The German betrothal is a ceremony of almost equal
importance to the marriage itself; and in that state the
sentiments are allowed free play, whilst English lovers are
restrained, shy, and as if ashamed of their feelings. Take, for
instance, the case of Herder, whom his future wife first saw in
the pulpit. "I heard," she says, "the voice of an angel, and
soul's words such as I had never heard before. In the afternoon I
saw him, and stammered out my thanks to him; from this time forth
our souls were one." They were betrothed long before their means
would permit them to marry; but at length they were united. "We
were married," says Caroline, the wife, "by the rose-light of a
beautiful evening. We were one heart, one soul." Herder was
equally ecstatic in his language. "I have a wife," he wrote
to Jacobi, "that is the tree, the consolation, and the happiness
of my life. Even in flying transient thoughts (which often
surprise us), we are one!"
Take, again, the case of Fichte, in whose history his courtship
and marriage form a beautiful episode. He was a poor German
student, living with a family at Zurich in the capacity of tutor,
when he first made the acquaintance of Johanna Maria Hahn, a niece
of Klopstock. Her position in life was higher than that of
Fichte; nevertheless, she regarded him with sincere admiration.
When Fichte was about to leave Zurich, his troth plighted to her,
she, knowing him to be very poor, offered him a gift of money
before setting out.
Pages:
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438