369i. Schelling to Wilhelm Schlegel in Berlin: Jena, 20 September 1802 [*]
Jena, 20 September 1802
In the meantime, I have tried to get another copy of the Würzburg pasquinade, but in vain. It does, however (as far as I know), contain nothing that makes any reference to the matter in question apart from the passage excerpted in the Literatur-Zeitung.
I am now hoping, commensurate with the promise in your last letter, [1] to receive your own declaration soon. [2] That of Marcus has already arrived; he intends to go further and also query the physician in Kissingen in the matter. I am expecting Röschlaub’s declaration any day now. [3]
I will relate the further decisions to you soon. I am hoping to see Goethe in the next few days and, if necessary, to make arrangements with him. [4]
Friedrich Tieck is just now with us, the first time this summer. [5] His work has apparently met with the satisfaction of everyone. The theater in Weimar will reopen at the end of this week. [6] Tieck maintains that the duke has banned Alarcos, Ion, and Die Brüder, and is allegedly no less crazy in other respects as well. [7]
On the next postal day, I will also be in a position to give you more specific information in the other matter, [8] and in the meantime send my warm regards.
Schelling
Notes
[*] Sources: Plitt 1:399–400; Fuhrmans 2:439. Back.
[1] One of Wilhelm’s letters seems to be missing. Back.
[2] Wilhelm had written it on 18 September 1802: To the Public. Rebuke of a Defamation of Honor Perpetrated in the Allgemeine Literatur-Zeitung (Tübingen 1802) (letter/document 371b). Back.
[3] These two affidavits are incorporated into Wilhelm’s publication mentioned above. Back.
[4] Schelling saw Goethe on 22 September 1802 in Weimar; Schelling mentions the visit to Wilhelm in his letter to him on 24 September 1802 (letter 369i). Back.
[5] Friedrich Tieck had been working on commissions in connection with the bas-reliefs in the Weimar castle. He had been back in Weimar from Berlin since 12 June 1802; concerning the chronology of his last visit to Caroline in June, see Caroline’s letter to Julie Gotter on 15 June 1802 (letter 363), note 4. Back.
[6] The theater in Weimar reopened for the fall and winter season on Saturday, 25 September 1802 (not 25 October as in Fuhrmans 2:439fn5; see Das Repertoire des Weimarischen Theaters 45). Back.
[7] Friedrich Schlegel’s Alarcos (Berlin 1802), Wilhelm’s Ion (Hamburg 1803) ; Friedrich Hildebrand von Einsiedel’s Die Brüder. Ein Lustspiel nach Terenz in fünf AktenAdelphi by Terence.
Concerning the previous performances of these plays in Weimar and Lauchstädt, see Caroline’s letter to Sophie Bernhardi in late May, early June 1802 (letter 361), as well as (concerning the scandals they caused) the supplementary appendices on the reactions to Alarcos and reactions and issues concerning Ion. Back.
[8] Caroline’s and Wilhelm’s divorce; see Schelling’s letter to Goethe on 17 September 1802 (letter 369f), note 4. Schelling and Goethe had just exchanged letters about meeting to discuss the matter; Goethe had responded to Schelling’s letter of 17 September on 18 September (letter 369g). Back.
Translation © 2016 Doug Stott