ew of Mahomet, it may be said in
passing, which Goethe's disciple, Carlyle, was among the first to
proclaim in this country.[148] The successive actions of the prophet
were to illustrate the influence which character and genius combined
have exercised on the destiny of men; but they were also to illustrate
how the idealist in his contact with actualities is forced, in spite
of himself, to compromise the purity of his original message, and, in
consequence, to deteriorate in his own personal character.[149] Of the
projected drama we have only two scenes, and a lyric in glorification
of Mahomet which was to be sung by two of the characters. In contrast
to _Prometheus_, not pantheism but monotheism, and not rebellion but
submission, were to be the animating creed and motive of the
protagonist. In the first of the two Scenes he addresses in succession
the great heavenly lights, but in their mutability he finds no stay or
solace for mind and heart, and he turns to the creator of them all.
"Uplift thee, loving heart, to the creating One! Be thou my Lord, my
God! Thou, all-loving One, Thou who didst create earth, heaven, and
me." In the second Scene we have a dialogue between Mahomet and his
foster-mother, Fatima, in which he communicates the religious
experiences which it was to be his mission to proclaim to his people;
and the manner in which Fatima receives them indicates the
difficulties he would have to encounter in his _role_ as prophet. "He
is changed; his nature is transformed; his understanding has suffered.
Better it is that I should restore him to his kinsfolk, than that I
should draw the responsibility of evil consequences upon myself." But,
as in the case of _Prometheus_, it is in the lyric that was to form
part of the drama that we have the most arresting expression of the
poet's genius--another proof of the fact that at this period it was in
the lyric that Goethe found the most adequate utterance for what was
deepest in his nature. In a rush of unrhymed, irregular measures it
describes the course of a river (the Rhine was in the poet's mind)
from its source on the mountain summit, its impetuous progress among
the obstacles that bar its passage, its gradually broadening current
as it sweeps through the plains, undelayed by shady valley or by the
flowers that adorn its banks; and finally losing itself in the ocean
with all its tributary streams.

[Footnote 148: It is one of the ironies of Goethe's literary career