accession of property through her wedded estate, was to give away all she thought superfluous to a poor family she had long pitied, and to invite a poor sick woman to her “spare chamber.”  Notwithstanding a course like this, her husband has grown rich, and proves that the pattern of the widow’s cruse was not lost in Jewry.

    ’Edith has become the Natalia of the village, as is Melissa
    its “Schoene Seele."’

* * * * *

’Dec., 22, 1840.—­“Community” seems dwindling to a point, and I fancy the best use of the plan, as projected thus far, will prove the good talks it has caused here, upon principles.  I feel and find great want of wisdom in myself and the others.  We are not ripe to reconstruct society yet.  O Christopher Columbus! how art thou to be admired, when we see how other men go to work with their lesser enterprises! ——­ knows deepest what he wants, but not well how to get it. ——­ has a better perception of means, and less insight as to principles; but this movement has done him a world of good.  All should say, however, that they consider this plan as a mere experiment, and are willing to fail.  I tell them that they are not ready till they can say that. ——­ says he can bear to be treated unjustly by all concerned,—­which is much.  He is too sanguine, as it appears to me, but his aim is worthy, and, with his courage and clear intellect, his experiment will not, at least to him, be a failure.’

* * * * *

’Feb. 19, 1841.—­Have I never yet seen so much as one of my spiritual family?  The other night they sat round me, so many who have thought they loved, or who begin to love me.  I felt myself kindling the same fire in all their souls.  I looked on each, and no eye repelled me.  Yet there was no warmth for me on all those altars.  Their natures seemed deep, yet there was ’not one from which I could draw the living fountain.  I could only cheat the hour with them, prize, admire, and pity.  It was sad; yet who would have seen sadness in me? * *

’Once I was almost all intellect; now I am almost all feeling.  Nature vindicates her rights, and I feel all Italy glowing beneath the Saxon crust.  This cannot last long; I shall burn to ashes if all this smoulders here much longer.  I must die if I do not burst forth in genius or heroism.

’I meant to have translated the best passages of “Die Gunderode,”—­which I prefer to Bettine’s correspondence with Goethe.  The two girls are equal natures, and both in earnest.  Goethe made a puppet-show, for his private entertainment, of Bettine’s life, and we wonder she did not feel he was not worthy of her homage.  Gunderode is to me dear and admirable, Bettine only interesting.  Gunderode is of religious grace, Bettine the fulness of instinctive impulse; Gunderode is the ideal, Bettine nature; Gunderode throws