329f. Wilhelm Schlegel to Goethe in Weimar: Jena, 18 September 1801 [*]
Jena, 18 September 1801
Up until this moment, at 9:00 in the evening, Madame Unzelmann has not yet arrived here. I rode out to meet her but left Dornburg at 6:00 without having found her there. It is quite possible that the bad roads prolonged her journey from Leipzig and that she still may arrive today after all. [1]
She herself probably is not intending on staying longer than a single night in Jena; [2] after her arduous journey, she will no doubt be needing at least a bit of rest. I am thinking that if she arrives here in the evening, she can be in Weimar early the next afternoon; and should she arrive toward midday, then early the next morning. Perhaps I myself will accompany her over, and thus am hoping to have the pleasure of speaking with you quite soon. [3]
We are greatly obliged to Herr Professor Meyer for having secured accommodations for us. What my wife wrote in her last letter in this regard is thus now superfluous. [4] She is quite grateful and asks me to send her kindest regards.
In the meantime, stay well. [5]
AWSchlegel
Notes
[*] Source: Körner-Wieneke 121. Back.
[1] Friederike Unzelmann was traveling to Jena and Weimar from Breslau; see Wilhelm’s letter to Goethe on 14 August 1801 (letter 327c), note 5 (“Le coche de voyage du dix-huitiéme siécle,” in anonymous, “La locomotion terrestre: Les ancients coutures de voyage,” La nature: Revue des sciences etc. 16 [1888], premier semestre, no. 768 [18 February 1888], 177–79, here 177):
[2] Whether the actress stayed overnight in Jena (with the Schlegels at Leutragasse 5?) does not seem to be documented, a regrettable lacuna should such have happened after all. Goethe’s diary attests only her arrival in Weimar before midday on 19 September 1801 (Weimarer Ausgabe 3:3:35). She departed Weimar on 2 October 1801.
It may be remembered that another of Wilhelm’s love interests, Minna van Nuys, had stayed in the inn “Zur Sonne” during her stopover in Jena exactly two years earlier. Back.
[3] It is uncertain whether Wilhelm himself (and Caroline?) accompanied Friederike Unzelmann from Jena to Weimar (Rudolf Koch and Fritz Kredel, Deutschland und angrenzende Gebiete [Leipzig 1937]):
[4] Caroline’s letter (to Goethe?) is not extant. Back.
[5] Concerning Friederike Unzelmann’s performance schedule in Weimar, see Caroline’s letter to Wilhelm on 11 May 1801 (letter 315), note 10. Wilhelm and Caroline came over to Weimar for a lengthier stay for these performances accompanied by Schelling and others.
Concerning Goethe’s and Schiller’s reactions to Friederike Unzelmann’s performances, see supplementary appendix 329f.1. Back.
Translation © 2015 Doug Stott