of a domestic
visit such as we might receive any day, and in an account of any kind
of handicraft, an infinity of material and form, and the Naive shows
the full nature of the Divine.

Your hope of being able to finish the _Achilleid_ by August, or, at
least, your believing it to be possible to do so, is to me
inconceivable, notwithstanding all the proofs I have myself had of the
rapidity with which you get through things, especially as you do not
even reckon upon having April for work. I sincerely regret that you
will lose this month; perhaps, however, you will be able to preserve
your epic mood; if so, be sure not to allow theatrical cares to
disturb you. I will gladly relieve you of whatever trouble I can in
connection with _Wallenstein_.

A few days ago Imhof sent me the last two cantos of her poem, which
have given me very great pleasure. The development is extremely
refined and pure, and is accomplished by simple means and unusual
elegance. When you come we will talk it over together.

I herewith return _The Piccolomini_, and beg you to let me have
_Wallenstein's Camp_, which I wish likewise to have copied out, and
shall then, at last, be able to send the three plays to Koerner.

The box of groats has been called for and delivered up in your name to
a Herr Meyer. You have, no doubt, already received it. Farewell. My
wife sends kindest greetings. Tomorrow I hope to hear that we may
expect you on Thursday.

* * * * *

SCHILLER _to_ GOETHE

Weimar, July 30, 1800. The cheerful tone of your letter proves to me
that things are going well with you in Jena, and I congratulate you
that such is the case. I cannot boast the same of myself; the state of
the barometer, which is so favorable to you, brings on my spasms, and
I do not sleep well. Owing to this state of things, it was very
welcome news to me to hear from Koerner that he could not undertake the
journey. I shall, therefore, not go to Lauchstedt, and shall thus have
an unexpected gain in time and also in money; for, much as I should
have liked to see him again, it would just at present have been a
little inconvenient to me.

I congratulate you upon the progress you have made in your work. The
liberty which you appear to be taking with the French original, I look
upon as a good sign of the productive state of your mind, and also
augur from this that the work will bring us a step further forward
than _Mahomet_ did. I am looki