202f. Henriette Mendelssohn to Wilhelm Schlegel in Dresden: Berlin, 16 August 1798 [*]
Things have turned out just as I imagined with regard to our correspondence. Your letter and everything you so kindly related delighted me more than even you yourself can imagine; it was the first real amusement I have had since you left us.
But that I must now extend my thanks to you in writing rather than anticipating a cordial morning visit during which I might express it to you in person — quite annoys and makes me anxious, just as during your first visit, when I felt like an unwilling spirit whose presence was conjured solely by our Schlegel’s invocations, since by nature I would otherwise certainly have been inclined to hide from you. [1]
But you understand this timorousness, and, were I not to answer you, would certainly understand how to interpret both it and my present fear and not hold it against me — but then your good brother might hold it against me that I answer him so swiftly and without any such tragic fits. He believes in any case that I love him only as your brother, never considering that I might quite justifiably use the same words to describe my relationship with him. [2] . . .
By way of rather extensive gossip, I have learned that you recently composed a symbolic poem and several sonnets to various women. [3] Are we to see nothing of these? Please consider, my dear friend, that nothing beautiful comes to us save from Dresden, and that in a certain sense we live from the hopes next month holds for us. [4]
But that is yet so far away, and how distracted and fleeting will you then be! Hence do but be generous and, trusting me and my sisterly love for you, believe that I will have the utmost respect for anything I receive from you, and will be discreet even with my joy at receiving it. You may especially not decline my request to see the sonnets. You are already aware of how I love the first two, and now — just think — sonnets to women! and what is more: to familiar ones, perhaps even to the — dainty little sinner?
I have long had all sorts of greetings and cordial requests for you from her, though I do not really see her that much now — her friend, whom you will doubtless recall not without at least some displeasure, has dampened the pleasure I take in her daintiness and sinfulness; he is simply unbearable! Surely this diminutive woman cannot but be virtuous enough to leave him as soon as can be! [5] —
I thought a great deal about you during the performance of the new piece by Iffland, Der Mann von Wort, [6] wishing you were there. You could have watched your two favorites engage in quite a competition! Diminutive Madam Fleck, who performed her extremely naive, ardent character with considerable refinement and fieriness — over against Madam Unzelmann in a costume that for quite a long time made us women forget not only the piece itself, but all the characters as well, but who was unable to elevate her insignificant, empty role even a little. —
Iffland seems intent on humbling her pride, and it may well be salutary for her if we but do not completely lose her because of it! She feels affronted and neglected, and if ever those blue eyes were to become truly angry, she would doubtless look out for her own interests and leave us — an irreplaceable loss!
In reality, all these things I have written you on so many pages are still not what I really wanted to say. What I wanted was merely to ask you to come to us as soon as possible. You cannot believe with what impatience I await all of you. [7] At the moment, I possess nothing more interesting than your and Goethe’s letter, [8] and will you but come, I will gladly return it to you — tomorrow, today, as soon as you like!
I have absolutely no other pleasant expectations for the future than to see you again, and to make the acquaintance of your wife, whom I so ardently and sincerely admire! — though I am admittedly disinclined to think about how I might appear to her; I will rely on you — you must protect me. And surely you will! [9]
Were you in Töplitz? [10] All my wishes and thoughts accompanied you there. Did you see Madam Levy? [11] . . .
Madam Veit believes you have had more than enough of my prattle. I close my eyes tightly and refuse to think about the fact that it will actually be sent to you.
Stay well and come soon, very soon to see us.
Henriette [Mendelssohn]
Notes
[*] Source: Holtei, Dreihundert Briefe 2:165–68. — Wilhelm had met Henriette in Berlin during his five-week visit with Friedrich Schlegel after Caroline and Auguste had already travelled ahead from Jena to Dresden. Henriette would in her own turn visit Jena in April 1799 on her way to Vienna, a visit during which she and Auguste seem to have developed a charming, almost sisterly relationship.
Wilhelm had left Berlin for Dresden with Friedrich Schlegel in late June 1798, arriving in Dresden on 30 June 1798 (Post Karte Durch ganz Deutschland, ed. J. Walch [Augsburg 1795]):
[1] Considering that Friedrich Schlegel had become romantically involved with her married sister Dorothea Veit, this touching reticence over against Wilhelm on Henriette’s part is perhaps understandable (Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, Ich liebe Mylady [1785]; Herzog August Bibliothek; Museums./Signatur Chodowiecki Sammlung [5-340], a scene from Schiller’s play Kabale und Liebe):
[2] Concerning Henriette Mendelssohn and Friedrich, see also Friedrich to Auguste Böhmer in late June 1798 (letter 201b). Back.
[3] These pieces involve at least one of Wilhelm’s poems to Friederike Unzelmann. Back.
[4] An allusion to a trip to Dresden with Dorothea Veit that never materialized. — As for Henriette’s lament concerning the lack of entertainment during the summer, viz. in the fine arts, see the “News from Berlin” from a few years later in the Zeitung für die elegante Welt (1801), 79 (Thursday, 2 July 1801) 640 (the report is dated 20 June 1801) (illustration: the boulevard Unter den Linden, ca. 1795; Almanach zu Kenntniß der Preußischen Staaten für Reisende und Einheimische [1795]; Inhaltsverzeichnis deutscher Almanache, Theodor Springmann Stiftung):
Things are getting rather quiet and empty in Berlin just now, since a large part of the genteel and elegant world in part has departed for the mineral-springs spas and their country estates, and in part has withdrawn for the summer to the Tiergarten or to the villages around Berlin.
The theater is rather empty, concerts are given only rarely, and balls not at all. That our theater is empty should come as no surprise considering that Iffland is in Vienna and Fleck is so sick that the physicians have little hope for his recovery; hence the favorites of theater aficionados are missing, and Madam Unzelmann alone remains. Back.
[5] Uncertain reference, possibly to Friederike Unzelmann (concerning Caroline’s recent reference to her as “Diaboline,” see her letter to Luise Gotter in late June/early July 1798 [letter 202]), who though married at the time would divorce her husband in 1803. Back.
[6] Der Mann von Wort: Ein Schauspiel in 5 Aufzügen, published in vol. 10 of A. W. Ifflands dramatische Werke (plays included: Der Mann von Wort. Die Reise nach der Stadt. Der Veteran), (Leipzig 1800); here the frontispiece illustrating a scene from act 4, scene 12. There are but three female characters in the play: Madam Lestang (wife of Archivist Lestang); Julie, their foster daughter; and Henriette, Madam Lestang’s maidservant. The woman in the scene is Julie, the foster daughter:
[7] Wilhelm and Caroline had been considering returning to Jena by way of Berlin (Post Karte Durch ganz Deutschland, ed. J. Walch [Augsburg 1795]):
[8] An enclosure mentioned earlier. Back.
[9] Here, again, Henriette’s reticence and even apprehensions are understandable insofar as Caroline’s reputation doubtless preceded her in Berlin (Goettinger Taschen Calendar für das Jahr 1794; Inhaltsverzeichnis deutscher Almanache, Theodor Springmann Stiftung):
[10] Friedrich von Hardenberg (Novalis) was in Töplitz (Teplitz, modern Teplice in the Czech Republic), a mineral-springs spa south of Dresden, from 15 July till mid-August 1798, apparently also coming over to Dresden to visit Friedrich and Wilhelm in the meantime. See also Friedrich to Auguste in late June 1798 (letter 201b), note 7. Back.
[11] As seen in Friedrich’s letter to Henriette Herz on 24 August 1798 (letter 202g), Wilhelm and Caroline take an excursion with Rahel Levin into the countryside surrounding Dresden. Back.
Translation © 2012 Doug Stott