390a. Andreas Röschlaub to Schelling in Würzburg: Landshut, 2 February 1805 [*]
Landshut, 2 February 1805
Without waiting for an answer to the letter I sent you a week ago, my beloved friend, [1] . . . I am already writing you again. Why? — You should not, I think, remain unaware any longer of the following.
(A) Professor Zimmer here, who has been enthusiastically presenting and defending your system, received a decree prohibiting publication of volume 3 of his theological handbook till the new printing, to wit, because in it he vehemently spoke out against Weiller’s assertions, albeit without mentioning Weiller by name. [2]
(B) Professor Weber, now in Dillingen, rector of the lyceum there, who has been a zealous supporter of your system both here and in Dillingen, received a directive from the school administration in Munich (which also issued the complaint against Zimmer) no longer to lecture on philosophy, but only on the history of philosophical systems.
Do you understand what is at work here? Do you indeed? Indeed, only too well! — and I as well. — But, friend, please recall what I said and wrote to you years ago but which you did not want to believe. You will now find that I disclosed for you much that is true. [3] . . .
Notes
[*] Source: Fuhrmans 1:322–23.
A brief but trenchant attestation of Schelling’s increasingly precarious situation in Bavaria. Röschlaub still had a teaching position in Landshut (Neueste Post. Karte von Deutschland und den angrenzenden Laendern, ed. T. Molls [Vienna 1805]:
[1] On 26 January 1805 (letter 389b). Back.
[2] Theologia christiana specialis et theoretica 3: De deo pro nobis sive quid deus pro homine sit (Landshut 1804), in which Zimmer gives Schelling an explicitly favorable presentation. After the publication of part 4 (Landshut 1806), his adversaries in Munich managed to effect his dismissal as a professor of dogmatics. Although he managed to get reinstated, he was allowed to lecture only on secondary theological areas (such as archaeology), and Kajetan Weiller allegedly managed to effect his complete dismissal at the end of 1806 (Fuhrmans 1:322–23fn53). Back.
[3] Uncertain allusion, though see Röschlaub’s letter to Schelling on 2 January 1804 (letter 381h). Back.
Translation © 2017 Doug Stott