Main Currents in 19th Century Literature - 6. Young Germany

Main Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 6. Young Germany

"Si l'artiste ne se prcipite pas dans son oeuvre, comme Curtius dans le gouffre, comme le soldat dans la redoute, sans rflchir; et si, dans ce cratre, il ne travaille pas comme le mineur enfoui sous un boulement; s'il contemple les difficults au lieu de les vaincre une une, l'oeuvre reste inacheve, elle prit au fond de l'atelier, ou la production devient impossible, et l'artiste assiste au suicide de son talent"BALZAC. From the days of the Holy Alliance onward, the spirit of systematic reaction brooded over the German countriesa reaction which dated from the Congress of Vienna, and had its centre in Austria. Its most typical representative, Metternich, a pupil of Talleyrand, a less adroit but far more mischievous man than his master, hoped to extend it to the whole of Europe. Everything that had been shaken, loosened, or overturned by the Revolution or by Napoleon was to be repaired and re-established. In the struggle with the great enemy they had been obliged at last to resort to every possible method, had been forced to appeal to the people instead of simply commanding, to appeal to their sentiment in place of their allegiance, and even to promise a thing as contrary to all cabinet policy, as youthfully revolutionary, as "the regeneration of Germany." There had been, it is true, a very noticeable difference between the Austrian and the Prussian watchwords. "Justice and Order," "Order and Peace," were the cues of the Austrian proclamations; those of the Prussian were "The Nation," "Freedom and Honour," "Germany." Still both of the great German States had made more concessions to the spirit of the times than at all suited the ideas of their leading statesmen. And no sooner was the enemy driven off, the heir of the Revolution crippled, and "the war of freedom" ended, than it became their object to put an end to the freedom as they had put an end to the war. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 48042
Author: Brandes, Georg
Release Date: Jan 22, 2015
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Translator: Morison, Mary, White, Diana