the sorrows of young werther-第1章

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The　Sorrows　of　Young　Werther

by　J。W。　von　Goethe

Translated　by　Thomas　Carlyle　and　R。D。　Boylan






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　comfort　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　companion。　　

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　become　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　impenetrable　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　come　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　come　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　common　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　ridicule　them；　and　turned　from　me　in　exceeding　ill…humour。　　I　did　not　allow　that　circumstance　to　grieve　me：　I　only　felt　most　keenly　what　I　have　often　before　observed。　Persons　who　can　claim　a　certain　rank　keep　themselves　coldly　aloof　from　the　common　people；