rmerly the
stream carried us along upon the light waves without a rudder.

In Goethe we see very clearly how the inner life, under the pressure
of its own intensity, will, so to speak, overflow into the outer
world, making that live in its turn; and how this is especially the
case when the amorous passion is present to add its impetus to
feeling, and attribute its own fervour to all around.

_May Song_, _On the Lake_, _Ganymede_, are instances of this.

_Ganymede_:

Oh, what a glow
Around me in morning's
Blaze thou diffusest,
Beautiful spring!
With the rapture of love but intenser,
Intenser and deeper and sweeter,
Nestles and creeps to my heart
The sensation divine
Of thy fervour eternal,
Oh, thou unspeakably fair!

Beautiful personifications abound:

The sun is proudly throned in heaven.

The glowing sun gazes at the rugged peak or charms it with fiery
love,

Or bathes like the moon in the ocean.

The parting glance of Mother Sun broods on the grapes.

'Morning came frightening away light sleep with its footsteps.'

'The young day arose with delight.'

The moon: 'Thou spreadest thy glance soothingly over my abode.'

On a cloudy night: 'Evening already rocked earth, and night hung on
the mountains; from a hill of clouds the moon looked mournfully out
of the mist.'

'The lofty stars turn their clear eyes down to me.'

Even the rock lives: 'The hard rock opens its bosom, not envying
earth its deep springs.'

The stream: 'Thou hurriest on with joyful light mood; see the rock
spring bright with the glance of the stars, yet no shady valley, no
flowers make him tarry ... his course winds downwards to the plain,
then he scatters in delightful spray, in cloud waves ... foams
gloomily to the abyss.'

With gradual step from out the far-off grey,
Self-heralded draws on the storm.
Birds on the wing fly low across the water, weighted down,
And seamen hasten to reef in the sail
Before its stubborn wrath.

His flowers are alive:

The beauteous snowdrops
Droop o'er the plain,
The crocus opens
Its glowing bud ...
With saucy gesture
Primroses flare,
And roguish violets
Hidden with care.

But these are only examples. To obtain a clear idea of Goethe's
attitude, we must take a more general survey of his work, for his
poetic relationship to Nature, like his mental development in
general, passed through various stages of growt