Page:The Works of J. W. von Goethe, Volume 5.djvu/153

Rh nection with him, when they had learned that he was tormented by narrow domestic circumstances, but nevertheless understood how to maintain this beautiful and lofty mode of thought. With the great influence of President von Moser, it would have been easy to provide a tolerable and convenient existence for such a frugal man. The matter was set on foot; nay, so good an understanding and mutual approval was attained, that Hamann undertook the long journey from Königsberg to Darmstadt. But, as the president happened to be absent, that odd man, no one knows on what account, returned at once; though a friendly correspondence was kept up. I still possess two letters from the Köngisberger to his patron, which bear testimony to the wondrous greatness and sincerity of their author.

But so good an understanding was not to last long. These pious men had thought the other one pious in their own fashion: they had treated him with reverence as the "Magus of the North," and thought that he would continue to exhibit himself with a reverend demeanour. But already in the "Clouds," an after-piece of "Socratic Memorabilia," he had given some offence; and when he now published the "Crusades of a Philologist,"—on the title-page of which was to be seen, not only the goat-profile of a horned Pan, but also, on one of the first pages, a large cock, cut in wood, and setting time to some young cockerels, who stood before him with notes in their claws, made an exceedingly ridiculous appearance, by which certain church music, of which the author did not approve, was to be made a laughing-stock,—there rose among well minded and sensitive people a dissatisfaction, which was exhibited to the author, who, not being edified by it, shunned a closer connection. Our interest in this man was, however, always kept alive by Herder, who, remaining in correspondence with us and his betrothed, communi-