book is written in German. Secondly, in
order to read this book, a man must understand German. Thirdly, M.
Cousin does not understand German. . . . I fear I am passing unawares
from the sweet waters of praise into the bitter ocean of blame. Yes,
on one account I cannot refrain from bitterly blaming M.
Cousin--namely, that he who loves truth far more than he loves Plato
and Tenneman is unjust to himself when he wants to persuade us that
he has borrowed something from the philosophy of Schelling and Hegel.
Against this self-accusation I must take M. Cousin under my
protection. On my word and conscience! this honorable man has not
stolen a jot from Schelling and Hegel, and if he brought home
anything of theirs, it was merely their friendship. That does honor
to his heart. But there are many instances of such false
self-accusation in psychology. I knew a man who declared that he had
stolen silver spoons at the king's table; and yet we all knew that
the poor devil had never been presented at court, and accused himself
of stealing these spoons to make us believe that he had been a guest
at the palace. No! In German philosophy M. Cousin has always kept
the sixth commandment; here he has never pocketed a single idea, not
so much as a salt-spoon of an idea. All witnesses agree in attesting
that in this respect M. Cousin is honor itself. . . . I prophesy to
you that the renown of M. Cousin, like the French Revolution, will go
round the world! I hear some one wickedly add: Undeniably the renown
of M. Cousin is going round the world, and _it has already taken its
departure from France_."

The following "symbolical myth" about Louis Philippe is very
characteristic of Heine's manner:

"I remember very well that immediately on my arrival (in Paris) I
hastened to the Palais Royal to see Louis Philippe. The friend who
conducted me told me that the king now appeared on the terrace only
at stated hours, but that formerly he was to be seen at any time for
five francs. 'For five francs!' I cried with amazement; 'does he
then show himself for money?' 'No, but he is shown for money, and it
happens in this way: There is a society of _claqueurs_, _marchands de
contremarques_, and such riff-raff, who offered every foreigner to
show him the king for five francs: if he would give ten francs, he
mig