Wilhelm Meister’s Years of Travel or The Renunciants
[Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre oder Die Entsagenden]
“‘…if you are willing to spend the night with a kindly old charcoal burner, sitting or lying in a warm place, you are welcome.'” [p. 118.]
“That the stranger may become acquainted with us more quickly and be initiated into our circle….” [p. 127.]
“‘To the Superior, or the Three.'” [p. 198]
“The youngest ones crossed their arms over their chests and looked cheerfully heavenword, the middle ones put their hands behind their backs and looked smilingly down at the earth, the third group stood stiffly and bravely: with their arms at their sides they turned their faces to the right and formed themselves into a row, instead of each standing alone where he had been.” [Book Two, Chapter One p. 199.]
“‘You have seen three sets of gestures, and we teach a threefold reverence, which reaches its greatest strength and effectiveness only when t flows as one and forms a whole.'” [p. 203.]
“‘The religion founded on reverence for that which is above us we call the ethnic religion…. The second religion, based on reverence for that which is equal to us, we call the philosophic religion…. the third religion, which is based on reverence for that which is below us….’ [p. 204-05]”
“”…for the three taken together actually produce the true religion….'” [p. 205.]
“Then you too shall be initiated into the Sanctuary of Pain.” [p. 210.]
“‘…though he does not know how to concoct everything, is not initiated into every secret, still understands the entire treatment quite well and for the beginning will be of great use to you, until you have worked your way far enough in that I may reveal to you the higher secrets.’
‘What!’ cride the major, ‘You have steps and grades in your art of rejuvination? You have secrets even for the initiates?’
“Most certainly,’ the other replied. ‘It woulf be a sorry art that could be grasped all at once….'” [p. 219.]
‘The fourth, however might find himself enrolled in that order only too soon.” [p. 258.]
“The arts are the salt of the earth; as salt is to food, so are the arts to technical science.” [p. 266.]
“…Wilhelm’s first concern was to seek renewed contact with the members of the league….” [Book Three, Chapter One p. 313.]
“‘… you seem to adhere strictly to the laws of your society.'” [p. 316.]
“The bond, so he said specifically, bade the stranger welcome….” [p. 316.]
“… in this society a decided freedom of religion prevailed.” [p. 317.]
“‘the basic principles of our league; to claim membership you must be thoroughly grounded in some field.'” [p. 330.]
“‘… a happiness that lies within your reach, but can be possessed only after several trials.'” [p. 344.]
“All the members of the bond are instructed in these laws, and our examinations have shown that each person applies the main points to himself as is most suitable.” [p. 380.]
“Taverns and circulating libraries will not be tolerated among us….” [p. 380.]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Wilhelm Meister’s Journeyman Years or The Renunciants, Translated by Krishna Winston, Edited by Jane K. Brow. [Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre oder Die Entsagenden] New York : Suhrkamp Publishers New York, Inc., 1989. [Goethe’s Collected Works, Volume 10] ISBN: 3-518-03059-0 |
