The Sorrows of Young Werther | Page 5

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 afternoon, and I found it perfectly
deserted. Everybody was in the fields except a little boy about four years of age, who was
sitting on the ground, and held between his knees a child about six months old: he
pressed it to his bosom with both arms, which thus formed a sort of arm-chair; and,
notwithstanding the liveliness which sparkled in its black eyes, it remained perfectly still.
The sight charmed me. I sat down upon a plough opposite, and sketched with great
delight this little picture of brotherly tenderness. I added the neighbouring hedge, the
barn-door, and some broken cart-wheels, just as they happened to lie; and I found in
about an hour that I had made a very correct and interesting drawing, without putting in
the slightest thing of my own. This confirmed me in my resolution of adhering, for the
future, entirely to nature. She alone is inexhaustible, and capable of forming the greatest
masters. Much may be alleged in favour of rules, as much may be likewise advanced in
favour of the laws of society: an artist formed upon them will never produce anything
absolutely bad or disgusting; as a man who observes the laws, and obeys decorum, can
never be an absolutely intolerable neighbour, nor a decided villain: but yet, say what you
will of rules, they destroy the genuine feeling of nature, as well as its true expression. Do
not tell me "that this is too hard, that they only restrain and prune superfluous branches,
etc." My good friend, I will illustrate this by an analogy. These things resemble love. A
warmhearted youth becomes strongly attached to a maiden: he spends every hour of the
day in her company, wears out his health, and lavishes his fortune, to afford continual
proof that he is wholly devoted to her. Then comes a man of the world, a man of place
and respectability, and addresses him thus: "My good young friend, love is natural; but
you must love within bounds. Divide your time: devote a portion to business, and give
the hours of recreation to your mistress. Calculate your fortune; and out of the superfluity
you may make her a present, only not too often, -- on her birthday, and such occasions."
Pursuing this advice, he may become a useful member of society, and I should advise
every prince to give him an appointment; but it is all up with his love, and with his genius
if he be an artist. O my friend! why is it that the torrent of genius so seldom bursts forth,
so seldom rolls in full-flowing stream, overwhelming your astounded soul? Because, on
either side of this stream, cold and respectable persons have taken up their abodes, and,
forsooth, their summer-houses and tulip-beds would suffer from the torrent; wherefore
they dig trenches, and raise embankments betimes, in order to avert the impending
danger.

MAY 27.
I find I have fallen into raptures, declamation, and similes, and have forgotten, in
consequence, to tell you what became of the children. Absorbed in my artistic
contemplations, which I briefly described in my letter of yesterday, I continued sitting on
the plough for two hours. Toward evening a young woman, with a basket on her arm,
came running toward the children, who had not moved all that time. She exclaimed from
a distance, "You are a good boy, Philip!" She gave me greeting: I returned it, rose, and
approached her. I inquired if she were the mother of those pretty children. "Yes," she said;
and, giving the eldest a piece of bread, she took the little one in her arms and kissed it
with a mother's tenderness. "I left my child in Philip's care," she said, "whilst I went into
the town with my eldest boy to buy some wheaten bread, some sugar, and an earthen
pot." I saw the various articles in the basket, from which the cover had fallen. "I shall
make some broth to-night for my little Hans (which was the name of the youngest): that
wild fellow, the big one, broke my pot yesterday, whilst he was scrambling with Philip
for what remained of the contents." I inquired for the eldest; and she bad scarcely time to
tell me that he was driving a couple of geese home from the meadow, when he ran up,
and handed Philip an osier-twig. I talked a little longer with the woman, and found that
she was the daughter of the schoolmaster, and that her husband was