Page:Novalis Schriften - Volume 2.djvu/171

★ 161 ★ in short, so complete a human being as possible. No person has more means in his hands to make this highest style of humanity his own than a king. He can always keep himself young through interaction and continuous learning. An old king makes a state as miserable as he is himself. Couldn't it be easy for the king to make himself familiar with the scientific advances of humanity. He already has academies of learning. If he were no to demand from these complete, accurate and precise reports on the previous and present situation of literature in general—timely reports on the most noteworthy incidents in particular, which the people should be interested in—summaries from the most pre-eminent books and the commentaries on them, references for those products of fine art works that earn their own consideration and enjoyment; and finally, suggestions for the promotion of the scientific literacy of the people, to fill scientific gaps and cultivate new literary seeds. And, if at all possible, get their interconnections organized, so he would set the state in working order, his state amongst other states, his nation within humanity and his own to oversee on a grand scale, and here, in fact, to cultivate himself a royal human being. Relieved of the trouble of extensive reading, let him enjoy abstracts from the fruits of European learning. After a short time of diligent contemplation upon this learned and inspiring material, he would call forth new, mighty powers from his spirit and seem himself as more pure element at the summit of the era. How divinatory II  II