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JEAN PAUL FRIEDRICH RICHTER

Hesperus

Jean Paul Friedrich Richter, who was born at Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, on March 21, 1763, and died on November 14, 1825, was the son of a poor but highly accomplished schoolmaster, who early in his career became a Lutheran pastor at Schwarzenbach, on the Saale.  Young Richter entered Leipzig University in 1780, specially to study theology, but became one of the most eccentric and erratic of students, a veritable literary gypsy, roaming over vast fields of literature, collating and noting immense stores of scientific, artistic, historic, and philosophic facts.  Driven to writing for subsistence, he only won a reputation by slow degrees, but so great at last was the esteem in which his countrymen held him that he is typically styled “Der Einzige” ("The Unique").  The turning point proved to be the issue of “The Invisible Lodge” ("Die Unsichtbare Loge”) in 1793, a romance founded on some of his academic experiences.  Then followed a brilliant series of works which have made Richter’s name famous.  Among these was “Hesperus,” published in 1794, which made him one of the most famous of German writers.  Fanciful and extravagant as the work is, and written without any regard to the laws of composition, it is nevertheless stamped with genius.  In all Richter’s stories the plot goes for nothing; it is on the thoughts that he strikes out by the way that his fame depends.

I.—­Friendship

“Victor,” said Flamin, to the young Englishman, “give me this night thy friendship for ever, and swear to me that thou wilt never disturb me in my love to thee.  Swear thou wilt never plunge me in misfortune and despair!”

The two friends were standing at midnight in the mild, sweet air of May, alone on the watch-tower of the little watering place of St. Luna.  It was their first meeting for eight years.  Flamin was the son of Chaplain Eymann, who had retired from the court of the Prince of Flachsenfingen; Victor was the heir of Lord Horion, a noble Englishman who lived at Flachsenfingen and directed all the affairs of the prince.  The two boys had been sent in their infancy to London and brought up together there for twelve years; then for six years they had lived with Chaplain Eymann at St. Luna, and Victor had naturally conceived a great affection for the old clergyman and a deep love for his son.  When, however, Victor was eighteen years of age, Lord Horion had sent him to Goettingen to study medicine, and he had remained at that university for eight years.  Everybody wondered why a great English nobleman should want to bring his son up as a physician; but Horion was a politician and his ways were dark and secret.  Neither Chaplain Eymann nor the wife of that worthy pastor ever understood why his lordship should have been so anxious that Flamin and Victor should be brought up together and united by the closest ties of friendship; but being good, simple souls, they accepted the favours showered upon their son without seeking to discover if there were any reason for them.  Eight years’ absence had not diminished Victor’s affection for them, but the young English nobleman was alarmed by the strange, wild passion which Flamin displayed as soon as they were alone together.