191c. Caroline to Georg Joachim Göschen in Leipzig: Jena, 17 November 1797 [*]
Jena, 17 Nov[ember 17]97
What can you possibly be thinking, my dear Göschen, making us wait so abominably for you this way? [1] Do you call that behaving loyally? For 4 weeks now all our thoughts and desires have been focused uninterruptedly on you, and you are herewith charged with making your appearance here quite as soon as possible. Your pipes are still standing in the corner, and everything will be arranged so comfortably for you that you can carve your Greek fonts to your heart’s content.
Heubach [2] wrote to Schlegel and included an improved version, which I am including here for you in my own turn and of which Schlegel quite approves, which is why you are entreated to include such in the appropriate place.
I am also including a short note for Marianne and a thousand warm regards and kisses for your wife and children. [3] Stay well and come soon that we might live well together in a frugal fashion.
Caroline Schlegel.
Notes
[*] Source: Göttingen, Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek: 2° Cod. Ms. philos. 182:5. Transcription and dating: Martin Reulecke. Back.
[1] Wilhelm Schlegel had written to Karl August Böttiger on 5 November 1797 (Körner [1930], 66):
I am awaiting our friend Göschen’s arrival any day now, who intends to spend a few days here to make arrangements concerning the Greek font Prillwitz is to carve for Griesbach’s edition of the New Testament.
See also Luise Gerhardt, Karl August Böttiger und Georg Joachim Göschen im Briefwechsel: Schriftsteller und Buchhändler vor 100 Jahren (Leipzig 1911), 45:
A scholarly conference and discussion was held in Jena headed by Hofrath Schütz, Professor Griesbach, and Professor Eichstädt, attended by Göschen as well, to introduce a new form of lower- and upper-case Greek letters to the assembled scholars.
Compare the first four verses in the Gospel of Luke in Griesbach’s earlier edition of the Greek New Testament, Novum Testamentum Graece, ed. Johann Jakob Griesbach, vol. 1, the Gospels and Acts (Halle 1777), with those same verses in the newer edition, Novum Testamentum Graece. Ex Recensione Jo. Jac. Griesbachii, cum selecta Lectionis Varietate, 4 vols. ed. Johann Jakob Griesbach (Leipzig 1803–7), vol. 2, Luke and John (1804) (trans. NRSV):
1 Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
Here the initial page of the Gospel of John in each edition:
Göschen did indeed come to Jena in late November or early December. See Caroline’s letter to Luise Gotter on 3 December 1797 (letter 192); Körner (1930), 2:26, notes to letter 52, should be corrected to read “Ende November” instead of “Ende December.” Back.
[2] Unidentified. Back.
[3] From NDB 6:541: The Göschen’s had 8 sons, 4 of which died early, and 2 daughters. Of the sons, Karl Friedrich (born 1790), ran his own printing company; Georg Joachim (1791–1855) became a merchant and part-owner of the firm Crampagna, Kern and Co. in Triest and Vienna; Wilhelm Heinrich (1793–1866) became a banker and cofounder of the firm Fruhling and Goschen in London; and Hermann Julius (1803–46), who became a publisher and bookseller as his father’s successor. Of the daughters, Charlotte married Heinrich Frühling (1790–1841) in 1831, a merchant in Leipzig and London and cofounder of the firm Fruhling & Goschen in London. The other daughter was Henriette, later married name Susemihl (1795–1888). Back.
Translation © 2012 Doug Stott