Fichte, in his work "Ueber das Wesen des Gelehrten", gives the literary
man the place of priest in the world, continually unfolding the Godlike
to man. This was also Beethoven's aim. Haydn charged him with being an
atheist, but his works as well as his life refute this charge. The Kyrie
and the Agnus Dei of the Mass in D, could never have been produced had
he been other than a devout, religious man. In his journals he
continually addresses the Godhead. Outwardly, however, he gave no sign.
"Religion and general-bass," he said once, with a touch of humor, "are
in themselves two inscrutable things (_abgeschlossene Dinge_) about
which one should not argue."
He was solicitous that his nephew should receive proper religious
instruction, and made this a point in his letters to the magistrates
while the lawsuit over him was in progress. After giving his ideas as to
the proper education of the young man, in which French, Greek, music and
drawing take a prominent place, he adds, "I have found a holy father who
has undertaken to instruct him in his duties as a Christian, as well as
a man, for only on this foundation can we bring up genuine people.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328