Page:The Works of J. W. von Goethe, Volume 12.djvu/9

 Letters from Switzerland

, a few years ago, the copies of the following letters were first made known to us, it was asserted that they had been found among Werther's papers; and it was pretended, that, before his acquaintance with Charlotte, he had been in Switzerland. We have never seen the originals: however, we would not on any account anticipate the judgment and feelings of our readers; for, whatever may be their true history, it is impossible to read them without sympathy.

 PART THE FIRST.

How do all my descriptions disgust me, when I read them over! Nothing but your advice, your command, your injunction, could have induced me to attempt anything of the kind. How many descriptions, too, of these scenes, had I not read before I saw them! Did these, then, afford me an image of them, or, at best, but a mere vague notion? In vain did my imagination attempt to bring the objects before it: in vain did my mind try to revolve from them some thoughts. Here I now stand contemplating these wonders; and what are my feelings in the midst of them! I can think of nothing, I can feel nothing;  3