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It was like a day of late spring in Italy or America； the sun in that
gardened hollow before the museum was already hot enough to make him glad
of the shelter of the hotel。 The summer seemed to have come back to
oblige them； and when they learned that they were to see Weimar in a
festive mood because this was Sedan Day； their curiosity； if not their
sympathy； accepted the chance gratefully。 But they were almost moved to
wish that the war had gone otherwise when they learned that all the
public carriages were engaged； and they must have one from a stable if
they wished to drive after breakfast。 Still it was offered them for such
a modest number of marks； and their driver proved so friendly and
conversable； that they assented to the course of history； and were more
and more reconciled as they bowled along through the grand…ducal park
beside the waters of the classic Ilm。
The waters of the classic Ilm are sluggish and slimy in places； and in
places clear and brooklike； but always a dull dark green in color。 They
flow in the shadow of pensive trees； and by the brinks of sunny meadows；
where the after…math wanders in heavy windrows； and the children sport
joyously over the smooth…mown surfaces in all the freedom that there is
in Germany。 At last； after immemorial appropriation the owners of the
earth are everywhere expropriated； and the people come into the pleasure
if not the profit of it。 At last； the prince； the knight； the noble
finds； as in his turn the plutocrat will find； that his property is not
for him； but for all； and that the nation is to enjoy what he takes from
it and vainly thinks to keep from it。 Parks； pleasaunces； gardens； set
apart for kings； are the play…grounds of the landless poor in the Old
World； and perhaps yield the sweetest joy of privilege to some state…sick
ruler； some world…weary princess； some lonely child born to the solitude
of sovereignty； as they each look down from their palace windows upon the
leisure of overwork taking its little holiday amidst beauty vainly
created for the perpetual festival of their empty lives。
March smiled to think that in this very Weimar； where sovereignty had
graced and ennobled itself as nowhere else in the world by the
companionship of letters and the arts； they still were not hurrying first
to see the palace of a prince； but were involuntarily making it second to
the cottage of a poet。 But in fact it is Goethe who is forever the
prince in Weimar。 His greatness blots out its history； his name fills
the city； the thought of him is its chiefest imitation and largest
hospitality。 The travellers remembered； above all other facts of the
grand…ducal park； that it was there he first met Christiane Vulpius；
beautiful and young； when he too was beautiful and young； and took her
home to be his love； to the just and lasting displeasure of Fran von
Stein； who was even less reconciled when； after eighteen years of due
reflection； the love of Goethe and Christiane became their marriage。
They； wondered just where it was he saw the young girl coming to meet him
as the Grand…Duke's minister with an office…seeking petition from her
brother； Goethe's brother author； long famed and long forgotten for his
romantic tale of 〃Rinaldo Rinaldini。〃
They had indeed no great mind； in their American respectability； for that
rather matter…of…fact and deliberate liaison； and little as their
sympathy was for the passionless intellectual intrigue with the Frau von
Stein； it cast no halo of sentiment about the Goethe cottage to suppose
that there his love…life with Christiane began。 Mrs。 March even resented
the fact； and when she learned later that it was not the fact at all； she
removed it from her associations with the pretty place almost
indignantly。
In spite of our facile and multiple divorces we Americans are worshipers
of marriage； and if a great poet； the minister of a prince； is going to
marry a poor girl； we think he had better not wait till their son is
almost of age。 Mrs。 March would not accept as extenuating circumstances
the Grand…Duke's godfatherhood； or Goethe's open constancy to Christiane；
or the tardy consecration of their union after the French sack of；
Weimar； when the girl's devotion had saved him from the rudeness of the
marauding soldiers。 For her New England soul there were no degrees in
such guilt； and； perhaps there are really not so many as people have
tried to think； in their deference to Goethe's greatness。 But certainly
the affair was not so simple for a grand…ducal minister of world…wide
renown； and he might well have felt its difficulties； for he could not
have been proof against the censorious public opinion of Weimar； or the
yet more censorious private opinion of Fran von Stein。
On that lovely Italo…American morning no ghost of these old dead
embarrassments lingered within or without the Goethe garden…house。
The trees which the poet himself planted flung a sun…shot shadow upon it；
and about its feet basked a garden of simple flowers； from which the
sweet lame girl who limped through the rooms and showed them； gathered a
parting nosegay for her visitors。 The few small livingrooms were above
the ground…floor； with kitchen and offices below in the Italian fashion；
in one of the little chambers was the camp…bed which Goethe carried with
him on his journeys through Italy； and in the larger room at the front
stood the desk where he wrote； with the chair before it from which he
might just have risen。
All was much more livingly conscious of the great man gone than the proud
little palace in the town； which so abounds with relics and memorials of
him。 His library； his study； his study table； with everything on it just
as he left it when
〃Cadde la stanca mana。〃
are there； and there is the death…chair facing the window； from which he
gasped for 〃more light〃 at last。 The handsome； well…arranged rooms are
full of souvenirs of his travel； and of that passion for Italy which he
did so much to impart to all German hearts； and whose modern waning
leaves its records here of an interest pathetically； almost amusingly；
faded。 They intimate the classic temper to which his mind tended more
and more； and amidst the multitude of sculptures； pictures； prints；
drawings； gems； medals； autographs； there is the sense of the many…
mindedness； the universal taste； for which he found room in little
Weimar； but not in his contemporaneous Germany。 But it is all less
keenly personal； less intimate than the simple garden…house； or else；
with the great troop of people going through it； and the custodians
lecturing in various voices and languages to the attendant groups； the
Marches had it less to themselves； and so imagined him less in it。
LX。
All palaces have a character of tiresome unlivableness which is common to
them everywhere； and very probably if one could meet their proprietors in
them one would as little remember them apart afterwards as the palaces
themselves。 It will not do to lift either houses or men far out of the
average； they become spectacles； ceremonies； they cease to have charm； to
have character； which belong to the levels of life； where alone there are
ease and comfort； and human nature may be itself； with all the little
delightful differences repressed in those who represent and typify。
As they followed the custodian through the grand…ducal Residenz at
Weimar； March felt everywhere the strong wish of the prince who was
Goethe's friend to ally himself with literature； and to be human at least
in the humanities。 He came honestly by his passion for poets； his mother
had known it in her time； and Weimar was the home of Wieland and of
Herder before the young Grand…Duke came back from his travels bringing
Goethe with him； and afterwards attracting Schiller。 The story of that
great epoch is all there in the Residenz； told as articulately as a
palace can。
There are certain Poets' Rooms； frescoed with illustrations of Goethe；
Schiller； and Wieland； there is the room where Goethe and the Grand…Duke
used to play chess together； there is the conservatory opening from it
where they liked to sit and chat； everywhere in the pictures and
sculptures； the engraving and intaglios； are the witnesses of the tastes
they shared； the love they both had for Italy； and for beautiful Italian
things。 The prince was not so great a prince but that he could very
nearly be a man； the court was perhaps the most human court that ever
was； the Grand…Duke and the grand poet were first boon companions； and
then monarch and minister working together for the good of the country；
they were always friends； and yet； as the American saw in the light of
the New World； which he carried with him； how far from friends！ At best
it was make…believe； the make…believe of superiority and inferiority； the
make…believe of master and man； which could only be the more painful and
ghastly for the endeavor of two generous spirits to reach and rescue each
other through the asphyxiating unreality； but they kept up the show of
equality faithfully to the end。 Goethe was born citizen of a free
republic； and his youth was nurtured in the traditions of liber