitute of that mere faculty of logic which belongs to "all Attorneys, and men educated in Edinburgh ?" The Cambridge carrier, when asked whether his horse could "draw inferences," readily replied, "Yes, any thing in reason;" but here, it seems, is a man of genius who has no similar gift.

1

On these grounds we reckon it more profitable, in almost any case, to have to do with men of depth, than with men of shallowness: and were it possible, we would read no book that was not written by one of the former class; all members of which we would love and venerate, how perverse soever they may seem to us at first; nay, though, after the fullest investigation, we still found many things to pardon in them. Such of our readers as at all participate in this predilection will not blame us for bringing them acquainted with Novalis, a man of the most indisputable talent, poetical and philosophical; whose opinions, extraordinary, nay, altogether wild and baseless as they often appear, are not without a strict coherence in his own mind, and will lead any other mind, that examines them faithfully, into endless considerations; opening the strangest inquiries, new truths, or new possibilities of truth, a whole unexpected world of thought, where, whether for belief or denial, the deepest questions await us.

In what is called reviewing such a book as this, we are aware that to the judicious craftsman two methods present themselves. The first and most convenient is for the Reviewer to perch himself resolutely, as it were, on the shoulder of his Author, and therefrom to show We ourselves, we confess, are too young in as if he commanded him, and looked down on the study of human nature to have met with him by natural superiority of stature. Whatany such anomaly. Never yet has it been our soever the great man says or does, the little fortune to fall in with any man of genius, man shall treat him with an air of knowingwhose conclusions did not correspond better ness and light condescending mockery; prowith his premises, and not worse, than those fessing, with much covert sarcasm, that this of other men; whose genius, when it once and that other is beyond his comprehension, came to be understood, did not manifest itself in and cunningly asking his readers if they coma deeper, fuller, truer view of all things human prehend it! Herein it will help him mightily, and divine, than the clearest of your so laud-if besides description, he can quote a few pasable "practical men had claim to. Such, we say, has been our uniform experience; so uniform, that we now hardly ever expect to see it contradicted. True it is, the old Pythagorean argument of "the master said it," has long ceased to be available: in these days, no man, except the Pope of Rome, is altogether exempt from error of judgment; doubtless a man of genius may chance to adopt false opinions; nay, rather, like all other sons of Adam, except that same enviable Pope, must occasionally adopt such. Nevertheless, we reckon it a good maxim, that "no error is fully confuted till we have seen not only that it is an error, but how it became one ;" till finding that it clashes with the principles of truth, established in our own mind, we find also in what way it had seemed to harmonize with the principles of truth established in that other mind, perhaps so unspeakably superior to ours. Treated by this method it still appears to us, according to the old saying, that the errors of the wise man are literally more instructive than the truths of a fool. For the wise man travels in lofty, far-seeing regions; the

sages, which, in their detached state, and taken most probably in quite a wrong acceptation of the words, shall sound strange, and to certain hearers, even absurd; all which will be easy enough, if he have any handiness in the business, and address the right audience; truths, as this world goes, being true only for those that have some understanding of them; as, for instance, in the Yorkshire Wolds, and Thames Coal-ships, Christian men enough might be found, at this day, who, if you read them the Thirty-ninth of the Principia, would "grin intelligence from ear to ear." On the other hand, should our Reviewer meet with any passage, the wisdom of which, deep, plain, and palpable to the simplest, might cause misgivings in the reader, as if here were a man of half-unknown endowment, whom perhaps it were better to wonder at than laugh at, our Reviewer either quietly suppresses it, or citing it with an air of meritorious candour, calis upon his Author, in a tone of command and encouragement, to lay aside his transcendental crotchets, and write always thus, and he will admire him. Whereby the reader again feels

.

case, a Samson is to be led forth, blinded and manacled, to make him sport. Nay, might it not, in a spiritual sense, be death, as surely it would be damage, to the small man himself? For is not this habit of sneering at all greatness, of forcibly bringing down all greatness to his own height, one chief cause which keeps that height so very inconsiderable? Come of it what may, we have no refreshing dew for the small man's vanity in this place, nay, rather, as charitable brethren, and fellow-sufferers from that same evil, we would gladly lay the sickle to that reed-grove of self-conceit, which has grown round him, and reap it alto

comforted; proceeds swimmingly to the conclusion of the "Article," and shuts it with a victorious feeling, not only that he and the Reviewer understand this man, but also that, with some rays of fancy and the like, the man is little better than a living mass of darkness. In this way does the small Reviewer triumph over great Authors: but it is the triumph of a fool. In this way, too, does he recommend himself to certain readers, but it is the recommendation of a parasite, and of no true servant. The servant would have spoken truth, in this case; truth, that it might have profited, however harsh the parasite glosses his master with sweet speeches, that he may filch ap-gether away, that so the true figure of the plause, and certain "guineas per sheet," from world, and his own true figure, might no longer him; substituting for Ignorance, which was be utterly hidden from him. Does this our harmless, Error which is not so. And yet to brother, then, refuse to accompany us, without the vulgar reader, naturally enough, that flat- such allurements? He must even retain our tering unction is full of solacement. In fact, best wishes, and abide by his own hearth. to a reader of this sort few things can be more Farther, to the honest few that still go along alarming than to find that his own little Parish, with us on this occasion, we are bound in juswhere he lived so snug and absolute, is, after tice to say that, far from looking down on all, not the whole Universe; that beyond the Novalis, we cannot place either them or ourhill which screened his house from the west selves on a level with him. To explain so wind, and grew his kitchen vegetables so strange an individuality, to exhibit a mind of sweetly, there are other hills and other ham- this depth and singularity before the minds of lets, nay, mountains and towered cities; with readers so foreign to him in every sense, would all which, if he would continue to pass for a be a vain pretension in us. With the best will, Geographer, he must forthwith make himself and after repeated trials, we have gained but a acquainted. Now this Reviewer, often his fel- feeble notion of Novalis for ourselves; his low Parishioner, is a safe man; leads him | Volumes come before us with every disad pleasantly to the hill top; shows him that in-vantage; they are the posthumous works of a deed there are, or seem to be, other expanses, these, too, of boundless extent: but with only cloud mountains, and fatamorgana cities; the true character of that region being Vacuity, or at best a stony desert tenanted by Gryphons and Chimæras.

menting on these Writings, we may well be excused for declining to do so. "It cannot be our purpose here," says Tieck, "to recommend the following Works, or to judge them; probable as it must be that any judgment delivered at this stage of the matter would be a premature and unripe one: for a spirit of such originality must first be comprehended, his will understood, and his loving intention felt and replied to; so that not till his ideas have taken root in other minds, and brought forth new ideas, shall we see rightly, from the historical sequence, what place he himself occupied, and what relation to his country he truly bore.”

man cut off in early life, while his opinions, far from being matured for the public eye. were still lying crude and disjointed before his own: for most part written down in the shape of detached aphorisms, "none of them," as he says himself, "untrue or unimportant to his Surely, if printing is not, like courtier speech, own mind," but naturally requiring to be re"the art of concealing thought," all this must be modelled, expanded, compressed, as the matter blamable enough. Is it the Reviewer's real cleared up more and more into logical unity; trade to be the pander of laziness, self-conceit, at best but fragments of a great scheme which and all manner of contemptuous stupidity on | he did not live to realize. If his editors, Friedthe part of his reader; carefully minister-rich Schlegel and Ludwig Tieck, declined coming to these propensities; carefully fencing off whatever might invade that fool's-paradise with news of disturbance? Is he the priest of Literature and Philosophy, to interpret their mysteries to the common man; as a faithful preacher, teaching him to understand what is adapted for his understanding, to reverence what is adapted for higher understandings than his? Or merely the lackey of Dullness, striving for certain wages, of pudding or praise, by the month or quarter, to perpetuate the reign of presumption and triviality on earth? If the latter, will he not be counselled to pause for an | instant, and reflect seriously, whether starvation were worse or were better than such a Meanwhile, Novalis is a figure of such imdog's-existence? portance in German Literature, that no stuOur reader perceives that we are for adopt- dent of it can pass him by without attention. ing the second method with regard to Novalis ; | If we must not attempt interpreting this Work that we wish less to insult over this highly-for our readers, we are bound at least to point gifted man, than to gain some insight into him; out its existence, and according to our best that we look upon his mode of being and knowledge, direct such of them as take an inthinking as very singular, but not, therefore, terest in the matter how to investigate it farther necessarily very contemptible; as a matter, in for their own benefit. For this purpose, it may fact, worthy of examination, and difficult be- be well that we leave our Author to speak yond most others to examine wisely and with chiefly for himself; subjoining only such exprofit. Let no small man expect that, in this positions as cannot be dispensed with for even