businesses; and disposed to go into verse in
addition! CONCEIVE that form of mind; it would illuminate something of
Friedrich's character: I cannot yet rightly understand such an aspect of
structure, and know not what to say of it, except 'Strange!'"--

Understand it or not, we do gather by means of it some indisputable
glimpses, nearly all the direct insight allowed us out of any source,
into Friedrich's inner man; what his thoughts were, what his humor was
in that unique crisis; and to readers in quest of that, these Pieces,
fallen obsolete and frosty to all other kinds of readers, are well worth
perusing, and again perusing. Most veracious Documents, we can observe;
nothing could be truer; Confessions they are, in the most emphatic
sense; no truer ever made to a Priest in the name of the Most High.
Like a soliloquy of Night-Thoughts, accidentally becoming audible to us.
Mahomet, I find, wrote the Koran in this manner. From these poor
Poems, which are voices DE PROFUNDIS, there might, by proper care and
selection, be constructed a Friedrich's Koran; and, with commentary and
elucidation, it would be pleasant to read. The Koran of Friedrich, or
the Lamentation-Psalms of Friedrich! But it would need an Editor,--other
than Dryasdust! Mahomet's Koran, treated by the Arab Dryasdust (merely
turning up the bottom of that Box of Shoulder-blades, and printing
them), has become dreadfully tough reading, on this side of the
Globe; and has given rise to the impossiblest notions about Mahomet!
Indisputable it is, Heroes, in their affliction, Mahomet and David, have
solaced themselves by snatches of Psalms, by Suras, bursts of Utterance
rising into Song;--and if Friedrich, on far other conditions, did the
like, what has History to say of blame to him?

Wilhelmina comes out very strong, in this season of trouble; almost the
last we see of our excellent Wilhelmina. Like a lioness; like a shrill
mother when her children are in peril. A noble sisterly affection is
in Wilhelmina; shrill Pythian vehemence trying the impossible. That a
Brother, and such a Brother, the most heroic now breathing, brave and
true, and the soul of honor in all things, should have the whole world
rise round him, like a delirious Sorcerer's-Sabbath, intent to hurl the
mountains on him,--seems such a horror and a madness to Wilhelmina. Like
the brood-hen flying in the face of wild dogs, and packs of hounds in
full trail! Most Christian Pompadour Kings, enraged Cza