Page:The Works of J. W. von Goethe, Volume 5.djvu/52

38 Doctor Goldsmith, has, without question, great insight into the moral world, into its strength and its infirmities; but at the same time he can thankfully acknowledge that he is an Englishman, and reckon highly the advantages which his country and his nation afford him. The family, with the delineation of which he occupies himself, stands upon one of the last steps of citizen comfort, and yet comes in contact with the highest; its narrow circle, which becomes still more contracted, touches upon the great world through the natural and civil course of things; this little skiff floats on the agitated waves of English life, and in weal and woe has to expect injury or help from the vast fleet sailing around it.

I may suppose that my readers know this work, and have it in recollection; whoever hears it named for the first time here, as well as he who is induced to read it again, will thank me. For the former, I would merely make the cursory remark, that the vicar's wife is of that good, busy sort, who allows herself and her own to want for nothing, but who is also somewhat vain of herself and her own. There are two daughters, — Olivia, handsome, and more devoted to the external: and Sophia, charming and more given to the internal: nor will I omit to mention an industrious son, Moses, who is somewhat blunt, and emulous of his father.

If Herder could be accused of any fault in his reading aloud, it was impatience; he did not wait until the hearer had heard and comprehended a certain part of the progress, so as to be able to feel and think correctly about it: too hasty, he wanted to see effects at once; and yet he was displeased even with this when it manifested itself. He blamed the excess of feeling which overflowed from me more and more at every step. I felt like a man, like a young man: everything was living, true, and present before me. He, considering only the intrinsic contents and form, saw clearly,