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Jean Paul Richter Warning Concerning Copyright Restrictions The Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research. If electronic transmission of reserve material is used for purposes in excess of what constitutes "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. ~man Library: Volume 21 GERMAN lcmar Sander, General Editor ROMANTIC EDITORIAL BOARD CRITICISM etDernetz (Yale University) '""' • m {Uni~rsity of Wisconsin) fU~ty of Wisconsin) Edited by A. Leslie Willson t;(~ University) t~1011University) Foreword by Ernst Behler ',~ofVirginia) ,:.-ue{New York University) it.an (Wawngron University) i (Institute of Advanced Study, Berlin) r Willson (University of Texas) CONTINUUM · NEW YORK 0 · Friedrich Schleiermacher le should come in which we have a public life >ps a sociability of greater merit and truer to aidt free space is gained for the talent of the less in need of translation for the development that time might come before we have rounded ole circle of difficulties in translation. Translated by Andre Lefevere School for Aesthetics Jean Pau/ Friedrich Richter Course I. On Poetry in General 1. Its Definitions othing can actually be defined except a definition itself; and N a false one teaches as much about our subject as a true one. The essence of poetic presentation, like all life, can be represented only by a second poetic presentation; one cannot use colors to paint the light which itself first brings them into existence. Even mere similes can often express more than literal explanations. Thus, "Poetry is the only second world in this world," or, "As singing is to speaking, so poetry is to prose; the singing voice (according to Haller) is higher even at its lowest pitch than the highest tone of speech; as the singing tone itself is music, even without beat, melodic sequence, or harmonic support, so there is poetry even without meter, dramatic or epic sequence, or lyric power." At least images would mirror kindred life better than do dead concepts, though differently for every man. For nothing brings out better the individuality of men than the effect which poetry has on them. Hence, there will be just as many definitions of poetry as readers and listeners. · Only the spirit of a whole book-may heaven grant this book such a spirit-can contain the true definition. If, however, you want a short, literal one, then the old Aristotelian definition, ac­ cording to which the essence of poetry consists in a beautiful (spir­ itual) imitation of nature, is negatively the best, because it ex­ cludes two extremes: poetic nihilism and materialism. It can become 31 32 · Jean Paul Friedrich Richter School for Aesthetics · 33 pos1t1ve, however, only through a closer determination of what semblances. If anyone wants to conceive of : beautiful or spiritual imitation actually is. should grant some genius a metempsychosis and all times and conditions and let him sail a 2. Poetic Nihilists of the world. What nobler, bolder drawings oJ It follows from the lawless, capricious spirit of the present age, would sketch and bring home with him! The i which would egotistically annihilate the world and the universe in were merchants and warriors before they wer1 order to clear a space merely for free play in the void, and which poets especially have always had to practic< tears off the bandage of its wounds as a bond, that this age must strongly against the waves of life before they speak scornfully of the imitation and study of nature. When the to describe the journey. 1 Thus Camoens, Dan1 history of an age gradually becomes unimportant to a historian ers; Klopstock is the only exception, almost and religion and patriotism are lost, then the arbitrariness of ego­ as refutation of the rule. How Shakespeare a tism must stumble at last on the hard, sharp commandments of vantes had to be harrowed and plowed and f reality. Then egotism prefers to flee into the desert of fantasy, fore the seed of their poetic flower burst out in where it finds no law to follow except its own narrower and pet­ school for poets which Goethe attended was c, tier ones for the construction of rhyme and assonance. In an age to his autobiography, of craftsmen's shops when God has set like the sun, soon afterwards the world too coronation halls, imperial archives, and ever passes into darkness. He who scorns the universe respects nothing fair time. And Novalis, a collateral and electiv more than himself and at night fears only his own creations. Is not etic nihilists, or at least their liege cousin, pre nature now spoken of as if this creation of a Creator, in which the character in his novel precisely when he descri painter himself is only a dot of color, were hardly fit to be the from Bohemia, because he himself had been 01 picture nail or the frame for some small painted creation of a crea­ With equal talents, even the most slavish o ture? As if what is greatest were not precisely the infinite! Is not give us more (even if only illuminated capital history the highest tragedy and comedy? If the scorners of reality bitrary painter who paints ether upon ether ~ would only first bring before our souls the starry skies, the sun­ distinguished by the fact that it sees nature m, sets, the waterfalls, the lofty glaciers, the characters of a Christ, completely, just as man is distinguished from an Epaminondas, the Catos, even with the petty accidents which the half-deaf animal; with every genius a new confuse our sense of reality, as the great poet does through bold us, in that he further unveils the old one. Ev details in drawing his characters! Then indeed they would have tation admired by successive ages is distinguis. produced the poem of poems and would have repeated God. The sensuous individuality and manner of perce Universe is the highest, boldest word of the language and the rarest reality-astronomy, botany, landscape garde: thought; most people see in the universe only the marketplace of sciences-profitable to the poet; in Goethe's p their own narrow life, in the story of eternity only their own town reflected those he painted. Beneath the clear history. the poet, the underlay of dark life is necessar, Who has pursued and illuminated reality in its deepest valleys, ror the world. Mental offspring resemble d, even down to the tiny worm, more than the twin stars of poetry, Homer and Shakespeare? As sculpture and the graphic arts forever IStrangely enough, the heroic poets have had to die far work in the school of nature, so the most fertile poets have always away from land and harbor; into the lives of Camoeru Homer very little sunlight fell. But many tragic poets b: been the most tenacious, the most industrious children in deliver­ men-first Sophocles, for example, then Lope de Vega, SI ing to other children the portrait of mother nature with new re- · Jean Paul Friedrich Richter School for Aesthetics · 33 ,nly through a closer determination of what semblances. If anyone wants to conceive of a supreme poet, he r imitation actually is. should grant some genius a metempsychosis through all nations and all times and conditions and let him sail around all the coasts of the world. What nobler, bolder drawings of its infinite form he lawless, capricious spirit of the present age, would sketch and bring home with him! The poets of the ancients ically annihilate the world and the universe in were merchants and warriors before they were singers; great epic cc merely for free play in the void, and which poets especially have always had to practice holding the helm e of its wounds as a bond, that this age must strongly against the waves of life before they take pencil in hand the imitation and study of nature. When the to describe the journey. 1 Thus Camoens, Dante, Milton, and oth­ radually becomes unimportant to a historian ers; Klopstock is the only exception, almost more as proof than :riotism are lost, then the arbitrariness of ego­ as refutation of the rule. How Shakespeare and even more Cer­ lt last on the hard, sharp commandments of vantes had to be harrowed and plowed and furrowed by life be­ m. prefers to flee into the desert of fantasy, fore the seed of their poetic flower burst out into growth! The first v to follow except its own narrower and pet- school for poets which Goethe attended \\'.as composed, acc;.ording 1struction of rhyme and assonance. In an age to his autobiography, of craftsmen's shops, painters' studios, like the sun, soon afterwards the world too coronation halls, imperial archives, and everything at Frankfurt • He who scorns the universe respects nothing fair time. And Novalis, a collateral and elective relative to the po­ 1d at night fears only his own creations. Is not etic nihilists, or at least their liege cousin, presents the most solid )fas if this creation of a Creator, in which the character in his novel precisely when he describes for us the miner iuy a dot of color, were hardly fit to be the from Bohemia, because he himself had been one. une for some small painted creation of a crea­ With equal talents, even the most slavish copier of nature will p-eatest were not precisely the infinite! Is not give us more (even if only illuminated capital letters) than the ar­ ragedy and comedy? If the scorners of reality bitrary painter who paints ether upon ether with ether.
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