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THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

thirtieth year at the University of Jena, occupying a professor’s chair, which, how­ever, lacked the comfortable cushion of salary. He did literary “ hackwork ” to earn money for his daily needs. He was finally granted a pension of two hundred dollars. The restrictions of his youth awakened in him a love for liberty; thus he became “ the poet of freedom.” The idea of freedom is the underlying principle in all of his writings.

His fine play of “ William Tell ” possesses more than a literary significance in Ger­man history, written at the time when Napoleon’s idea, the annihilation of Germany, seemed to be realized. When the patriot Stein found on German soil only an inse­cure footing; when the poet Kleist took.his own life rather than witness the misery of his country; when Germans were found to fight Germans like gladiators, bedimming with their heart’s blood the soil of alien countries—then in this time of oppression the story of Tell rang like a trumpet call throughout the land. It reanimated despondent hearts and kindled patriotic impulses and self-sacrificing ideas. This drama is a vin­dication of national and free government. It sustains a fine moral purpose in awaken­ing a love of country in the heart of him who reads it.

When Schiller began to write his noble poems, our country was at war with Eng­land. By the time peace was declared, his judgment had matured. He then wrote “ Don Carlos.” In this drama one of the characters lays down the law to the tyrant, Philip of Spain, for Schiller well understood that old law's sometimes becomes abuses, and reforms must be introduced to infuse new life into free political society. Such reforms must, however, be gradual, not a sudden upheaval of old ideas, lest the remedy should be worse than the disease.

While Schiller was sojourning at Rudolstadt, he became acquainted with Goethe; thus were brought together tw ? o men of exalted genius, but dissimilar in character.

The older poet took an interest in humanity, and was broad and generous in his views. Schiller concentrated pow'er as vast on fewer subjects.

Carlyle says: “Goethe was catholic, Schiller sectarian. One was endowed with a comprehensive spirit, skilled by personal experience in human passion, therefore tolerant, fighting neither formen nor principles. The freedom he allowed himself he accorded to others.

“ Schiller was earnest, enthusiastic, full of Quixotic impulses, feeling intensely because his nature was intense.” To me he seems to have been at odds with himself and the world, because his ideal nature unfitted him to cope successfully w'ith some of the stubborn facts of real life. Another point of difference was their environment. Goethe was then thirty-nine years of age, settled in life. Schiller was twenty-nine, without a fixed destiny. Goethe had traveled in Italy, had studied art, was a brilliant talker, possessed of a vast fund of knowledge and a keen sense of humor, which made his conversation like a display of intellectual pyrotechnics whose brilliancy dazzled and dazed poor Schiller, increasing his natural timidity and constraint.

Schiller thought that Goethe was an egotist, and that no intimacy could be pos­sible. The latter entertained a like unfavorable opinion. Subsequent intercourse caused each to recognize the good in the other. Goethe’s zeal and love for literature made him an invaluable friend to Schiller.

Rousseau says that the best basis on w'hich to build a friendship is: “ Same senti­ments, different opinions.”

May we not claim that the best coin for general circulation are kind words and good actions issued from the mint of a loving heart? The purchasing power of such currency can not be overestimated. Its mighty power was felt by these two great geniuses.

Goethe’s nature was too noble to harbor envy or jealousy, as he beheld his young rival climbing to the intellectual heights which he had gained. Neither did he pose as a patron, but treated Schiller as his friend and equal, until at last they became co-workers, each one assisting and benefiting the other. Schiller was an earnest seeker after truth, a hater of shams and deceit. His aim was to make mankind, happier and better.