371e. Schelling to Goethe in Weimar: Jena, 10 October 1802 [*]
Jena, 10 October 1802
Yesterday [1] a letter arrived from Schlegel along with the enclosed letter to him from Schütz. [2] I am sending it along to you with Schlegel’s permission in order, as he puts it, to persuade you of the limitless vileness of this person.
You will easily discern the exceeding confidence he has in the esteemed ducal territorial government, and how this disgracefulness will know no end if such be not imposed by the public justice summoned forth by such intentional dissemination of pasquinades, even without any official complaint on the part of the injured party.
__________
Many thanks for the parcel yesterday! [3] I wonder whether in order to assure the desired effect one might explicate, in a supplementary supplicat to the original, the impossibility of appearing, which in its own turn derives from what are generally known circumstances. [4] . . .
Notes
[*] Sources: Goethe und die Romantik 1:227; Fuhrmans 2:454–55. Back.
[1] Correct: the day before yesterday, 8 October 1802; see Schelling’s letter to Wilhelm Schlegel on 8 October 1802 (letter 371c). Back.
[2] Wilhelm’s letter seems no longer to be extant; otherwise the reference is to Christian Gottfried Schütz’s letter to Wilhelm on 24 September 1802 (letter 369k). Back.
[3] Goethe’s letter to Schelling of 9 October 1802 (letter 371d), which included Wilhelm and Caroline’s petition to Duke Karl August to be granted a divorce (letter/document 371). Back.
[4] I.e., the necessity of appearing personally before the Weimar consistory in the matter of the divorce; see Goethe’s letter to Schelling on 9 October 1802 (letter 371d), note 3. Back.
Translation © 2016 Doug Stott