breaks out. The land of poetry,
romantic Palestine, has greeted you with its sweet sadness; war has
addressed you in its wild glory, and nature and history have met you in
the forms of a miner and a hermit."

"You forget the best, dear master, the heavenly appearance of love. It
depends upon you, whether this appearance shall forever remain with
me."

"What do you think," cried Klingsohr as he turned to Matilda who was
just approaching; "would you like to become Henry's inseparable
companion? Where you are, I remain also."

Matilda was terrified. She flew into her father's arms. Henry trembled
with infinite joy. "Shall he then be with me forever, dear father?"

"Ask him for yourself," said Klingsohr With emotion.

She looked upon Henry with the most heart-felt tenderness.

"My eternity is indeed thy work," cried Henry, whilst the tears rolled
down his blooming cheeks.

They embraced each other. Klingsohr caught them in his arms. "My
children," he cried, "be faithful to each other unto death! Love and
constancy will make your life eternal poesy."

CHAPTER VIII.

In the afternoon Klingsohr led to his room his new son, in whose
happiness his mother and grandfather took the tenderest interest,
honoring Matilda as his protecting spirit, and made him acquainted with
his books. Afterward they spoke of poetry.

"I know not," said Klingsohr, "why the representation of nature as a
poet is commonly considered poetry. She is not so at all times. Dull
desire, stupid apathy and sluggishness, are in her, as in men, exposing
qualities which wage a restless strife With poesy. This mighty battle
would be a fine subject for a poem. Many lands and ages seem, like the
majority of men, to stand entirely under the dominion of this enemy to
poesy; in others, on the contrary, poesy is at home and everywhere
visible. The periods of this battle are very worthy of the historian's
notice, and its representation is a pleasant and profitable employment.
It is usually the season of the poet's birth. Nothing is more
disagreeable to its adversary than that she, herself being opposed to
poesy, becomes a poetic personage, and often in the heat of the
engagement changes weapons with poesy, and is violently struck by her
own venomous darts; while, on the other hand, the wounds of poesy,
which she receives from her own weapons, heal readily, and only serve
to render her yet more charming and powerful."

"O