少年维特之烦恼(英文版)-第1章

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　　J。W。　von　Goethe　Thomas　Carlyle　and　R。D。　Boylan　Edited　by　Nathen　Haskell
Dole　PREFACE　I　have　carefully　collected　whatever　I　have　been　able　to　learn
of　the　story　of　poor　Werther，　and　here　present　it　to　you　，　knowing　that
you　will　thank　me　for　it。　To　his　spirit　and　character　you　cannot　refuse
your　admiration　and　love：　to　his　fate　you　will　not　deny　your　tears。

　　And　thou，　good　soul，　who　sufferest　the　same　distress　as　he　endured
once，　draw　fort　from　his　sorrows；　and　let　this　little　book　be　thy
friend，　if　，　owing　to　fortune　or　through　thine　own　fault，　thou　canst
not　find　a　dearer　panion。

　　BOOK　I

　　MAY　4。　How　happy　I　am　that　I　am　gone！　My　dear　friend　，　what　a　thing
is　the　heart　of　man　！　To　leave　you　，　from　whom　I　have　been　inseparable，
whom　I　love　so　dearly　，　and　yet　to　feel　happy！　I　know　you　will　forgive
me。　Have　not　other　attachments　been　specially　appointed　by　fate　to　torment
a　head　like　mine？　Poor　Leonora　！　and　yet　I　was　not　to　blame。　Was　it
my　fault，　that　，　whilst　the　peculiar　charms　of　her　sister　afforded　me
an　agreeable　entertainment，　a　passion　for　me　was　engendered　in　her　feeble
heart　？　And　yet　am　I　wholly　blameless？　Did　I　not　encourage　her　emotions？
Did　I　not　feel　charmed　at　those　truly　genuine　expressions　of　nature　，
which　，　though　but　little　mirthful　in　reality，　so　often　amused　us　？
Did　I　not　——　but　oh　！　what　is　man，　that　he　dares　so　to　accuse　himself？
My　dear　friend　I　promise　you　I　will　improve　；　I　will　no　longer　，　as
has　ever　been　my　habit，　continue　to　ruminate　on　every　petty　vexation
which　fortune　may　dispense；　I　will　enjoy　the　present　，　and　the　past
shall　be　for　me　the　past。　No　doubt　you　are　right，　my　best　of　friends　，
there　would　be　far　less　suffering　amongst　mankind　，　if　men　——　and　God
knows　why　they　are　so　fashioned　——　did　not　employ　their　imaginations
so　assiduously　in　recalling　the　memory　of　past　sorrow　，　instead　of　bearing
their　present　lot　with　equanimity。　Be　kind　enough　to　inform　my　mother
that　I　shall　attend　to　her　business　to　the　best　of　my　ability　，　and　shall
give　her　the　earliest　information　about　it。　I　have　seen　my　aunt　，　and
find　that　she　is　very　far　from　being　the　disagreeable　person　our　friends
allege　her　to　be。　She　is　a　lively　，　cheerful　woman　，　with　the　best　of
hearts。　I　explained　to　her　my　mother's　wrongs　with　regard　to　that　part
of　her　portion　which　has　been　withheld　from　her。　She　told　me　the　motives
and　reasons　of　her　own　conduct，　and　the　terms　on　which　she　is　willing
to　give　up　the　whole，　and　to　do　more　than　we　have　asked。　In　short，　I
cannot　write　further　upon　this　subject　at　present　；　only　assure　my　mother
that　all　will　go　on　well。　And　I　have　again　observed　，　my　dear　friend　，
in　this　trifling　affair　，　that　misunderstandings　and　neglect　occasion
more　mischief　in　the　world　than　even　malice　and　wickedness。　At　all　events，
the　two　latter　are　of　less　frequent　occurrence。

　　In　other　respects　I　am　very　well　off　here。　Solitude　in　this　terrestrial
paradise　is　a　genial　balm　to　my　mind，　and　the　young　spring　cheers　with
its　bounteous　promises　my　oftentimes　misgiving　heart。　Every　tree，　every
bush，　is　full　of　flowers　；　and　one　might　wish　himself　transformed　into
a　butterfly　，　to　float　about　in　this　ocean　of　perfume，　and　find　his
whole　existence　in　it。

　　The　town　itself　is　disagreeable　；　but　then　，　all　around　，　you　find
an　inexpressible　beauty　of　nature。　This　induced　the　late　Count　M　to　lay
out　a　garden　on　one　of　the　sloping　hills　which　here　intersect　each　other
with　the　most　charming　variety，　and　form　the　most　lovely　valleys。　The
garden　is　simple；　and　it　is　easy　to　perceive　，　even　upon　your　first
entrance，　that　the　plan　was　not　designed　by　a　scientific　gardener，　but
by　a　man　who　wished　to　give　himself　up　here　to　the　enjoyment　of　his　own
sensitive　heart。　Many　a　tear　have　I　already　shed　to　the　memory　of　its
departed　master　in　a　summer…house　which　is　now　reduced　to　ruins　，　but
was　his　favourite　resort，　and　now　is　mine。　I　shall　soon　be　master　of
the　place。　The　gardener　has　bee　attached　to　me　within　the　last　few
days，　and　he　will　lose　nothing　thereby。

　　MAY　10。　A　wonderful　serenity　has　taken　possession　of　my　entire　soul，
like　these　sweet　mornings　of　spring　which　I　enjoy　with　my　whole　heart。
I　am　alone，　and　feel　the　charm　of　existence　in　this　spot　，　which　was
created　for　the　bliss　of　souls　like　mine。　I　am　so　happy　，　my　dear　friend，
so　absorbed　in　the　exquisite　sense　of　mere　tranquil　existence　，　that
I　neglect　my　talents。　I　should　be　incapable　of　drawing　a　single　stroke
at　the　present　moment　；　and　yet　I　feel　that　I　never　was　a　greater　artist
than　now。　When，　while　the　lovely　valley　teems　with　vapour　around　me，
and　the　meridian　sun　strikes　the　upper　surface　of　the　impenetrable　foliage
of　my　trees　，　and　but　a　few　stray　gleams　steal　into　the　inner　sanctuary，
I　throw　myself　down　among　the　tall　grass　by　the　trickling　stream；　and，
as　I　lie　close　to　the　earth　，　a　thousand　unknown　plants　are　noticed　by
me：　when　I　hear　the　buzz　of　the　little　world　among　the　stalks，　and　grow
familiar　with　the　countless　indescribable　forms　of　the　insects　and　flies，
then　I　feel　the　presence　of　the　Almighty，　who　formed　us　in　his　own　image，
and　the　breath　of　that　universal　love　which　bears　and　sustains　us　，　as
it　floats　around　us　in　an　eternity　of　bliss　；　and　then　，　my　friend，
when　darkness　overspreads　my　eyes　，　and　heaven　and　earth　seem　to　dwell
in　my　soul　and　absorb　its　power　，　like　the　form　of　a　beloved　mistress，
then　I　often　think　with　longing　，　Oh　，　would　I　could　describe　these
conceptions　，　could　impress　upon　paper　all　that　is　living　so　full　and
warm　within　me，　that　it　might　be　the　mirror　of　my　soul　，　as　my　soul
is　the　mirror　of　the　infinite　God　！　O　my　friend——　but　it　is　too　much
for　my　strength　——　I　sink　under　the　weight　of　the　splendour　of　these
visions　！

　　MAY　12。　I　know　not　whether　some　deceitful　spirits　haunt　this　spot　，
or　whether　it　be　the　warm　，　celestial　fancy　in　my　own　heart　which　makes
everything　around　me　seem　like　paradise。　In　front　of　the　house　is　a　fountain，
——　a　fountain　to　which　I　am　bound　by　a　charm　like　Melusina　and　her　sisters。
Descending　a　gentle　slope　，　you　e　to　an　arch，　where，　some　twenty
steps　lower　down，　water　of　the　clearest　crystal　gushes　from　the　marble
rock。　The　narrow　wall　which　encloses　it　above　，　the　tall　trees　which
encircle　the　spot　，　and　the　coolness　of　the　place　itself　，——　everything
imparts　a　pleasant　but　sublime　impression。　Not　a　day　passes　on　which　I
do　not　spend　an　hour　there。　The　young　maidens　e　from　the　town　to　fetch
water　，——　innocent　and　necessary　employment，　and　formerly　the　occupation
of　the　daughters　of　kings。　As　I　take　my　rest　there，　the　idea　of　the　old
patriarchal　life　is　awakened　around　me。　I　see　them，　our　old　ancestors，
how　they　formed　their　friendships　and　contracted　alliances　at　the　fountain…side
；　and　I　feel　how　fountains　and　streams　were　guarded　by　beneficent　spirits。
He　who　is　a　stranger　to　these　sensations　has　never　really　enjoyed　cool
repose　at　the　side　of　a　fountain　after　the　fatigue　of　a　weary　summer　day。

　　MAY　13。　You　ask　if　you　shall　send　me　books。　My　dear　friend，　I　beseech
you　，　for　the　love　of　God，　relieve　me　from　such　a　yoke！　I　need　no　more
to　be　guided，　agitated　，　heated。　My　heart　ferments　sufficiently　of　itself。
I　want　strains　to　lull　me　，　and　I　find　them　to　perfection　in　my　Homer。
Often　do　I　strive　to　allay　the　burning　fever　of　my　blood；　and　you　have
never　witnessed　anything　so　unsteady，　so　uncertain　，　as　my　heart。　But
need　I　confess　this　to　you，　my　dear　friend　，　who　have　so　often　endured
the　anguish　of　witnessing　my　sudden　transitions　from　sorrow　to　immoderate
joy　，　and　from　sweet　melancholy　to　violent　passions？　I　treat　my　poor
heart　like　a　sick　child　，　and　gratify　its　every　fancy。　Do　not　mention
this　again：　there　are　people　who　would　censure　me　for　it。

　　MAY　15。　The　mon　people　of　the　place　know　me　already，　and　love
me，　particularly　the　children。　When　at　first　I　associated　with　them，
and　inquired　in　a　friendly　tone　about　their　various　trifles　，　some　fancied
that　I　wished　to　ridicule　them，　and　turned　from　me　in　exceeding　ill…humour。
I　did　not　allow　that　circumstance　to　grieve　me：　I　only　felt　most　keenly
what　I　have　often　before　observed。　Persons　who　can　claim　a　certain　rank
keep　themselves　coldly　aloof　from　the　mon　people　，　as　though　they
feared　to　lose　their　importance　by　the　contact；　whilst　wanton　idlers　，
and　such　as　are　prone　to　bad　joking　，　affect　to　descend　to　their　level，
only　to　make　the　poor　people　feel　their　impertinence　all　the　more　keenly。

　　I　know　very　well　that　we　are　not　all　equal，　nor　can　be　so；　but　it
is　my　opinion　that　he　who　avoids　the　mon　people，　in　order　not　to　lose
their　respect　，　is　as　much　to　blame　as　a　coward　who　hides　himself　from
his　enemy　because　he　fears　defeat。

　　The　other　day　I　went　to　the　fountain，　and　found　a　young　servant…girl，
who　had　set　her　pitcher　on　the　lowest　step，　and　looked　around　to　see
if　one　of　her　panions　was　approaching　to　place　it　on　her　head。　I　ran
down，　and　looked　at　her。　〃Shall　I　help　you　，　pretty　lass？〃　said　I。
She　blushed　deeply。　〃Oh　，　sir！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃No　ceremony　！〃　I　replied。
She　adjusted　her　head…gear，　and　I　helped　her。　She　thanked　me　，　and　ascended
the　steps。

　　MAY　17。　I　have　made　all　sorts　of　acquaintances，　but　have　as　yet　found
no　society。　I　know　not　what　attraction　I　possess　for　the　people　，　so
many　of　them　like　me，　and　attach　themselves　to　me；　and　then　I　feel　sorry
when　the　road　we　pursue　together　goes　only　a　short　distance。　If　you　inquire
what　the　people　are　like　here　，　I　must　answer，　〃The　same　as　everywhere。〃
The　human　race　is　but　a　monotonous　affair。　Most　of　them　labour　the　greater
part　of　their　time　for　mere　subsistence　；　and　the　scanty　portion　of　freedom
which　remains　to　them　so　troubles　them　that　they　use　every　exertion　to
get　rid　of　it。　Oh　，　the　destiny　of　man　！

　　But　they　are　a　right　good　sort　of　people。　If　I　occasionally　forget
myself，　and　take　part　in　the　innocent　pleasures　which　are　not　yet　forbidden
to　the　peasantry，　and　enjoy　myself　，　for　instance　，　with　genuine　freedom
and　sincerity　，　round　a　well…covered　table　，　or　arrange　an　excursion
or　a　dance　opportunely，　and　so　forth　，　all　this　produces　a　good　effect
upon　my　disposition　；　only　I　must　forget　that　there　lie　dormant　within
me　so　many　other　qualities　which　moulder　uselessly，　and　which　I　am　obliged
to　keep　carefully　concealed。　Ah　！　this　thought　affects　my　spirits　fearfully。
And　yet　to　be　misunderstood　is　the　fate　of　the　like　of　us。

　　Alas，　that　the　friend　of　my　youth　is　gone！　Alas　，　that　I　ever　knew
her　！　I　might　say　to　myself，　〃You　are　a　dreamer　to　seek　what　is　not
to　be　found　here　below。〃　But　she　has　been　mine。　I　have　possessed　that
heart　，　that　noble　soul，　in　whose　presence　I　seemed　to　be　more　than
I　really　was，　because　I　was　all　that　I　could　be。　Good　heavens！　did　then
a　single　power　of　my　soul　remain　unexercised？　In　her　presence　could　I
not　display　，　to　its　full　extent　，　that　mysterious　feeling　with　which
my　heart　embraces　nature？　Was