the sorrows of young werther-第2章

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e；　as　though　they　feared　to　lose　their　importance　by　the　contact；　whilst　wanton　idlers；　and　such　as　are　prone　to　bad　joking；　affect　to　descend　to　their　level；　only　to　make　the　poor　people　feel　their　impertinence　all　the　more　keenly。

I　know　very　well　that　we　are　not　all　equal；　nor　can　be　so；　but　it　is　my　opinion　that　he　who　avoids　the　common　people；　in　order　not　to　lose　their　respect；　is　as　much　to　blame　as　a　coward　who　hides　himself　from　his　enemy　because　he　fears　defeat。

The　other　day　I　went　to　the　fountain；　and　found　a　young　servant…girl；　who　had　set　her　pitcher　on　the　lowest　step；　and　looked　around　to　see　if　one　of　her　companions　was　approaching　to　place　it　on　her　head。　　I　ran　down；　and　looked　at　her。　　〃Shall　I　help　you；　pretty　lass？〃　said　I。　　She　blushed　deeply。　　〃Oh；　sir！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃No　ceremony！〃　I　replied。　　She　adjusted　her　head…gear；　and　I　helped　her。　　She　thanked　me；　and　ascended　the　steps。

MAY　17。

I　have　made　all　sorts　of　acquaintances；　but　have　as　yet　found　no　society。　　I　know　not　what　attraction　I　possess　for　the　people；　so　many　of　them　like　me；　and　attach　themselves　to　me；　and　then　I　feel　sorry　when　the　road　we　pursue　together　goes　only　a　short　distance。　If　you　inquire　what　the　people　are　like　here；　I　must　answer；　〃The　same　as　everywhere。〃　　The　human　race　is　but　a　monotonous　affair。　Most　of　them　labour　the　greater　part　of　their　time　for　mere　subsistence；　and　the　scanty　portion　of　freedom　which　remains　to　them　so　troubles　them　that　they　use　every　exertion　to　get　rid　of　it。　　Oh；　the　destiny　of　man！

But　they　are　a　right　good　sort　of　people。　　If　I　occasionally　forget　myself；　and　take　part　in　the　innocent　pleasures　which　are　not　yet　forbidden　to　the　peasantry；　and　enjoy　myself；　for　instance；　with　genuine　freedom　and　sincerity；　round　a　well…covered　table；　or　arrange　an　excursion　or　a　dance　opportunely；　and　so　forth；　all　this　produces　a　good　effect　upon　my　disposition；　only　I　must　forget　that　there　lie　dormant　within　me　so　many　other　qualities　which　moulder　uselessly；　and　which　I　am　obliged　to　keep　carefully　concealed。　Ah！　this　thought　affects　my　spirits　fearfully。　　And　yet　to　be　misunderstood　is　the　fate　of　the　like　of　us。

Alas；　that　the　friend　of　my　youth　is　gone！　　Alas；　that　I　ever　knew　her！　　I　might　say　to　myself；　〃You　are　a　dreamer　to　seek　what　is　not　to　be　found　here　below。〃　　But　she　has　been　mine。　　I　have　possessed　that　heart；　that　noble　soul；　in　whose　presence　I　seemed　to　be　more　than　I　really　was；　because　I　was　all　that　I　could　be。　Good　heavens！　did　then　a　single　power　of　my　soul　remain　unexercised？　In　her　presence　could　I　not　display；　to　its　full　extent；　that　mysterious　feeling　with　which　my　heart　embraces　nature？　　Was　not　our　intercourse　a　perpetual　web　of　the　finest　emotions；　of　the　keenest　wit；　the　varieties　of　which；　even　in　their　very　eccentricity；　bore　the　stamp　of　genius？　　Alas！　the　few　years　by　which　she　was　my　senior　brought　her　to　the　grave　before　me。　　Never　can　I　forget　her　firm　mind　or　her　heavenly　patience。　　

A　few　days　ago　I　met　a　certain　young　V；　a　frank；　open　fellow；　with　a　most　pleasing　countenance。　　He　has　just　left　the　university；　does　not　deem　himself　overwise；　but　believes　he　knows　more　than　other　people。　　He　has　worked　hard；　as　I　can　perceive　from　many　circumstances；　and；　in　short；　possesses　a　large　stock　of　information。　When　he　heard　that　I　am　drawing　a　good　deal；　and　that　I　know　Greek　（two　wonderful　things　for　this　part　of　the　country）；　he　came　to　see　me；　and　displayed　his　whole　store　of　learning；　from　Batteaux　to　Wood；　from　De　Piles　to　Winkelmann：　he　assured　me　he　had　read　through　the　first　part　of　Sultzer's　theory；　and　also　possessed　a　manuscript　of　Heyne's　work　on　the　study　of　the　antique。　　I　allowed　it　all　to　pass。　　　　I　have　become　acquainted；　also；　with　a　very　worthy　person；　the　district　judge；　a　frank　and　open…hearted　man。　　I　am　told　it　is　a　most　delightful　thing　to　see　him　in　the　midst　of　his　children；　of　whom　he　has　nine。　　His　eldest　daughter　especially　is　highly　spoken　of。　　He　has　invited　me　to　go　and　see　him；　and　I　intend　to　do　so　on　the　first　opportunity。　　He　lives　at　one　of　the　royal　hunting…lodges；　which　can　be　reached　from　here　in　an　hour　and　a　half　by　walking；　and　which　he　obtained　leave　to　inhabit　after　the　loss　of　his　wife；　as　it　is　so　painful　to　him　to　reside　in　town　and　at　the　court。

There　have　also　come　in　my　way　a　few　other　originals　of　a　questionable　sort；　who　are　in　all　respects　undesirable；　and　most　intolerable　in　their　demonstration　of　friendship。　　Good…bye。　　This　letter　will　please　you：　it　is　quite　historical。

MAY　22。

That　the　life　of　man　is　but　a　dream；　many　a　man　has　surmised　heretofore；　and　I；　too；　am　everywhere　pursued　by　this　feeling。　When　I　consider　the　narrow　limits　within　which　our　active　and　inquiring　faculties　are　confined；　when　I　see　how　all　our　energies　are　wasted　in　providing　for　mere　necessities；　which　again　have　no　further　end　than　to　prolong　a　wretched　existence；　and　then　that　all　our　satisfaction　concerning　certain　subjects　of　investigation　ends　in　nothing　better　than　a　passive　resignation；　whilst　we　amuse　ourselves　painting　our　prison…walls　with　bright　figures　and　brilliant　landscapes；　　when　I　consider　all　this；　Wilhelm；　I　am　silent。　I　examine　my　own　being；　and　find　there　a　world；　but　a　world　rather　of　imagination　and　dim　desires；　than　of　distinctness　and　living　power。　　Then　everything　swims　before　my　senses；　and　I　smile　and　dream　while　pursuing　my　way　through　the　world。

All　learned　professors　and　doctors　are　agreed　that　children　do　not　comprehend　the　cause　of　their　desires；　but　that　the　grown…up　should　wander　about　this　earth　like　children；　without　knowing　whence　they　come；　or　whither　they　go；　influenced　as　little　by　fixed　motives；　but　guided　like　them　by　biscuits；　sugar…plums；　and　the　rod；　　this　is　what　nobody　is　willing　to　acknowledge；　and　yet　I　think　it　is　palpable。

I　know　what　you　will　say　in　reply；　for　I　am　ready　to　admit　that　they　are　happiest；　who；　like　children；　amuse　themselves　with　their　playthings；　dress　and　undress　their　dolls；　and　attentively　watch　the　cupboard；　where　mamma　has　locked　up　her　sweet　things；　and；　when　at　last　they　get　a　delicious　morsel；　eat　it　greedily；　and　exclaim；　〃More！〃　　These　are　certainly　happy　beings；　but　others　also　are　objects　of　envy；　who　dignify　their　paltry　employments；　and　sometimes　even　their　passions；　with　pompous　titles；　representing　them　to　mankind　as　gigantic　achievements　performed　for　their　welfare　and　glory。　　But　the　man　who　humbly　acknowledges　the　vanity　of　all　this；　who　observes　with　what　pleasure　the　thriving　citizen　converts　his　little　garden　into　a　paradise；　and　how　patiently　even　the　poor　man　pursues　his　weary　way　under　his　burden；　and　how　all　wish　equally　to　behold　the　light　of　the　sun　a　little　longer；　　yes；　such　a　man　is　at　peace；　and　creates　his　own　world　within　himself；　and　he　is　also　happy；　because　he　is　a　man。　　And　then；　however　limited　his　sphere；　he　still　preserves　in　his　bosom　the　sweet　feeling　of　liberty；　and　knows　that　he　can　quit　his　prison　whenever　he　likes。

MAY　26。

You　know　of　old　my　ways　of　settling　anywhere；　of　selecting　a　little　cottage　in　some　cosy　spot；　and　of　putting　up　in　it　with　every　inconvenience。　　Here；　too；　I　have　discovered　such　a　snug；　comfortable　place；　which　possesses　peculiar　charms　for　me。

About　a　league　from　the　town　is　a　place　called　Walheim。　　（The　reader　need　not　take　the　trouble　to　look　for　the　place　thus　designated。　We　have　found　it　necessary　to　change　the　names　given　in　the　original。）　It　is　delightfully　situated　on　the　side　of　a　hill；　and；　by　proceeding　along　one　of　the　footpaths　which　lead　out　of　the　village；　you　can　have　a　view　of　the　whole　valley。　　A　good　old　woman　lives　there；　who　keeps　a　small　inn。　　She　sells　wine；　beer；　and　coffee；　and　is　cheerful　and　pleasant　notwithstanding　her　age。　　The　chief　charm　of　this　spot　consists　in　two　linden…trees；　spreading　their　enormous　branches　over　the　little　green　before　the　church；　which　is　entirely　surrounded　by　peasants'　cottages；　barns；　and　homesteads。　　I　have　seldom　seen　a　place　so　retired　and　peaceable；　and　there　often　have　my　table　and　chair　brought　out　from　the　little　inn；　and　drink　my　coffee　there；　and　read　my　Homer。　　Accident　brought　me　to　the　spot　one　fine　aft