St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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ST JOHN S into English, but no translation can do him justice. To be appreciated they must be read in the original, where the full charm of the verse can appeal to the reader. Heine possessed the lyrical faculty COLLEGIAN also knew the outside world with itS foibles and insincerity. The pas- sionate predominated, and he gave fierce outcries to the emotions that stirred his ardent nature. He com bined the dual character of Faust H. 214. in an intense degree, and stands the foremost lyric poet of Germany. His lyrics are sweetly musical, but often marred by their ironical tone. His ballads are popular and his prose strong and vigorous. His later works, 'fGods in Exile, 'fAtta Troll and Romancero, reveal his true poetic stature. 'Here there is har- mony oflthe conflicting traits .that ruled his imagination. These are aesthetical, not ethical, and to be enjoyed must be approached with the mind fully prepared to bend to the rapid changes and brilliant transi- tions of his verse. True he mocks, lltughs, and derides, but he thrills us with forbidden pleasures. We quaff the sweetness of stolen waters. We are concerned with him as an individual. Only by studying his personality can we understand his dual nature, and account for his seeming eccentricities. Heine,s na- ture was emotional and passionate, which fired his fancy to give utterance to ideas and truths that the more composed and intellectually balanced Goethe did not feel. He did this at the expense of that sanity and unity which characterizes the earlier and greater poet. Besides this, he had a cool and calm faculty of judgment. .He was acquainted with the world of the spirit, purity and faith, but he and Mephistoles, and was unable to entirely disassociate the two. He de- lighted to unite the purest pathos with the most repulsive incidents, and to encircle low vulgarities with the most brilliant flashes of political fancy. a It would naturally be supposed that these opposite tendencies of his imagination would have neutralized each other, but this was not the case. And it is here that Heine's genius displays itself in rising above obsta- cles, that would ordinarily destroy, on the one hand, keen humor and a Bohemian caste of character, on the other, pure feeling and lofty aspira- tions. We sometimes see a minglingof lamentation and mockery, in which he confesses that his soul has been torn, and his li fe.-blasted, but on the whole his works are singularly free from allusions to himself-quite the opposite from what we should expect from one of his temperament,when we recall to mind the universe filled with the scoffs, sncers and fancied woes of Lord Byron. But here it must be borne in mind that Heine, although he sneered and satirized, was not a pessimist, and misanthropy did not cause him to lose 'faith in' mankind, but he only ridiculed that he might lead men to the consummation of his

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str Jonns COLLEGIAN T '-France was now- governed' by a nephew of the great Emperor, but like his ancestor he --was too fond of personal glory. He began .to look,-' about for some pretext to quarrel with Germany. This soon came through -the Spanish succession, and although every obstacle was removed that would rupture the peaceful relations of the two nations: Yetthe inso- lent demands of France soon brought on a declaration of warg -The strug- gle opened with the invasion of the southern states by France, but so rapidly did the German forces con+ centrate that .the French were driven across the Rhine in disorder. No longer did the Man of Destinyv lead the soldiers of France tostar the pages of rrorldls history with the glory' uf her arms. His splendid ar- mies seeizaed. weak and ineffectual . 1 1 . - Q 3 ' A . against the l'llYlllCllllt hosts Ger- nianyi She fought heroicallvi and cl.,-speruiely, but went -dowii in a sea of blood. flflren her l,'eaut.iful capi- tal was oecupied by the enemy, and amid the ruins of her ouxri gorern+ ment and the scenes ef her former glory, she was foreed to aeknou'ledge ' ' 'I l w 'fi u the forniation of tue :,icririau lgrnpire irith ihe King of llrussia as iirst il'illlPCl'Ol'. a ' r Thus after -1'eiLii'curies of deep hu- ..,. .- nnliarion and umenld snliering' Hier- inany at lust attained. the pogiiigu which rightfully l,ieligingerl to 1191- peeple. Marry contend that a nation depending alone upon her military power f'orexisie11c:e, as filciuriaiiy does, is not permanent. The old eX-Chan- cellor Bismarck, spealii gf fullness of his ripe experie ee, recently: That y any 'coupntryg p V had got past the point wlierefitj tg wage wars and fight battles, was deed to be pitiedg for its condi- must be like that of. Persia or China, a fossilized hopeless state, where prod? .gress was impossible, where .dissoluji tion was in'evitable,', and who will say that he was not right? ' ' p C. H-. Sz, ',96Q T W 'fl y l Hnrnnror-I HEINE. y The position of German literature is assured, she yields the palm for literary excellence to no I nation or people. The two great classic periods in her history produced iniperishable names, and shed lustre oyer the lit- erature of the World. There is a Ger- man Iliad, .the'Nibelungen-Lied, and a German Odyssy, the Grudrun-Lied. In the novel alone is' she decient, eyery other department she has mast- ered and enriched. She 'has con- tributed her share to the Worldis his- torians and philosophers,'men of pro- found and logical intellect, and the author of Faust is HOH16l',S greatest rival. ' .The positions of Heinrich Heine, among German poets is unique. Men ef such brilliant and somewhat er- ratic genius are rare, and Well repay a study of -the influences that mould- ed their career. Outside his native land, in France, Russia and Italy, the irorlfas of Heine are receiving more consideration than is' generally sup- posed. They have been translated

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215 's'r. Joiuixrs CQLLEGIAN. U ideal, a purely spiritual' state, where. the bickerings of the real world should beforgotten in peace, affec- tion.. and purity. However much he himself might bedisqualified from participating. inlthis Elysian bliss is not pertinent to the subject. Heine united in his character something of the demon with the nobility of a god, and it is not for us to condemn a nat- ural predfection which he seemed un- able to overcome. We should rather forget failings, and generously pour out our sympathy when we think of an ardent nature like his own blight- ed by .hopeless and unrequited love. The literary iniiuence of the mid- dle ages exerted itself upon Heine. His impressible naturelwas readily receptive to its charm, and it became a bountiful source of many -of his noblest efforts. He -matured in the Romantic school and became one of as inert faithful disciples. Hispmisa was stored with myths, legends and superstitious, and with artful skill he reproduced its subtle and pleasing effects. He was perhaps the highest ideal of the Romantic school, and his free, daring' fancy, luxuriant imagi- nation, suggestive humoii, and bi-ting irony, fulfilled the most exacting re- quirements of the critical Schlegees. In politics Heine was an 'uncom- promising Liberal, and desirous of a kingdom of intellectual joy. As a member of the Romantic school he had thoroughly grasped the spirit of medimval institutions, and he viewed the political problems of his day with the convictions of the past. Germany had been prosperous under .that with a restoration of their o the old order, and Heine government, would come a revital prosperity. But he was thorou hl impractical. The men who. were work the changehad never received political training, were ignorant of business, only acquainted with art and literature, and 'it is' nogsmallt wpnder thatthe scheme was a disas- trous failure. In his political view Heinewas true to his Jewish an try and their traditions. The pcm of the middle ages appealed strongly to him, and in his Hebrew inclina- tions may be found muchfthat iniiu- enced his entire life. Heine lived in an age of intellec- tual ferment, tossed on .the tempest- uous seas of controversy, sweptzalong by the current of life and action. German life was thrilled to its very 'center with higher spiritual ideals, nobler aspirations and generous sen- tirnents. Heine voiced' the popular ideas. This boisterous life was nec- essary to the development of his gen- ius. Had he retired to the cloister and cultivated a scepticism the world would perhaps have never heard of Heinrich Heine, the poet. This would have suited the calm nature of Goethe, but if Heine had been hap- pier and less human it is doubtful if he had sung. Perhaps the aims of his intense belief were not' accom- plished, perhaps those illusions that restlessly drove him onward have vanished, perhaps the German people were too sober, and too little imagi- native, to be other than- temporarily keyed up to that groping after im-