Human Being: A Series of Humorous-Philosophical Aphorisms. 1834", and then with six further unknown Feuerbach sections, dated 1846. The rest of the 1846 letter seems self-explanatory. 1

' A number of words and phrases By Walter Kaufmann in Feuerbach's letter were under- lined by him, and they are given Many years ago I bought at an " Feuerbach to Noack, op cit". The man university), as the editor of was the name Goethe and Schiller here in italics. Some of the things auction a long letter written and wording of the quoted passages Jahrbiicher fur spekulative Philo- had given to the satirical couplets he omits are as significant as those signed by Ludwig Feuerbach, and often agrees entirely with the letter sophic (1846-48) and of the journal in which they criticized their age, he stresses. To mention only the dated by him June 23, 1846. The I have, but frequently it deviates Psyche (1858-63), and as the author in high spirits. Their use of the most obvious examples, he makes letter is of exceptional interest, and slightly. This raised the question of more than ten books. word was derived from Martial who no reference at all to his book on I have long planned to publish it. Whether Griin was careless and un- had employed the same tag for Christianity and his relation to the But there were problems. reliable, or whether the letter sent Noack did" not make any use of some of his Latin verses in the first Feuerbach's letter in the Jahrbiicher . But what he wrote Feuerbach was probably Hegel's to Noack in 1846 was slightly dif- century AD. The barbed distichs to Noack provides an attractive ferent from the one I have, which in 1846 or 1847. I have not seen of Goethe and Schiller had pro- introduction to Feuerbach. And most original and influential stu- was written the same his other early publications. But the voked many attacks on them, but dent, and among those he influ- most important questions raised by that seems to have been his inten- enced profoundly was . In one place Griin has thirteen their enemies were in no position to tion. Griin's quotations are resolved by * * * In every study of Marx's develop- words that are not found in my do them lasting harm. Noack's Philosophie-geschiehtliches . ment the thought of Feuerbach must text; in another, nineteen. Often Lexikon : Historisch-biographisches My thesis, presented in a recent Bruckberg, 23 June, 1846 be discussed. Their names are also he substitutes synonyms or some- Handworterbuch zur Geschichte der issue of the TLS (January 2, 1976), Estimable Sir ! permanently linked by Marx's cele- what different phrasing. It may be Philosophic (Leipzig 1879). In his that Goethe had an immense influ- Enclosed I am returning to you brated " " well to give an example. In Griin's long article on Feuerbach (pages ence on after the list of my writings. Only a which end: " The have version Feuerbach says of his 263-274, two columns per page) Kant, is beautifully illustrated by single addition by my hand proved merely interpreted the world differ- early decision to become a theolo- Noack, without using quotation Feuerbach, who might be thought to necessary. Yet I must immediately ently, but what matters is to change gian: "But what I was to become marks, often follows the exact stand in an altogether different note, in case you should not have it." These theses, anthologized again some day, I wanted to be even now. wording of the letter I have, even tradition. His first book appeared found out about this yet through and again, were written in 1845, Therefore I immersed myself, even in places where Griin's version while Goethe was still living, and booksellers or something in print, and published with some revisions while still at the Gymnasium, in the differs. Incidentally, he lists Griin the title-page read : " Thoughts on that at present an edition of my by in Ludwig Bible, as the foundation of Chris- at the end in his bibliography. Death and from the complete writings is appearing. Feuerbach und der Ausgang der tian ." My text reads in- Papers of a Thinker, together with Actually, the first volume has klassischen deutschen Philosophic stead: "But this future vocation I Clearly, the letter I have was wanted to realize even then as an Appendix of Theological-Satirical already appeared, or at least (1888). to Noack, who used large parts of Xenien, edited by one of his friends. is in my hands, and therefore Feuerbach's most famous book, much as possible, both practically it, though by no means all of it, in Nurnberg 1830." surely also in the stores. The Essence of Christianity, pub- and theoretically. Therefore I this article. Griin's ample quota- It contains not only previ- lished in 1841, was translated into immersed myself, even while still tions are very free and inexact, but The author's name appeared only ously, known critiques and English by (1854). In at the Gymnasium, in the Bible and his deviations do not betray a con- in the second edition, in 1847, the but also new pieces that * correct, the twentieth century, other theological books." sistent tendency. He evidently quoted year after the letter to Noack was augment, and illuminate my works and owed much to Here is another example. In the from a draft he found in Feuer- written. But it became known in important ways. In the preface Feuerbach. letter I have, Feuerbach writes: bach's Nachlass. That would also quickly that Feuerbach was the I have also furnished a few, albeit "The halfness of all theology, the explain why he did not include this author, and those who felt outraged only brief, hints concerning the The letter covers both sides of a letter in its proper chronological by his irreverent wit were able to large sheet, crowding thirty-seven contradictions among its basic course and continuity of my philo- principles, seemed utterly outrage- place in the correspondence. The keep him from ever obtaining a pro- sophical curriculum vitae. The same long lines on the first and thirty- fact that Griin specifically says fessorship. This was doubly hurtful eight on the second side, not count- ous to my sense of truth and to my subject occupies me now in con- which desired unity, decisive- " Manuscript" in his footnote shows because Feuerbach had not con- nection with the second volume, ing date, address, closing formula, sidered the book ready for publica- and signature; and what it offers ness, and an unconditional atti- that Noack had not published the which will contain my general tude." Griin's version: "The theo- letter before 1874; and since Noack tion when one of his friends had philosophical critiques and thoughts, is an intellectual autobiography. I it printed; and as Feuerbach have been slow to publish it because logical mishmash of freedom and himself did not employ quotation while the first contains my writ- dependence, reason and , was marks when he used Feuerbach's explains in his letter, some of the ings on philosophy of . I had great difficulty reading a few Xenien in the first edition were words, and I wanted to discover, if deadly abhorrent to my soul which text, it stands to reason that he desired truth, that is unity, decisive- did not plan to publish the letter. actually not by him but contributed The third volume will bring the possible, to whom it was addressed by the editor. These Xenien, most humorous-nhilosophical aphorisms and whether it was known. ness, and an unconditional The last .word, incidentally, that attitude." had defied my efforts at deciphering of which are identified in the and thoughts on death and immor- In Karl Griin's edition of the cor- the writing is " botany", which letter, were omitted in the second tality. What is to become of the respondence (Ludwig Feuerbach in Much of the time, however, Noack had been able to read. edition along with others that prose of this work, I do not know seinem Briefwechsel und Nachlass Griin's wording agrees entirely with Feuerbach no longer liked. But the yet, but the poetical part has sowie in seiner Philosophischen that in my text, though he does not For those who are not Feuerbach title " Theological-Satirical Xenien ", already passed its rigorous examina- Charakterentwicklung, two volumes, use all of the letter. Who, then, was specialists—and there are few as well as the form, both modelled tion. Only approximately one third 1874) the letter is not included. But Noack ? He is scarcely remembered indeed who are—this succinct auto- on Goethe and Schiller, was of the Xenien I still recognize to- a long quotation in Griin's text in now, but in Rudolf Eisler's com- biographical sketch offers an inter- Feuerbach's. day as flesh of my flesh. As you Volume 1 (pages 11-12) is foot- prehensive Philosophen-Lexikon esting approach to his development. see, I am engaged in the critical noted: "L. Feuerbach to L. Noack. (Berlin, 1912) Ludwig Noack (1819- But the final paragraph requires The second edition no longer reproduction of myself and thus (Manuscript) 1846." After that, sev- 85) is identified as a professor and explanation. Xenien, literally gifts ends with this " Appendix ". It con- am now giving tz the world in this eral other quotations are footnoted librarian at Giessen (a minor Ger- that hosts present to their guests, tinues with " The Author and the new edition a complete picture of 1124: TLS SEPTEMBER 10 1976 myself—at least one that is more to my sense of truth and to my complete than has been available soul which desired unity, decisive- so far. But I do not mean to dis- ness, and an unconditional attitude. suade you on that account from For two years I heard Hegel. With your plan. I know how disagree- the study of philosophy I combined able it is to be interrupted when at the same time the study of class- one has conceived an intention or ical philology, physics, and mathe- a thought. And therefore I will matics, which last science I had communicate to you in accordance totally neglected on account of my with your wish the most necessary religious and theological tendency. biographical notes. From Berlin I returned to my par- ' I was born in Landshut in Bavaria ental home where I pursued philo- in the dog days of the year 1804. logy and the history of philosophy. I attended the Gymnasium in After that I went to Erlai%gM**f" Ansbach. The first orientation where I studied botany, anatomy, that emerged decisively during my and physiology. youth was not toward science but In 1828 I took nvy- degree there- toward religion. This religious and lecmred on Descartes and orientation did not originate in the Spinoza ; the immediately following usual way, however, through reli- semesters, on logic, metaphysics, gious instruction or preparation for and history of philosophy. The the confirmation or other external year 1832 I spent in* . Frankfurt, religious influences, but solely immersed in the French language out of myself through the and literature. For I felt certain desire for something that neither that there was no chance of my ever^ my environment nor my education obtaining a- position In" Germany _ in the Gymnasium gave to me. and that I would reach-*- my "tilie - As a consequence of this orienta- vocation only "in a piece where I tion I then made religion the goal would be able tp think and,write and calling of mo life and there- absolutely freely, and I therefore fore decided to become a theolo- meant to emigrate from there to gian. But this future vocation I wan- Paris. But this plan suffered ship- ted to realize even then as much as wreck when my father died in the possible, both practically and theo- spring of 1833. But what I had retically. Therefore I immersed my- sought in Paris and, to be sure, self, even while still at the Gym- would have found there in an • nasium, in the Bible and other theo- altogether different, manner, 1^ logical books. In order to master found in the year 1836 in a German Hebrew, I did not feel satisfied village—a place' where I could live with the usual instruction in the undisturbed for the study and the Hebrew language offered at ^ the development and realization.of the Gymnasium for future theologians, thoughts and dispositions that were but at the same time took private slumbering in me. But before I lessons with a rabbi. In 1822 I settled down here and said farewell graduated from the Gymnasium but forever to university life, I still stayed on in my parental home to gave one course of lectures in 1835, prepare myself for the university by on the history of recent philosophy rivate studies. During this period up to and including Hegel, because f studied and made excerpts from friends and relatives had urged me Gibbon's Decline of the Roman to do this, and I also applied for Empire, Mosheim's church history. a professorship, but in vain, as was Herder's theological writings, Eicn- to be expected. horn's introduction to the Old and New Testaments, and a history of As was only faii\ the professor- theological literature. During this ship of philosophy suffered ship- period I also became acquainted wreck over the Thoughts on Death with Luther and Hamann. Easter and Immortality. Since I am here 1823 I went to Heidelberg, mainly —that is, since 1836—I concern to hear Daub who, according to what myself mainly with nature and I had read and heard about him, religion. Here you have a brief seemed to agree entirely with my sketch of my intellectual life, to own point of view, which I had be sure only two pages. But I doubt gained during the last period of that I shall ever find time and my life at the Gymnasium, the inclination for a complete bio- point of view of thoughtful religious- graphy, for I do not belong to ness or religious thinking; and he those who are garrulous in writing * actually did agree with it. or in speech. Moreover, many things that played a role in my Nevertheless 1 missed something life, even if merely a comic one— in him, but was unable at that time for example, Erlangen, that obscure to state clearly what it was. After nest of Philistines—are, having a stay of one year in Heidelberg, been out my sight for many years, I therefore went to Berlin to hear also out of my mind, and I can Hegel, but at the same time also at most talk about them when I am the most renowned theologians in a good mood, but simply cannot there. I entered the University of fix them on paper. Berlin in a most unhappy, undeci- sive state, divided against myself. The editor of my book on death I already felt in myself the divi- and immortality is not Daumer but sion between theology and philo- a man whose name is unknown to, sophy, the necessity that one must and a matter of indifference for, make an unconditional decision the philosophical public. The last either for one or the other. I deci- Xenion on page 178 as well as the ded in favour of philosophy. I Xenien on page 179 and two other heard Schleiermacher, Neander, insignificant Xenien are not by me and other theologians, but I could but by him. Several passages in endure them only for a short time. the prose have been rendered The halfness of all theology, the meaningless by crude misprints. contradictions among its basic prin- Respectfully, ciples, seemed utterly outrageous Your most devoted L. Feuerbach.