¥ariably returns to the fame {pot, and al- 
ways brings back the former neceffities ; 
it is unafluming, nay even timid, becaule 
genius ever remains a fecret to itfeif ; but 
it is not anxious, becaule it is unacquaint- 
ed with the dangers of the way it is pur- 
fuing. We know little of the private life 
of the greateft geniufes, but the little that 
has been preferved confirms this obierva- 
tion.” 
His medical attainments, inftead of be- 
ing of advantage to him, were in fact pre- 
judicial, for they made him too attentive 
to the fate of his body and its changes, 
and thus deprived him of the repofe fo ne- 
cefflary for the re-eftablifhment of his 
health. The worft was, he appeared to 
have retained fo mvuch of this knowledge 
as to We aware of the danger of his fitu:- 
tion, but to have forgotien fo much as 
was necefiary ¢o warm nim of the approach 
ef impending difeafe. Sicknefs attacked 
him but too early, and Apremature rejort 
of his death was propagated even in the 
public journals 5 but the {kul of his phy- 
fician for that time preferved his valuable 
life. The illuftrious Duke of A vguften- 
burg, on receiving this melanchol y.intelli- 
gence, refolved to ereét a monu: nent to 
the noble bard. Overjoyed at his: reco- 
very, and not content with having deftin- 
ed a ftone for him’ when dead, he, i.7 con- 
junction with that excellent mm inatter 
Count Schimmelmann, fecured to Sc hitter 
a penfion for life. 
The clofing {cene of the career of this 
diftinguithed writer is thus defcribec|in a 
letter from Weimar, dated May 13; 
1805 :—** I haiien, my dear friend, to 
communicate to you intelligence equally 
painful and importané. At the hour of 
fix in the evening of the gth, death fn: \tch- 
ed our beloved Schiller from amidft u s.—- 
We were furprifed atthe account,. foi" his 
illnefs had not been of long duration — 
Laft fummer, when he returned fron EB. 3x- 
lin, whither he had gone to fee the rep: ‘e- 
fentation, of his William Tell, to Jen 4, 
where his wife was to lie-in, he was i), |, 
and not free from danger. This danger y 
however, pafled away, and during the laft’ 
days he complained only that fpring 
would newer arrive this year, though he 
Was attaciged while at work with the moft 
Violent fpafms. Hence we were all Jed to 
cherih the fairet hopes, when all at once 
the melancholy mews arrived.. On the 
morning if ‘Thurf{day he began to be quite 
delirious, {poke much concerning foldiers 
and the tumults of war, but {ilk more 
frequently pronounced thename of Lich. 
tenberg,, in whefe’ works he had a fhort 
a 
Memoirs of Schiller, the German Dramatift. 
47 
time before beenreading. Tow?rd$ noosa 
he became more compofed, and fell into a 
gentle flumber,; from which he a®cke 
once more in the poffeifion of his faculties | 
for a fhoct time, of which he availed him. 
felf to take a painful farewel, and to deling 
that bis body might be committed to the 
earth with.vut any pomp, in the moft pri. 
vate and fimple manner. He was even 
cheerful, awd faid, « Now life is perfectly 
clear to me: many things are now plain 
and diftingt.* He foon afterwards funk 
again into ailumber, from which he never 
moré awoke. we 
«His body was opened: the lungs 
were found al.nof catirely deftroyed, the 
chambers of the heart were nearly filed 
up, and the gail was uncommonly difend- 
ed. Aw accurate caft of his fkull was 
taken for Dr. Gall. His funeral was fixed 
for Sunday, but as his body advanced toe 
rapidly to corruption, it was found necefa 
fary to'inter him in the night between Sa- 
turday and Sunday. According tohis own 
defire, he was to have been carried to the 
grave by artifans, but feveral young literaca 
and artifts,” defirous of evincing their love 
and refpect to thew diftinguilhéd ccilzasue 
even in death, relieved them from that 
duty. Among thefe friends of the im. 
mortal poet were Profeffor Vols and the 
painter Jagemann. In profound and {o- 
lemon filence the cofin was borne to the 
church yard betweeta the hours of twelve 
and one. The fky was entirely overcait, - 
and threatened rain ; the blufiering gind 
rufhed awfuliy through the ancient roofs 
of the vaults, and the trophies groaned.— 
But ho fooner was the coffin placed before 
the vault, than the wind faddenly difi- 
pated the gloomy clouds ; the Moon, in 
mild majelty, burft forth, and threw hed 
firft beams on the coffin with the precious 
relics. “Dhey were carried into the vault, 
the Moon again veiled herfelf in clouds, 
and the wind reared with augmented vio- 
lenee. . 
‘<The theatre was fhut on Sai rday,—— 
A. written notice was fent to the (ubferi- 
bers, informing them that the grief of the 
company for the lofs of him who had ren 
dered fuch important fervices to the Ger- 
man flage, and to that of Weimer in pare 
ticular, was fuch as to reader the 
“pable of ating. Oa Sunday, be: 
hours of three and four, Moziri’s Requi. 
em was performed in the church of. the 
i Sirchhof by the band of the ducafk 
chapel, and the fuperintendant-general 
Vogt delivered a difcourfe in memory of 
the deceafed. 
“®Seniller has certainly left behind 
works 
MDAC As 
¢ 
¢] 
t 
Deiween the 
