Johann Wolfgang Goethe (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1905 Excerpt: ... OLD AGE WENTY-SEVEN years of life still remained _L to Goethe, an evening full of activity, which, although devoted more and more to calm reflection and retrospect, saw the completion of more than one task, and, above all, that of his life's work, Faust. Science, autobiography, philosophical poetry, Faust--on these the greatest part of his labour in these last years was expended. The time following Schiller's death was a troubled one for Germany, nor did Goethe escape the common lot; the years from 1806 to 1813 brought him many unpleasantnesses. In 1806 war came to his very door. On October 14 the Battle of Jena was fought. Weimar was invested by the French, and during the plundering by the victorious soldiery his life was in danger, and was only saved by the presence of mind of the faithful Christiane. Moved by the danger and insecurity, and probably by considerations of the circumstances in which those left behind would find themselves in the case of his death, Goethe carried out the resolution he had long entertained, and went through the religious ceremony of marriage with Christiane. The new Frau Geheimratin von Goethe was introduced into the Weimar society, but even Goethe's name was not enough to procure her a good reception. This year of 1806 was in other ways a very eventful one. On October 15 Napoleon entered Weimar, but it was not till two years later that he and Goethe met. The printing of the Farbenlehre was at length begun, and the first part of Faust completed. The two following years brought with them heavy losses for Goethe, whose mourning for Schiller was still fresh. In 1807 the death of the Dowager Duchess, Anna Amalia, removed one of the strongest links with the Weimar of his youth, and one who was bound by many ties, not only to the po...