Wilhelm Meister's: Apprenticeship and TravelsCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 1894 - 222 pages Wilhelm Meister's: Apprenticeship and Travels by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (German: Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre) is the second novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, published in 1795-96. The eponymous hero undergoes a journey of self-realization. The story centers upon Wilhelm's attempt to escape what he views as the empty life of a bourgeois businessman. After a failed romance with the theater, Wilhelm commits himself to the mysterious Tower Society. These two translations, "Meister's Apprenticeship" and "Meister's Travels," have long been out of print, but never altogether out of demand; nay, it would seem, the originally somewhat moderate demand has gone on increasing, and continues to increase. They are, therefore, here republished; and the one being in some sort a sequel to the other, though in rather unexpected sort, they are now printed together. The English version of "Meister's Travels" has been extracted, or extricated, from a compilation of very various quality named "German Romance," and placed by the side of the "Apprenticeship," its forerunner, which, in the translated as in the original state, appeared hitherto as a separate work. |
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Common terms and phrases
Abbé acquainted already altogether answered Jarno answered Wilhelm appeared asked Bailiff beautiful cheerful child circumstances confess cried Wilhelm dear delight door endeavour everything eyes fair father favour feel Felix felt Frau Friedrich give hand happy hastened heard heart Heavenly creature Herrnhut Hersilia Hilaria hope inquired Julia knew lady Laertes laudanum leave Lenardo letter living look Lothario Lucidor Lucinda Lydia Mariana marriage means Mignon mind Montan mother Natalia nature never night noble Nut-brown Maid observed once passed perplexity person present quired recognised recollect replied rest reverence round scarcely secret seemed silent singular smile song soon sort speak spirit standing stept stood strange stranger tell thee Theresa things thou thought tion took turned Valerina walk wandering whole WILHELM MEISTER'S APPRENTICESHIP wish words young younker youth
Popular passages
Page 70 - Dignified yet singular gestures of salutation I have noticed ; the import of which I would gladly learn : with you, doubtless, the exterior has a reference to the interior, and inversely : let me know what this reference is.
Page 128 - As all Nature's thousand changes But one changeless God proclaim, So in Art's wide kingdoms ranges One sole meaning, still the same : This is Truth, eternal Reason, Which from Beauty takes its dress, And, serene through time and season, Stands for aye in loveliness.
Page 205 - Then wake so glad, to scene so kind; In earthly robes no longer drest, This band, this girdle left behind. And those calm shining sons of morn They ask not who is maid or boy; No robes, no garments there are worn, Our body pure from sin's alloy.
Page 76 - To have done this, as you require it, would have been an error. The life of that divine Man, whom you allude to, stands in no connection with the general history of the world in his time. It was a private life ; his teaching was a teaching for individuals. What has publicly befallen vast masses of people, and the minor parts which compose them, belongs to the general history of the world, to the general religion of the world ; the religion we have named the First. What inwardly befalls individuals,...
Page 76 - ... with the general history of the world in his time. It was a private life; his teaching was a teaching for individuals. What has publicly befallen vast masses of people, and the minor parts which compose them, belongs to the general history of the world, to the general religion of the world ; the religion we have named the first. What inwardly befalls individuals, belongs to the second religion, the Philosophical: such a religion was it that Christ taught and practised, so long as he went about...
Page 73 - To all the three," replied they: " for in their union they produce what may properly be called the true religion. Out of those Three Reverences springs the highest reverence, reverence for oneself, and those again unfold themselves from this ; so that man attains the highest elevation of which he is capable, that of being justified in reckoning himself the Best that God and Nature have produced : nay, of being able to continue on this lofty eminence, without being again by self-conceit and presumption...
Page 144 - RESPECTED gentlemen ! Being aware that preliminary speeches and introductions are not much to your taste, I shall without farther talk assure you, that in the present instance, I hope to fulfil your commission moderately well. From me has many a true history gone forth already, to the high and universal satisfaction of hearers: but, to-day I may assert, that I have one to tell, which far surpasses the former; and which, though it happened to me several years ago, still disquiets me in recollecting...
Page 75 - ... and when all this would not serve, in obstinate toughness, it has no match. It is the most perseverant nation in the world : it is, it was, and it will be; to glorify the name of Jehovah, through all ages. We have set it up, therefore, as the pattern figure; as the main figure, to which the others only serve as a frame.
Page 185 - ... to make all things possible; but when his education has proceeded to a certain pitch, it is advantageous for him that he learn to lose himself among a mass of men, that he learn to live for the sake of others, and to forget himself in an activity prescribed by duty. It is then that he first becomes acquainted with himself; for it is conduct alone that compares us with others._jYou shall soon see what a curious little world is at your very hand, and how well you are known in it. To-morrow morning...
Page 78 - In this manner is he wont, from youth upwards, to astound his familiar friends ; of these he gains a part to his own cause; irritates the rest against him; and shows to all men, who are aiming at a certain elevation in doctrine and life, what they have to look for from the world. And thus, for the noble portion of mankind, his walk and conversation are even more instructive and profitable than his death: for to those trials every one is called, to this trial but a few. Now, omitting all that results...