e around him in whose society
he was intimately thrown than from his professors. He tried his hand
in fine art, occupied himself in drawing, and even in engraving.
Although the three years spent in Leipsic show but little which is
remarkable in any scientific course of study, it is quite clear that
he laid foundations here which were of use to him in all his future
life. But at the end of three years his health was seriously affected.
He was depressed in hypochondria, and was physically ill. He was
"destitute of faith, yet terrified at scepticism," and he returned to
his home in 1768, discouraged and physically broken down.

But a year and a half of the regularity of home life, quite different
from his Bohemian courses at the university--a life inspired by his
mother's and his sister's love--and a physical life sustained by a
home diet which was so much better than a student's fare, wholly
restored him, and in April, 1770, he went to the University of
Strasburg, not far from Frankfort, now with the real purpose of
studying jurisprudence. He was nearly twenty-one years old, in stature
rather above the middle size, and because his presence was imposing he
was generally spoken of as tall; but he was not really a tall man, but
gave this impression by his erect carriage and because his bust was
large. Long before he was celebrated, he was called an Apollo.

At Leipsic he had led the life of a boy. At Strasburg he knew men and
entered on the interests of a man. Herder was there, whose reputation
as a man of letters and a scholar, in after times, was to be in that
great second class which would have been the first class but that
there Goethe reigned alone. Herder was at Strasburg to undergo an
operation for the benefit of his eyes. Goethe made his acquaintance,
which ripened into friendship, and Herder's influence on the young
Apollo was of the very best. Goethe remained in Strasburg from April,
1770, till August, 1771. He made the acquaintance of Frederike Brion,
whose father was pastor of the little village of Sesenheim. Frederike
was a fair, sweet girl of sixteen, and Goethe was for the time deeply
interested in her; but she was to him little more than a child, and
when he left Strasbourg she was soon forgotten. But she never forgot,
and years after died unwedded. Goethe was now writing, with the
versatility and the enthusiasm which marked all his literary work.
Something or somebody acquainted him with the history of Goet