356 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OP 



Knowest thou none such ? I know him and name 

 him — Goethe.' l The majesty of Goethe's character 

 seemed, in Carlyle's estimate of him, to dissolve all his 

 errors, both of intellect and conduct. The standards of 

 the homiletic market-place were scornfully brushed 

 aside ; drawbacks and qualifications were blown away 

 like chaff, ' the golden grain ' of the mighty German 

 husbandman being alone garnered and preserved. 



I had various talks with him about Goethe's mis- 

 taken appreciation of the 4 Farbenlehre ' as the greatest 

 of his works. To Carlyle this was a most pathetic fact. 

 The poet thought he had reached the adamant of 

 natural truth, and alas! he was mistaken. But, after 

 all, was he mistaken ? Over German artists the ' Far- 

 benlehre' had exercised a dominant influence. Could it 

 be all moonshine ? Thus he mused. While holding 

 firmly to the verdict that with regard to theory 

 Goethe was hopelessly wrong, I dwelt with pleasure on 

 the wealth of facts which his skill and industry had 

 accumulated. This to a certain extent gratified Car- 

 lyle, but he sighed for the supplement necessary to the 

 scientific completeness of his hero. He was intimately 

 acquainted with every nook and corner of Goethe's 

 work — sometimes more intimately than the poet's own 

 countrymen. I once had occasion to quote the poem 

 'Mason Lodge,' translated and published in 'Past and 

 Present.' 2 The article in which it was quoted was 



1 Sartor JResartus, Library Edition, p. 244. 



8 Book III. chap. xv. A very noble song, and a great favourite 

 of Carlyle's. With it he wound up his Rectorial address at Edin- 

 burgh. The reciting of two of its verses, under peculiar circum- 

 stances, had an important influence on my own destiny. 



1 Solemn before us, 

 Veiled, the dark Portal, 

 Goal of all mortal: 

 Stars silent o'er us, 

 Graves under us silent 1 



Here eyes do regard you, 

 In Eternity's stillness; 

 Here is all fulness, 

 Ye brave, to reward you, 

 Work and despair not.' 



