the spirit of man; when one
can freely and faithfully serve these, his life as a whole human being
has begun.

Self-culture, in the Goethean sense, is, then, a much nobler and more
religious affair than the popular notion makes it. But even this, I
repeat, is, in Goethe's view, simply the complete beginning. True, the
usual notion is different. Some, that suppose themselves his followers,
rest finally in self-culture; many, who think this the goal of Goethe's
own life, inveigh against him accordingly. Did men, however, always wait
to understand ere condemning, much virtuous indignation would never come
to use. Precious is virtuous indignation; nevertheless, here there is
for it no suitable occasion. Wilhelm goes on toward spiritual ripeness;
we follow his advance.

The next step is symbolized by that charming episode, "Confessions of a
Fair Saint," whose relation to the whole work many critics profess
themselves unable to see,--indeed, I know not whether any critic has
seen clearly what, nevertheless, is clearly there to be seen. Religion
is flowering in Wilhelm's soul. He rests softly in Absolute Reality, in
That which eternally, infinitely IS. It is a deepening _to infinitude_
of his feeling for the Real. From superficial, he comes to divine
Reality, and finds this not only sufficing, but inspiring, not only
commanding obedience, but blessing, exalting, crowning, making it royal.

This is not directly shown in Wilhelm himself, but symbolized by
his interest in the narrative of another. In Wilhelm it is
hidden,--a-flowering, but secret. The very design is to suggest that his
religion does not come _out_ of him, and become formal, but remains _in_
him, in vital, creative intimacy with his entire being. For it is one
point of Goethe's art to hint at secret processes in the soul by some
external representative,--and the appearance of principal personages in
this work is _always_ connected with some suggestion of that kind. They
stand for what they are in themselves; they have also their direct
influence on Wilhelm; and they also symbolize that which cannot be
directly shown in his inward growth.

Wilhelm comes to his knees before Absolute Reality; kneeling, he accepts
his being. Self-culture henceforth has got its baptism, freedom its law
and its blessing of obedience, which leave it freedom still.

Has the reader some misgiving that I foist this interpretation upon the
book? There is not, indeed, a direct syllable