as did Thoreau.  The man who could write, “Socrates and Jesus were patterns to me” lived a correct life in its essentials.  His asceticism, his unselfishness, the sympathy which he continually showed for others, his unworldliness,—­what else is this but the gist of New Testament teaching?  Like a tree nourished on alien soil, which yet produces fairer and better fruit than the native ones, and becomes the parent of a new variety, this man achieved his high development of character by being a law unto himself like the anchorites of old.

CHAPTER XIV

NINTH SYMPHONY

We stand to-day before the Beethovenian Symphony as before the
landmark of an entirely new period in the history of universal art,
for through it there came into the world a phenomenon not even
remotely approached by anything the art of any age or any people
has to show us. 

          
                                                                                                          —­WAGNER.

During the period of his work on the Mass, and for some time before, Beethoven’s thoughts were occupied more or less with that stupendous work, the Ninth Symphony, sketches for which began to appear already in 1813, shortly after his meeting with Goethe.  That Beethoven looked up to Goethe ever after as to a spiritual mentor, studying his works, absorbing his thought, is plain.  In projecting this symphony he may very well have designed it as a counterpart to Faust, as has been suggested.  Actually begun in 1817, it had to be laid aside before much had been accomplished on it, in favor of the Mass in D. This gave him plenty of time to mature his conception of the work; and this ripening process, covering a period of ten years from its first inception, was one of the factors which helped him achieve his wondrous result.  His work on the Mass was a good preparation for the psychological problems expounded in the Symphony.

Here is a work so interwoven into Beethoven’s very life and spirit, that the mention of his name at once calls to mind the Ninth Symphony.  It is the work of the seer approaching the end of his life-drama, giving with photographic clearness a resume of it.  Here are revelations of the inner nature of a man who had delved deeply into the mysteries surrounding life, learning this lesson in its fullest significance, that no great spiritual height is ever attained without renunciation.  The world must be left behind.  Asking and getting but little from it, giving it of his best, counting as nothing its material advantages, realizing always that contact with it had for him but little joy, the separation from it was nevertheless a hard task.  This mystery constantly confronted Beethoven, that, even when obeying the finer behests of his nature, peace was not readily attained thereby; often there was instead, an accession of unhappiness for the time being.  Paradoxically peace was made the occasion for a struggle; it had to be wrested from life.  No victory is such unless well fought for and dearly bought.