Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/130

 124 Heine's "Buck Le Grand" 'Nordsee' he thinks like a true Hegelian, after the manner of Cans, Moser and Varnhagen. Viewed in the light of his later develop- ment, however, this pose bears the character of an isolated, con- sciously worked out experiment. Could this pose be sustained indefinitely? 'Das Buch Le Grand' follows right upon the heels of the 'Nordsee' with the answer. The chapter on 'die Verniinftigen' and 'die Narren' is a half serious, half humorous commentary on this experiment a com- mentary that only the author and possibly a few intimate friends could fully understand. For who knew better than Heine himself that in his inmost being he possessed anything but the philosophical calm of media- tion? Who was better aware than he of that impetuous tempera- ment which swept him off his feet in ever repeated bursts of en- thusiasm? He longed to "lash the fiery horses of Time to a faster gallop" (III, 137). He felt inspired by Plutarch's Lives, as he tells us, to throw the book away and "jump into a fast mail coach, so as to reach the summit of greatness in a hurry" (III, 405). The idea of his ever becoming another philosopher of watchful waiting was clearly preposterous. Now we can fully understand the suppressed tittering of his new associates. We understand also his half serious, half mocking lamentations about his unrequited passion for 'Vernunft.' Heine knows that his new associates cannot and will not take him serious- ly, and he feels that they are right; that the calm, dispassionate attitude, with which they await the unfolding of Reason in human society is 'verniinftig,' while his own attitude of impatience, his longing for a spectacular revolution is 'narrisch.' Tho reason, the 'idea/ emancipation, is his chosen lady, he supports her cause very clumsily. Altho, as a free lance, he is devoted to her service, his sanguine enthusiasm thwarts the strategic plans of her authorized standard-bearers. So he feels the torment of realizing that even tho he loves reason passionately, he can only compro- mise her. His reflective self worships her, but his active self, even when trying to spite the fools, is always promoting one of a thousand possible follies. However, not for a moment does Heine leave the reader under the impression that he is taking his unrequited passion for 'die Vernunft' too tragically. Why should he, since his own folly is