"is a delightful fellow. The fulness of
fervid sensibility streams out of his every word and feature."[219]
During the few days they spent in Frankfort the three scions of
nobility were frequent guests in the Goethe house, and their talk must
have been enlivening if we may judge from the specimen of it recorded
by Goethe himself. The conversation had turned on the ill-deeds of
tyrants, a favourite theme with the youth of the time, and, heated
with wine, the three youths expressed a vehement desire for the blood
of all such. The Herr Rath smiled and shook his head, but his helpmate
hastily ran to the wine-cellar and produced a bottle of her best,
exclaiming, "Here is the true tyrant's blood. Feast on it, but let no
murderous thoughts go forth from my house."

[Footnote 218: The third was Count Haugnitz, of more subdued temper
than his companions.]

[Footnote 219: Biedermann, _op. cit._ i. 55.]

In the company of these choice spirits Goethe decided to leave
Frankfort for a time, and with the set resolve, if possible, to efface
all thoughts of Lili. Characteristically he did not take a formal
leave of her, a proceeding which was naturally resented both by
herself and her relatives. The quartette started on May 14th, and from
the first they made it appear that they meant to travel as four
geniuses who set at naught all accepted conventions.[220] Before
departing they all procured Werther costume--blue coat, yellow
waistcoat and hose and round grey hat; and in this array they
disported themselves throughout their travels. Darmstadt was their
first halting-place, and at the Court there they conducted themselves
with some regard to decorum. Outside its precincts, however, they gave
full rein to their eccentricities, and so scandalised the Darmstadters
by publicly bathing in a pond in the neighbourhood that they found it
advisable to beat a hasty retreat from the town. In Darmstadt Goethe
had met his old mentor, Merck, who with his usual caustic frankness
told him that he was making a fool of himself in keeping company with
such madcaps.[221] At Mannheim, their next stage, the whole party
signalised themselves by smashing the wine-glasses from which they had
drunk to the ladylove of the younger Stolberg. The presence of
distinguished personages at Carlsruhe, their next stage, kept their
vivacity within bounds so long as they remained there. Just at this
moment the young Duke of Weimar had come to Carlsruhe to betroth
himse