The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• The Life of Goethe By Hjalmar H. Boyesen, Ph.d.
• Poems
• Dedication.
• Songs
• Sound, Sweet Song.
• To the Kind Reader.
• The New Amadis
• When the Fox Dies, His Skin Counts.
• The Heathrose.
• Blindman’s Buff.
• Christel.
• The Coy One.
• The Convert.
• Preservation.
• The Muses’ Son.
• Found.
• Like and Like.
• Reciprocal Invitation to the Dance.
• Self-deceit.
• Declaration of War.
• Lover In All Shapes.
• The Goldsmith’s Apprentice.
• Joy and Sorrow.
• March.
• Answers In a Game of Questions.
• Different Emotions On the Same Spot.
• Who’ll Buy Gods of Love?
• The Misanthrope.
• True Enjoyment.
• Happiness and Vision.
• The Farewell.
• The Beautiful Night.
• Apparent Death.
• Proximity.
• Living Remembrance.
• The Bliss of Absence.
• To Luna.
• The Wedding Night.
• Mischievous Joy.
• Farewell.
• The Exchange.
• November Song.
• To the Chosen One.
• First Loss.
• After-sensations.
• Proximity of the Beloved One.
• Presence.
• To the Distant One.
• By the River.
• Night Song.
• Calm At Sea.
• The Prosperous Voyage.
• Courage.
• Admonition.
• Welcome and Farewell.
• New Love, New Life.
• To Belinda.
• May Song.
• With a Painted Ribbon.
• With a Golden Necklace.
• To Charlotte.
• On the Lake.
• From the Mountain.
• Flower Salute.
• May Song.
• Premature Spring.
• Autumn Feelings
• Restless Love.
• The Shepherd’s Lament.
• Comfort In Tears.
• Longing.
• To Mignon.
• The Mountain Castle
• The Spirit’s Salute.
• To a Golden Heart That He Wore Round His Neck.
• The Bliss of Sorrow.
• The Wanderer’s Night-song.
• The Same.
• To the Moon.
• The Hunter’s Even-song.
• My Only Property.
• To Lina.
• Familiar Songs
• On the New Year.
• Anniversary Song.
• The Spring Oracle.
• The Happy Couple.
• Song of Fellowship.
• Constancy In Change.
• Table Song.
• Wont and Done.
• General Confession.
• Coptic Song.
• Another.
• Vanitas! Vanitatum Vanitas!
• Swiss Song.
• Fortune of War.
• Open Table.
• The Reckoning.
• Ergo Bibamus!
• Epiphanias.
• Finnish Song.
• Gypsy Song.
• From Wilhelm Meister.
• Mignon.
• The Same.
• The Harper.
• Philine.
• Ballads
• Mignon.
• The Harper.
• Ballad of the Banished and Returning Count.
• The Violet.
• The Faithless Boy.
• The Erl-king.
• Johanna Sebus
• The Fisherman.
• The King of Thule.
• The Beauteous Flower. Song of the Imprisoned Count.
• Sir Curt’s Wedding-journey.
• Wedding Song.
• The Treasure-digger.
• The Rat-catcher.
• The Spinner.
• Before a Court of Justice.
• The Page and the Miller’s Daughter.
• The Youth and the Millstream.
• The Maid of the Mill’s Treachery.
• The Maid of the Mill’s Repentance.
• The Traveller and the Farm-maiden.
• Effects At a Distance.
• The Walking Bell.
• Faithful Eckart.
• The Pupil In Magic.
• The Dance of Death.
• The Bride of Corinth.
• The God and the Bayadere. an Indian Legend.
• The Pariah. the Pariah’s Prayer.
• Legend.
• The Pariah’s Thanks.
• The First Walpurgis-night.
• Death-lament of the Noble Wife of Asan Aga.
• Antiques
• Leopold, Duke of Brunswick. 1785.
• To the Husbandman.
• Anacreon’s Grave.
• The Brethren.
• Measure of Time.
• Warning.
• SakÓntala.
• Solitude.
• The Chosen Cliff.
• The Consecrated Spot.
• The Instructors.
• The Unequal Marriage.
• Excuse.
• The Muse’s Mirror.
• PhŒbus and Hermes.
• The New Amor.
• The Garlands.
• The Swiss Alps.
• Elegies
• Roman Elegies.
• Alexis and Dora.
• Epigrams
• Venice, 1790.
• The Four Seasons.
• Spring.
• Summer.
• Autumn.
• Winter.
• Sonnets.
• The Friendly Meeting.
• In a Word.
• The Maiden Speaks.
• Growth.
• Food In Travel.
• Departure.
• The Loving One Writes.
• The Loving One Once More.
• She Cannot End.
• Nemesis.
• The Christmas-box.
• The Warning.
• The Doubters and the Lovers.
• The Epochs.
• Charade.
• Miscellaneous Poems.
• The German Parnassus.
• Mahomet’s Song.
• Spirit Song Over the Waters.
• My Goddess.
• Winter Journey Over the Hartz Mountains.
• To Father Kronos.
• The Wanderer’s Storm-song.
• The Sea-voyage.
• Prometheus.
• The Eagle and Dove.
• Ganymede.
• The Boundaries of Humanity.
• The Godlike.
• Royal Prayer.
• Human Feelings.
• Lily’s Menagerie.
• Love’s Distresses.
• To His Coy One.
• Petition.
• The Musagetes.
• Morning Lament.
• The Visit.
• The Magic Net.
• The Goblet.
• Night Thoughts.
• To Lida.
• Forever.
• From an Album of 1604.
• To the Rising Full Moon.
• Betrothed.
• At Midnight Hour.
• Lines On Seeing Schiller’s Skull.
• Trilogy of Passion.
• To Werther.
• Elegy.
• Atonement.
• April.
• May.
• June.
• Ever and Everywhere.
• Next Year’s Spring.
• Such, Such Is He Who Pleaseth Me.
• St. Nepomuk’s Eve. Carlsbad, May 15, 1820.
• The Freebooter.
• Reciprocal.
• Song of the Emigrants.
• Explanation of an Ancient Woodcut Representing Hans Sachs’ Poetical Mission.
• Thoughts On Jesus Christ’s Descent Into Hell.
• Art
• The Drops of Nectar.
• The Wanderer.
• Love As a Landscape-painter.
• Artist’s Evening Song.
• Parables
• Explanation of an Antique Gem.
• Cat-pie.
• Legend.
• The Critic.
• Authors.
• The Dilettante and the Critic.
• Celebrity.
• The Yelpers.
• The Wrangler.
• Joy.
• Playing At Priests.
• Songs.
• Poetry.
• A Parable.
• Cupid and Psyche.
• The Death of the Fly.
• By the River.
• The Fox and Crane.
• The Fox and Huntsman.
• The Stork’s Vocation.
• The Frogs.
• The Wedding.
• Burial.
• Threatening Signs.
• The Buyers.
• The Mountain Village.
• Symbols.
• Three Palinodias.
• Valediction.
• The Country Schoolmaster.
• The Legend of the Horseshoe.
• Epigrams.
• To Originals.
• The Soldier’s Consolation.
• Genial Impulse.
• Neither This Nor That.
• The Way to Behave.
• The Best.
• As Broad As It’s Long.
• Calm At Sea.
• The Rule of Life.
• The Same, Expanded.
• The Fair At Huehenefeld. July 25th, 1814.
• The Little Girl’s Wish.
• Epitaph.
• Admonition.
• My Only Property.
• Old Age.
• Courage.
• Rule For Monarchs.
• Memories.
• Paulo Post Futuri.
• The Fool’s Epilogue.
• On the Divan.
• God and World.
• Prooemion.
• The Metamorphosis of Plants.
• The Sages and the People.
• Rhymed Distichs.
• God, Soul and World.
• Distichs.
• West-eastern Divan.
• Moganni Nameh.
• Hafis Nameh.
• Uschk Nameh.
• Teskir Nameh.
• Rendsch Nameh.
• Hikmet Nameh.
• Timur Nameh.
• Suleika Nameh.
• Safi Nameh.
• Mathal Nameh.
• Parsi Nameh.
• Chuld Nameh.
• Hermann and Dorothea
• Fate and Sympathy.
• Hermann.
• The Burghers.
• Mother and Son.
• The Cosmopolite.
• The Age.
• Dorothea.
• Hermann and Dorothea.
• Conclusion.

THE GERMAN PARNASSUS.

• • ’NEATH the shadow
  • Of these bushes,
  • On the meadow
  • Where the cooling water gushes,
  • Phœbus gave me, when a boy,
  • All life’s fulness to enjoy.
  • So, in silence, as the God
  • Bade them with his sov’reign nod,
  • Sacred Muses train’d my days
  • To his praise,—
  • With the bright and silv’ry flood
  • Of Parnassus stirr’d my blood,
  • And the seal so pure and chaste
  • By them on my lips was plac’d.
• • With her modest pinions, see,
  • Philomel encircles me!
  • In these bushes, in yon grove,
  • Calls she to her sister-throng,
  • And their heavenly choral song
  • Teaches me to dream of love.
• • Fulness waxes in my breast
  • Of emotions social, bless’d;
  • Friendship’s nurtur’d,—love awakes,—
  • And the silence Phœbus breaks
  • Of his mountains, of his vales,—
  • Sweetly blow the balmy gales;
  • All for whom he shows affection,
  • Who are worthy his protection,
  • Gladly follow his direction.
• • This one comes with joyous bearing
  • And with open, radiant gaze;
  • That a sterner look is wearing,
  • This one, scarcely cured, with daring
  • Wakes the strength of former days;
  • For the sweet, destructive flame
  • Pierc’d his marrow and his frame.
  • That which Amor stole before
  • Phœbus only can restore,—
  • Peace, and joy, and harmony,
  • Aspirations pure and free.
• • Brethren, rise ye!
  • Numbers prize ye!
  • Deeds of worth resemble they.
  • Who can better than the bard
  • Guide a friend when gone astray?
  • If his duty he regard
  • More he’ll do than others may.
• • Yes! afar I hear them sing!
  • Yes! I hear them touch the string,
  • And with mighty godlike stroke
  • Right and duty they inspire,
  • And evoke,
  • As they sing, and wake the lyre,
  • Tendencies of noblest worth
  • To each type of strength give birth.
• • Phantasies of sweetest power
  • Flower
  • Round about on ev’ry bough,
  • Bending now,
  • Like the magic wood of old,
  • ’Neath the fruit that gleams like gold.
• • What we feel and what we view
  • In the land of highest bliss,—
  • This dear soil, a sun like this,—
  • Lures the best of women too.
  • And the Muses’ breathings bless’d
  • Rouse the maiden’s gentle breast,
  • Tune the throat to minstrelsy,
  • And with cheeks of beauteous dye,
  • Bid it sing a worthy song,
  • Sit the sister-band among;
  • And their strains grow softer still
  • As they vie with earnest will.
• • One amongst the band betimes
  • Goes to wander
  • By the beeches, ’neath the limes,
  • Yonder seeking, finding yonder
  • That which in the morning-grove
  • She had lost through roguish Love,
  • All her breast’s first aspirations,
  • And her heart’s calm meditations.
  • To the shady wood so fair
  • Gently stealing,
  • Takes she that which man can ne’er
  • Duly merit,—each soft feeling,—
  • Disregards the noontide ray
  • And the dew at close of day,—
  • In the plain her path she loses.
  • Ne’er disturb her on her way!
  • Seek her silently, ye Muses!
• • Shouts I hear wherein the sound
  • Of the waterfall is drown’d.
  • From the grove loud clamors rise;
  • Strange the tumult, strange the cries.
  • See I rightly? Can it be?
  • To the very sanctuary,
  • Lo, an impious troop in-hies!
• • O’er the land
  • Streams the band;
  • Hot desire,
  • Drunken fire
  • In their gaze
  • Wildly plays,—
  • Makes their hair
  • Bristle there.
  • And the troop,
  • With fell swoop,
  • Women, men,
  • Coming then,
  • Ply their blows
  • And expose,
  • Void of shame,
  • All the frame.
  • Iron shot,
  • Fierce and hot,
  • Strike with fear
  • On the ear;
  • All they slay
  • On their way.
  • O’er the land
  • Pours the band;
  • All take flight
  • At their sight.
• • Ah, o’er ev’ry plant they rush!
  • Ah, their cruel footsteps crush
  • All the flowers that fill their path!
  • Who will dare to stem their wrath?
• • Brethren, let us venture all!
  • Virtue in your pure cheek glows.
  • Phœbus will attend our call
  • When he sees our heavy woes;
  • And that we may have aright
  • Weapons suited to the fight,
  • He the mountain shaketh now—
  • From its brow
  • Rattling down
  • Stone on stone
  • Through the thicket spread appear.
  • Brethren, seize them! Wherefore fear?
  • Now the villain crew assail
  • As though with a storm of hail,
  • And expel the strangers wild
  • From these regions soft and mild
  • Where the sun has ever smil’d!
• • What strange wonder do I see?
  • Can it be?
  • All my limbs of power are reft,
  • And all strength my hand has left.
  • Can it be?
  • None are strangers that I see!
  • And our brethren ’tis who go
  • On before, the way to show!
  • Oh, the reckless impious ones!
  • How they, with their jarring tones,
  • Beat the time as on they hie!
  • Quick, my brethren!—let us fly!
• • To the rash ones, yet a word!
  • Ay, my voice shall now be heard
  • As a peal of thunder, strong!
  • Words as poets’ arms were made,—
  • When the god will be obey’d,
  • Follow fast his darts ere long.
• • Was it possible that ye
  • Thus your godlike dignity
  • Should forget? The Thyrsus rude
  • Must a heavy burden feel
  • To the hand but wont to steal
  • O’er the lyre in gentle mood.
  • From the sparkling waterfalls,
  • From the brook that purling calls,
  • Shall Silenus’ loathsome beast
  • Be allow’d at will to feast?
  • Aganippe’s wave he sips
  • With profane and spreading lips,—
  • With ungainly feet stamps madly,
  • Till the waters flow on sadly.
• • Fain I’d think myself deluded
  • In the sadd’ning sounds I hear;
  • From the holy glades secluded
  • Hateful tones assail the ear.
  • Laughter wild (exchange how mournful!)
  • Takes the place of love’s sweet dream;
  • Women-haters and the scornful
  • In exulting chorus scream.
  • Nightingale and turtle-dove
  • Fly their nests so warm and chaste,
  • And, inflam’d with sensual love,
  • Holds the Faun the Nymph embrac’d.
  • Here a garment’s torn away,
  • Scoffs succeed their sated bliss,
  • While the god, with angry ray,
  • Looks upon each impious kiss.
• • Vapor, smoke, as from a fire,
  • And advancing clouds I view;
  • Chords not only grace the lyre,
  • For the bow its chords hath too.
  • Even the adorer’s heart
  • Dreads the wild advancing band,
  • For the flames that round them dart
  • Show the fierce destroyer’s hand.
  • Oh, neglect not what I say,
  • For I speak it lovingly!
  • From our boundaries haste away,
  • From the god’s dread anger fly!
  • Cleanse once more the holy place,
  • Turn the savage train aside!
  • Earth contains upon its face
  • Many a spot unsanctified;
  • Here we only prize the good.
  • Stars unsullied round us burn.
• • If ye, in repentant mood,
  • From your wanderings would return,—
  • If ye fail to find the bliss
  • That ye found with us of yore,—
  • Or when lawless mirth like this
  • Gives your hearts delight no more,—
  • Then return in pilgrim guise,
  • Gladly up the mountain go,
  • While your strains repentant rise,
  • And our brethren’s advent show.
• • Let a new-born wreath entwine
  • Solemnly your temples round;
  • Rapture glows in hearts divine
  • When a long-lost sinner’s found.
  • Swifter e’en than Lethe’s flood
  • Round Death’s silent house can play
  • Ev’ry error of the good
  • Will love’s chalice wash away.
  • All will haste your steps to meet
  • As ye come in majesty,—
  • Men your blessing will entreat;—
  • Ours ye thus will doubly be!