The President of the Association, H. C. G. von Jagemann, appointed the following committees: (1) To audit the Treasurer's report: Professors James M. Garnett and F. N. Scott. (2) To nominate officers: Professors J. B. Henneman, Gustav Gruener, Morgan Callaway, W. E. Mead, and O. F. Emerson. (3) To recommend place for the next Annual Meeting: Professors M. D. Learned, C. H. Grandgent, T. R. Price, H. E. Greene, and J. M. Hart. The reading of papers was then begun. 1. "The first Paralipomenon of Goethe's Faust, when written? By Professor Eugene W. Manning, of Delaware College. Among Goethe's papers an unfolded sheet, or perhaps better a torn-out leaf, about eight and a half by nine inches (my fac-simile is so framed that I cannot measure it exactly, and my measurements are not at hand) was found on which a short plan to his Faust was written, and which is now known as the First Paralipomenon. Several efforts have been made to determine the time at which the plan was written by Goethe, and the following is my second attempt to throw light on the subject—my first effort having been made in the Goethe-Jahrbuch for 1896, pp. 209–214. Others have suggested or contended for the years 1788, 1799, or even 1795, no one of which seems to me at all probable; my contention is for an earlier date. The following arguments can be fully understood only by having before one a fac-simile of the plan written by Goethe to represent Faust, Part II., as it was in his mind in 1775. A fac-simile of the plan (with the transliterated text and an English translation), together with a summary English version of the Faust plan, Part Second, of 1775, is herewith submitted. It will be noted that Second Part is twice mentioned in the plan of 1775. Incidentally may I ask if it is probable that Goethe would have used the words Second Part in an attempt to give an idea of the latter part of Faust as it was in his mind in 1775, if in 1775 he had not determined or expected to divide his drama into two parts? Let me call attention to the relative length of the First Paralipomenon and the plan of 1775, and especially to the fact that while all of the longer plan refers to the Second Part of Faust, only the words of the shorter plan following the expression First Part refer to the Second Part of Faust. If the longer plan belongs to 1775, the shorter one does not belong to a later period. While the Second Part was once regarded as loosely joined to, and far inferior to, the First Part, such is not now the opinion of Faust scholars. Abundant evidence is at hand to show that Goethe did not look upon Part Second as an afterthought. With the mass of material indicated in the plan of 1775 floating even indefinitely before him it is not surprising that Goethe saw it would be wise to divide his poem. Furthermore, the Faust is essentially a life drama, beginning with the passion, ambition, struggle, restiveness of youth, continued in the saner, serener, if not contented, experiences of useful toil and development, and ending with the joy of beneficent old age. On the one hand, book-learning and passion; on the other, real culture and beneficence, that is Part First and Part Second. The evident haste in writing, the apparent clearness of thought down to the scratched-out words Lebens Thaten Wesen, and the confusion and groping after that would seem to point to a time when, down to the word Schueler, Goethe's mind was clear; but after the Schueler scene there was a lack of clearness. To find a time when the Schueler scene was the last cleared up Faust scene in Goethe's mind, we must go back of 1775 when the Urfaust was taken to Weimar. Goethe wrote in 1773 "a beautiful, new plan to a great drama," which I believe was the First Paralipomenon. The fact that Wagner and Schueler are mentioned in the First Paralipomenon, but Mephistopheles and Gretchen and Helen are not mentioned, is significant. If the Wagner and Schueler scenes were then written out or even thought out, but not the Gretchen episode (the critics agree that the Gretchen episode must be left out, for the references do not fit it), and surely if the part of Mephistopheles was not sharply outlined we must go back to the early seventies to date the plan. It has been thought that the phrase "on the way to hell" pointed to a late origin for the First Paralipomenon and that Goethe got this suggestion in the nineties from Milton. Since, however, it is known that Goethe published a poem in 1766 on "Christ's descent to Hell," the phrase would seem to point to an early date, especially in view of the fact that the idea itself was less appropriate to the mature poet and was in fact abandoned. The strongest argument against an early date for the First Paralipomenon has heretofore been found in the abstract character of the plan and the abstract words ('form,' 'formless,' 'content') used. Elsewhere I have shown that the same abstract subject was treated by Goethe with the same abstract words, and with a disgust that would seem to preclude his return to it. Goethe had a copy of Spinoza in 1773; he later called himself a disciple and worshiper of Spinoza. With these facts before one, can one fail to see that the abstract character and terms are arguments for an early date? It is the young man, the tyro in philosophy, who uses abstract words about abstract subjects. TRANSLITERATED TEXT. Diese Wider Ideales Streben nach Einwircken und Einfuehlen in die ganze Natur. Erscheinung des Geists als Welt und Thaten Genius. Streit zwischen Form und Formlosem. Vorzug dem formlosem Gehalt vor der leeren Form. Gehalt bringt die Form mit. Form ist nie ohne Gehalt. sprueche statt sie zu vereinigen disparater zu machen. Helles kaltes wissensch. Streben Wagner. Dumpfes warmes wissensch. Streben Schueler. Lebens Thaten Wesen. Lebens Genuss der Persen von aussen gesehen. In der Dumpfheit Leidenschaft. Erster Theil. Thaten Genuss nach aussen und Genuss mit Bewusstseyn Schoenheit zweyter Theil. Schoepfungs Genuss von innen Epilog im Chaos auf dem Weg zur Hoelle. 'Ideal striving for influence over and sympathetic communion with the whole of Nature. Appearance of the Spirit as genius of the word and of deeds. Conflict between form and the formless. Preference for formless content over empty form. Content brings form with it. Form is never without content. These antitheses, instead of reconciling them, to be made more disparate. Clear, cold, scientific endeavor, Wager. Vague, warm, scientific endeavor, Student. Personal enjoyment of life seen from without. In vagueness (Dumpfheit) passion. First part. Enjoyment of deeds looking without and enjoyment with consciousness. Beauty. Second Part. Enjoyment of deeds from within. Epilogue in chaos on the way to hell.' ENGLISH VERSION OF THE PLAN OF 1775. At the beginning of the Second Part Faust is seen asleep. Spirits sing to him alluring songs of glory and power, and he wakens, cured of his sensuality and in an exalted mood. Mephistopheles comes and tells him that his presence is desired at the court of Emperor Maximilian in Augsburg. The pair go to Augsburg and are well received by the Emperor. The talk turns on magic, and his Majesty calls for spirit-manifestations. Faust goes out to get ready and Mephistopheles prescribes as court-doctor. In the evening a magic theater builds itself. The shades of Helena and Paris appear and are commented on by the spectators. Confusion arises, the spirits vanish suddenly and Faust is left in a swoon. When he comes to himself he is madly in love with Helena and insists on following her. Mephistopheles tells of great difficulties in the way: she belongs to Orcus, can be conjured up but not retained, etc. Faust insists and Mephistopheles finally consents. A castle on the Rhine is chosen as the future home of Helena and Faust. The owner is a crusader absent in Palestine, the castellan a magician. Helena appears with a corporeal being given her by means of a magic ring which she wears on her finger. She thinks she is just coming home from Troy to Sparta, feels lonely and pines for society, especially for that of men. Faust appears as a medieval German knight. |