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J。W。 von Goethe Thomas Carlyle and R。D。 Boylan Edited by Nathen Haskell
Dole PREFACE I have carefully collected whatever I have been able to learn
of the story of poor Werther， and here present it to you ， knowing that
you will thank me for it。 To his spirit and character you cannot refuse
your admiration and love： to his fate you will not deny your tears。
And thou， good soul， who sufferest the same distress as he endured
once， draw fort from his sorrows； and let this little book be thy
friend， if ， owing to fortune or through thine own fault， thou canst
not find a dearer panion。
BOOK I
MAY 4。 How happy I am that I am gone！ My dear friend ， what a thing
is the heart of man ！ To leave you ， from whom I have been inseparable，
whom I love so dearly ， and yet to feel happy！ I know you will forgive
me。 Have not other attachments been specially appointed by fate to torment
a head like mine？ Poor Leonora ！ and yet I was not to blame。 Was it
my fault， that ， whilst the peculiar charms of her sister afforded me
an agreeable entertainment， a passion for me was engendered in her feeble
heart ？ And yet am I wholly blameless？ Did I not encourage her emotions？
Did I not feel charmed at those truly genuine expressions of nature ，
which ， though but little mirthful in reality， so often amused us ？
Did I not —— but oh ！ what is man， that he dares so to accuse himself？
My dear friend I promise you I will improve ； I will no longer ， as
has ever been my habit， continue to ruminate on every petty vexation
which fortune may dispense； I will enjoy the present ， and the past
shall be for me the past。 No doubt you are right， my best of friends ，
there would be far less suffering amongst mankind ， if men —— and God
knows why they are so fashioned —— did not employ their imaginations
so assiduously in recalling the memory of past sorrow ， instead of bearing
their present lot with equanimity。 Be kind enough to inform my mother
that I shall attend to her business to the best of my ability ， and shall
give her the earliest information about it。 I have seen my aunt ， and
find that she is very far from being the disagreeable person our friends
allege her to be。 She is a lively ， cheerful woman ， with the best of
hearts。 I explained to her my mother's wrongs with regard to that part
of her portion which has been withheld from her。 She told me the motives
and reasons of her own conduct， and the terms on which she is willing
to give up the whole， and to do more than we have asked。 In short， I
cannot write further upon this subject at present ； only assure my mother
that all will go on well。 And I have again observed ， my dear friend ，
in this trifling affair ， that misunderstandings and neglect occasion
more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness。 At all events，
the two latter are of less frequent occurrence。
In other respects I am very well off here。 Solitude in this terrestrial
paradise is a genial balm to my mind， and the young spring cheers with
its bounteous promises my oftentimes misgiving heart。 Every tree， every
bush， is full of flowers ； and one might wish himself transformed into
a butterfly ， to float about in this ocean of perfume， and find his
whole existence in it。
The town itself is disagreeable ； but then ， all around ， you find
an inexpressible beauty of nature。 This induced the late Count M to lay
out a garden on one of the sloping hills which here intersect each other
with the most charming variety， and form the most lovely valleys。 The
garden is simple； and it is easy to perceive ， even upon your first
entrance， that the plan was not designed by a scientific gardener， but
by a man who wished to give himself up here to the enjoyment of his own
sensitive heart。 Many a tear have I already shed to the memory of its
departed master in a summer…house which is now reduced to ruins ， but
was his favourite resort， and now is mine。 I shall soon be master of
the place。 The gardener has bee attached to me within the last few
days， and he will lose nothing thereby。
MAY 10。 A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul，
like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart。
I am alone， and feel the charm of existence in this spot ， which was
created for the bliss of souls like mine。 I am so happy ， my dear friend，
so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence ， that
I neglect my talents。 I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke
at the present moment ； and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist
than now。 When， while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me，
and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the imperable foliage
of my trees ， and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary，
I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream； and，
as I lie close to the earth ， a thousand unknown plants are noticed by
me： when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks， and grow
familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies，
then I feel the presence of the Almighty， who formed us in his own image，
and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us ， as
it floats around us in an eternity of bliss ； and then ， my friend，
when darkness overspreads my eyes ， and heaven and earth seem to dwell
in my soul and absorb its power ， like the form of a beloved mistress，
then I often think with longing ， Oh ， would I could describe these
conceptions ， could impress upon paper all that is living so full and
warm within me， that it might be the mirror of my soul ， as my soul
is the mirror of the infinite God ！ O my friend—— but it is too much
for my strength —— I sink under the weight of the splendour of these
visions ！
MAY 12。 I know not whether some deceitful spirits haunt this spot ，
or whether it be the warm ， celestial fancy in my own heart which makes
everything around me seem like paradise。 In front of the house is a fountain，
—— a fountain to which I am bound by a charm like Melusina and her sisters。
Descending a gentle slope ， you e to an arch， where， some twenty
steps lower down， water of the clearest crystal gushes from the marble
rock。 The narrow wall which encloses it above ， the tall trees which
encircle the spot ， and the coolness of the place itself ，—— everything
imparts a pleasant but sublime impression。 Not a day passes on which I
do not spend an hour there。 The young maidens e from the town to fetch
water ，—— innocent and necessary employment， and formerly the occupation
of the daughters of kings。 As I take my rest there， the idea of the old
patriarchal life is awakened around me。 I see them， our old ancestors，
how they formed their friendships and contracted alliances at the fountain…side
； and I feel how fountains and streams were guarded by beneficent spirits。
He who is a stranger to these sensations has never really enjoyed cool
repose at the side of a fountain after the fatigue of a weary summer day。
MAY 13。 You ask if you shall send me books。 My dear friend， I beseech
you ， for the love of God， relieve me from such a yoke！ I need no more
to be guided， agitated ， heated。 My heart ferments sufficiently of itself。
I want strains to lull me ， and I find them to perfection in my Homer。
Often do I strive to allay the burning fever of my blood； and you have
never witnessed anything so unsteady， so uncertain ， as my heart。 But
need I confess this to you， my dear friend ， who have so often endured
the anguish of witnessing my sudden transitions from sorrow to immoderate
joy ， and from sweet melancholy to violent passions？ I treat my poor
heart like a sick child ， and gratify its every fancy。 Do not mention
this again： there are people who would censure me for it。
MAY 15。 The mon people of the place know me already， and love
me， particularly the children。 When at first I associated with them，
and inquired in a friendly tone about their various trifles ， some fancied
that I wished to