Of Tübingen that saw its scrupulous despot Yé that in distant lands have heard this fame, Green goggles and strong boóts; and when ye come, Beside the Rathhaus in the Market Place, Whose breakneck stairs and in-swagged floors still show, Beneath the last two cénturies' dirt, the footmarks Of Crúsius' scholars crowding, after lecture, To eát, drink, ránt, and break more heads than Priscian's; I think, without offence at Uhland's door And should some chance throw Fichte's son across ye, Why sons of wise men are so often wise; And Táfel 's at your service, should ye neéd aught, I staid ten days - too long then northwest turned Th' outside of Úhland's door, and Tübingen. Walking from CALW to LIEBENZELL (WÜRTTEMBERG), Nov. 3, 1855, "IN the name of Gód we bind thee to this stake, Who have no milk of kindness in their breasts." Such words heard Húss and Latimer and Ridley, And such words, reader, thou shouldst hear tomorrow, The dominant creéd, and were that creed less safe, A trifle léss safe, less securely seized Of its hónors, pówers, immúnities, and wealth. Walking from LIEBENZELL (WÜRTTEMBERG) to LANGENSTEINBACH near CARLSRUHE, Nov. 4, 1855. CASSANDRA. "UNGRATEFUL," said Phoebus, "That scórnest, repéllest, Th' embrace of Apóllo, Be it só I'm contént But thou go'st not unpúnished, "Disdainful, begóne! Proud mórtal, thou 'rt doómed." CARLSRUHE, Dec. 12, 1855. "WHAT 's the reáson, Prométheus," once said Epimétheus As he put his hand tó to assist the man- máker, "That when into wáter I thrów these two soúls here The little one sinks while the big one goes floating?" "I've just given the big one a doúble propórtion Of vanity's light, airy gás," said Prométheus; "Specífical lightness, you knów, makes things float." "Yes, I know to be súre, Prom," repliéd Epimétheus, "But máy I ask why you have given to the two souls This same airy gás in so different propórtions?" "The big one's a great man's soul," answered Prométheus, "The little one belongs to an évery day chúrl.” "Is the gás good or bád, minus, plús, or indifferent? "Bad; and júst because bád, given in double proportion To the great soul to bring it down to the juste milieu." "Why make the soul greát, first, and then fine it down? Were 't not simpler to make it juste mílieu at ónce?” "Can't always be dóne, Ep; the wheel turns out sometimes, In spite of my best care, one greáter one meáner; And I'm forced, that I máyn't have stepchildren and children, To take off or ádd, patch with mínus or plús. Now for minus I find nothing handier and patter, And that easier amálgamates with the perfections, Than this weightless, elástic, intangible gás, Which possésses moreover the singular virtue That, no matter how múch I pump in, no one ever Cries "stóp!" or complains that I 've given him too múch; A more finished, more faúltless, more élegant creáture; And my wheel 's at a stánd, or we 're in insurréction." "Thou shalt not have one oúnce - what a world we 'd have of it O INSCRÚTABLE jústice and mérey and wisdom! Unabashed in thy fáce looks the apple, the sinner; The innocent peár droops its head, bears the sháme. CARLSRUHE, Dec. 28, 1855. |