The present translation is made from the edition of Tieck and Schlegel.The life of the author is chiefly drawn from the one written by theformer. The completion of the second part is also by the same writer.
Richter said, in a prophetic feeling of the fate of his ownworks, thattranslators were like wagoners who carry good wine to fairs--but mostunaccountably water it before the end of the journey. Which allusionand semi-confession is meant to take the place of the usual apology;and the reader can proceed without farther preface.
Cambridge, June, 1842.
Page xvi, line tenth from bottom, for tion. He read tion,he
Page 22, line ninth from top, for work read woke
Page 66, first word of the poetry, for Though read Through
Probably some of the readers of this volume will feel aninterest inthe author's life. Although there are but few works, in which the mindof the author is more clearly and purely reflected than in this; yet itis natural that the reader should feel some interest in the outwardcircumstances of one, who has become dear to him; and those friends ofNovalis, who have never known him personally, will be glad to hear allthat we can bring to light concerning him.
The Baron of Hardenberg, the father of the author, wasdirector of theSaxonian salt works. He had been a soldier in his younger days, andretained even in his old age a predilection for a military life. He wasa robust, ever active man, frank and energetic;--a pure German. Thepious character of his mind led him to join the Moravian community; yethe remained frank, decided, and upright. His mother, a type of elevatedpiety and Christian meekness, belonged to the same religious community.She bore with lofty resignation the loss, within a few successiveyears, of a blooming circle of hopeful and well educated children.
Friedrich von Hardenberg (Novalis) was born on the second ofMay, inthe year 1772, on a family estate in the county of Mansfield. He wasthe oldest of eleven children, with the exception of a sister who wasborn a year earlier. The family consisted of seven sons and fourdaughters, all distinguished for their wit and the lofty tone of theirminds. Each possessed a peculiar disposition, while all were united bya beautiful and generous affection to each other and to their parents.Friedrich von Hardenberg was weak in constitution from his earliestchildhood, without, however, suffering from any settled or dangerousdisease. He was somewhat of a day-dreamer, silent and of an inactivedisposition. He separated himself from the society of his playmates;but his character was distinguished from that of other children, onlyby the ardor of his love for his master. He found his companions in hisown family. His spirit seemed to be wakened from its slumber, by asevere disease in his ninth year, and by the stimulants applied for hisrecovery; and he suddenly appeared brighter, merrier, and more active.His father, who was obliged by his business to be much of his time awayfrom home, entrusted his ed