1832.] Goethe's Visit to Beireis. 03 



And so we viewed, likewise, his older Collections, for the 'successful 

 procurement of which historical knowledge itself suffices, without any 

 necessity for taste. The gold Medals of the Roman Emperors, and of 

 their families, he had in utmost completeness got together ; which fact, 

 he strove zealously, by the catalogues of the Paris and Gotha cabinets, 

 to demonstrate, and, at the same time, by various specimens wanting 

 there, to evince his own pre-eminence. But what appeared most ad- 

 mirable in his series was the perfection of the stamps, which all looked 

 as if they had come direct from the mint. This observation he took 

 well ; declaring that he had by degrees changed off the faulty indivi- 

 duals, and so with heavy charge obtained what we saw, and yet had still 

 to praise fortune in the matter. 



If now the assiduous possessor brought, out of a neighbouring press, 

 new drawers to view, you felt transported elsewhither both in Time and 

 Place. Beautiful silver medals of the Greek cities lay before us, which, 

 as they had been shut up long enough in damp, confined air, exhibited 

 their well-preserved impressions with a bluish tint. As little next were 

 there wanting, gold rose-nobles, old papal coins, bactreates, questionable 

 satyrical stamps, and whatsover notably singular you could expect in so 

 numerous and old-established a collection. 



Neither could it be denied that in this province he was instructed, 

 and a sort of judge ; in earlier years he had published a little Tract, on 

 the methods of distinguishing true from spurious medals. Neverthe- 

 less, he seems here, as in other things, to have left himself some space 

 for caprice ; for he asserted obstinately, and triumphing over all medal- 

 lists, that the golden lysimachs were totally false ; on which ground he 

 treated some fine specimens of that sort, lying there, with open con- 

 tempt. This, too, like so much else, we left to its course, and took 

 delight with instruction from his really singular treasures. 



Along with all these remarkable things, in the intervals of so much 

 time which Beireis devoted to us, ever and anon his medical activity 

 came to light ; now he had just returned from the country, after hap- 

 pily, before day, delivering a peasant's wife ; now perplexed consulta- 

 tions had busied and detained him. 



But to explain how he could be ready day and night for such busi- 

 ness, and yet contrive to execute it with ever-equal, outward dignity, 

 he turned our attention to his mode of hair-dressing ; he wore longish 

 roll-locks, fastened with pins, close pitched down on his ears. The fore 

 part of the head was decked with a toupee, all firm, sleek, and suffi- 

 ciently powdered. In this wise, he said, he had his hair dressed every 

 evening ; went to bed with it all fastened up j and at what hour soever 

 he might be called to a patient, there was he as respectable in appear- 

 ance as when he came into formal company. And, true it is, you saw 

 him in a clear suit of blue grey, in black stockings, and shoes with large 

 buckles, everywhere the same one time as another. 



During such lively conversation, and constant amusement, he had 

 spoke little of purely incredible things ; yet, by and by, he could not 

 forbear bringing out the litany of his legends on us also. As he was 

 one day entertaining us with a specially well-furnished repast, a fine 

 plate of particularly large crab-fish, in a region so brookless and river- 

 less, could not but surprise us ; whereupon he stated, that his fish-basket 

 could never be found empty of such provender ; he owed those crea- 

 tures so much, regarded the use of them as so wholesome, that he kept 

 them, not only as a savoury dish for honoured guests, but as the most 



