Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ... early rejection of historical Christianity. In both his early and his middle life this rejection was, in its extent, not unlike the unbelief of the rationalists who were so numerous in his time; yet he was not altogether a man of their school. They did not like his poetry; and he did not like their cold, prosaic teaching. There are three facts that may be easily established on evidences supplied by his own writings: --He rejected the central tenet of Christianity; he found for himself and others like himself, but "not for all men "--this he expressly tells us--that moral and assthetic culture might serve partly as a substitute for religion; lastly, in the time of his old age, he entertained feelings of veneration for the leading ideas--even for the mysteries--of the Christian faith. The evidences on which these assertions rest may here be briefly noticed. There is found in Goethe's correspondence one letter especially remarkable as containing a distinct and emphatic declaration that he rejects the truth--the central tenet--of the Christian religion. He gives not a syllable of reasoning to justify his unbelief, but asserts it as an axiom. Thus he gives, in few words, the main result of all the rationalism so popular in his time. He was a great man; but when writing this declaration he was in fact making himself an echo of the vulgar rationalism he had learned from Basedow (pp. 59, 115) and his disciples. The tone of the letter--addressed, by-the-by, to a faithful old friend--is altogether wrong, and would be so, even were the subject one not demanding any especial reverence. A man's faith--whatever it be, if but earnest--ought never to be thus rudely contradicted. The letter referred to was addressed to Lavater as a reply to an assertion...
