• 364. Caroline to Wilhelm Schlegel in Dresden: Jena, 18 June 1802 [*]
[Jena] 18 June [18]02
|334| Since I have not yet received the letter for Martinengo, I would like to have his back again immediately, [1] just as I would also very much like to have some response to my query that I sent to Dresden concerning Cäcilie. [2]
The enclosed note came from Bertuch; after receiving it, I had Persiles and the novellas delivered to him. Galatea and the comedies must be in Berlin. [3]
The books are already packed in boxes here and can be loaded onto a freight conveyance any time now. [4]
I am also enclosing the invoice from Herr Thun in Frankfurt, since it must be paid from Berlin. [5] Three Carolin for Herr Thun to Berlin comes to 33 fl. The 8 fl. 30 Pfennig over and above that come to three and a quarter Laubthaler, or 5 rh 6 gr 6 per Courant, whereas by contrast I can pay the bookbinder’s invoice here and will thus keep it myself.
It is extremely urgent to make arrangements for the Niethammers as soon as possible. [6]
Let me yet request that you query Madam Unzelmann in the matter of the labor cost for the cap and to repay her for it, [7] and also to send along or give to Madam Grattenauer 1 1/2 rh along with the enclosures. [8] Both of these items can then be substracted from the invoice from the master mason Sümeln. [9]
[Probably part of this letter:]
As far as Cecile is concerned, please read the enclosed page from Julchen, to which I would merely add: [10] “the opportunity with Manso will probably be drawn out into the second half of the summer; [11] for the time between now and the end of the summer, they kindly ask that you ask Madam Tieck whether she might be able to take Cecilie in with her — but that you make arrangements for her with Madam Rehkopf [12] and settle things in advance with the latter for the autumn itself, or in any event for the coming spring.” [Boarding costs.]
You will no doubt have the opportunity to have a look at the painters and determine which one is best suited to offer her guidance. [13]
Notes
[*] Caroline does not realize that Wilhelm, who had accompanied her and Schelling from Berlin to Leipzig and then gone on to Dresden, was no longer in Dresden and had been back in Berlin since 13 June 1802. See the timeline in Wilhelm’s letter to Caroline on 17 May 1802 (letter 359). Back.
[1] Gotthard Martinengo had become involved in arranging the monument for Auguste.
In her letter to Wilhelm on 15 February 1802 (letter 347), Caroline mentioned that she had still received no answer from Martinengo. See Adalbert Friedrich Marcus’s letter to Caroline on 10 December 1801 (letter 335b), note 5. The implication here is that Caroline had in the meantime received a response from Martinengo and had passed it along for Wilhelm to answer, who had not yet done so, hence her testy tone of voice. Back.
[2] In her letter to Julie Gotter on 15 June 1802 (letter 363), Caroline mentions that Cäcilie Gotter would probably have to wait a bit before going to Dresden to continue her training in portraiture (Rudolf Koch and Fritz Kredel, Deutschland und angrenzende Gebiete [Leipzig 1937]):
The family of Ludwig Tieck was currently residing in Dresden, and Caroline had been worried that they may be leaving for Giebichenstein for the summer (see that same letter to Julie Gotter), which would complicate her, Caroline’s, plans to have them help place Cäcilie (see below).
Concerning Cäcilie’s prospects for training, see Caroline’s letter to Luise Gotter in March 1802 (letter 355), note 6, also the cross reference there to Caroline’s letter to Wilhelm Gottlieb Becker in Dresden back on 21 January 1802 (letter 342a). See esp. the pertinent section in Julie Gotter’s letter to Cäcilie on 14 December 1801 (letter 335d.1). Back.
[3] Concerning the identity and Wilhelm’s use of these materials , see his letter to Bertuch on 12 April 1799 (letter 230b), note 1.
Concerning his use of them specifically in his coming anthology Blumensträusse italiänischer, spanischer und portugiesischer Poesie (Berlin 1804) and his Berlin lectures, see also Caroline’s letter to Wilhelm on 17 May 1802 (letter 358), note 4. Wilhelm had obviously taken some of these materials with him to Berlin, and Bertuch may have been asking for them back. Back.
[4] Erich Schmidt did not include in his edition the text for the next three paragraphs. The omitted text reads as follows in the manuscript (Digitale Edition der Korrespondenz August Wilhelm Schlegels; line breaks as in original; transcription by the translator and Hedwig T. Durnbaugh):
Ich lege auch die Rechnung von dem
Thun in Frankfurt bey, da sie von
Berlin aus bezahlt werden muß.
Drey Carolin für den Thun nach Berlin
machen 33 fl. Die 8 fl 30 Pfennig
welche darüber sind, betragen
drey und ein Vierthel Laubthaler oder
5 rthl 6 gr 6 d[en] Courant, wogegen ich
hier die Rechnung das Buchbinders
berichtigen kann und [above line: sie] deswegen
zurück behalte.
Wegen Niethammers ist es sehr
dringend sogleich eine Veranstaltung
zu treffen.
Noch bitte ich Mad. Unzelmann wegen
des Macherlohns für die Mütze zu befragen
und ihr dasselbe zu erstatten, so
wie Mad. Grattenauer 1 1/2 rthl nebst
der Einlagen zu überschicken oder zu geben.
Dieses [above line: beides] kann dann von der Rechnung
des Mauermeisters Sümelns abgezogen
werden. Back.
[5] Herr Thun is presumably a Frankfurt merchant. Back.
[6] Wilhelm and Caroline seem to have owed the Niethammers, their former landlords, outstanding rent interest (see Schelling’s letter to Wilhelm on 30 July 1802 [letter 368b]).
Caroline mentions in her letter to Wilhelm on on 21 June 1802 (letter 367) that she has paid half of this sum back, then on 5 July 1802 (letter 368) that she has paid it in full. Back in her letter to Wilhelm on 20 July 1801 (letter 326), Caroline had mentioned that they still owed the Niethammers almost 50 rh. Back.
[7] Uncertain allusion, though Caroline has earlier requested that Wilhelm have Friederike Unzelmann take care of such requests (Almanach, Der neuesten Moden [Vienna 1795]):
It may be noted that Caroline had dinner with Friederike Unzelmann on 16 or 17 May 1802 in Berlin (see her letter to Julie Gotter on 15 June 1802 [letter 363]). Back.
[8] Caroline had stayed at the residence of Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Grattenauer and his wife at Lindenstrasse 66 during her stay in Berlin. Back.
Masters in guilds (first illustration: masons) generally took care of apprentices and other assistants and were often involved in larger construction projects (second illustration) (“Der Maurer,” from Christoff Weigel, Abbildung Der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände Von denen Regenten Und ihren So in Friedens- als Kriegs-Zeiten zugeordneten Bedienten an biß auf alle Künstler und Handwercker nach Jedes Ambts- und Beruffs-Verrichtungen meist nach dem Leben gezeichnet und in Kupfer gebracht etc. [Regenspurg 1698], illustration following p. 414; second illustration by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, “Arbeit an einem Bau von Maurern, Handlangern, Zimmerleuten und Steinmetzen,” from the (Kupfersammlung zu J[ohann] B[ernhard] Basedows Elementarwerke für die Jugend und ihre Freunde: Erste Lieferung in 53 Tafeln. Zweyte Lieferung in 47 Tafeln von L bis XCVI [Leipzig, Dessau, Berlin 1774], plate XXI):
[10] I.e., Caroline is adding a passage (in quotes) to the page from Julie Gotter, which in its own turn was meant either for Wilhelm himself or for him to pass along to someone in Dresden. Back.
[11] Uncertain allusion; Manso was in any case in Breslau. Perhaps Cäcilie Gotter was involved in some project or other with him during the summer of 1802. Back.
[12] Unidentified; possibly Christiane Brigitte Rehkopf, widow of a former high consistory councilor and church superintendent in Dresden. Caroline mentions her earlier in this same capacity in her letter to Julie Gotter on 24 April 1802 (letter 357). Back.
[13] Again, Caroline is incorrectly assuming that Wilhelm is still in Dresden. Back.
Translation © 2016 Doug Stott