polished court-lady, frightened me; for I now
thought all my labour was to prove in vain; the objects, and the way
of handling them, to which I had been exercising all my powers,
appeared as if defaced and set aside. And what grieved me still more
was, that all the friends connected with me, Heinrich Meyer and
Moritz, as well as their fellow-artists Tischbein and Bury, seemed in
danger of the like contagion. I was much hurt. Had it been possible, I
would have abandoned the study of creative art, and the practice of
poetry altogether; for where was the prospect of surpassing those
performances of genial worth and wild form, in the qualities which
recommended them? Conceive my situation. It had been my object and my
task to cherish and impart the purest exhibitions of poetic art; and
here was I hemmed in between Ardinghello and Franz von Moor!

'It happened also about this time that Moritz returned from Italy, and
stayed with me awhile; during which, he violently confirmed himself
and me in these persuasions. I avoided Schiller, who was now at
Weimar, in my neighbourhood. The appearance of _Don Carlos_ was not
calculated to approximate us; the attempts of our common friends I
resisted; and thus we still continued to go on our way apart.'

By degrees, however, both parties found that they had been mistaken.
The course of accidents brought many things to light, which had been
hidden; the true character of each became unfolded more and more
completely to the other; and the cold, measured tribute of respect was
on both sides animated and exalted by feelings of kindness, and
ultimately of affection. Ere long, Schiller had by gratifying proofs
discovered that 'this Goethe was a very worthy man;' and Goethe, in
his love of genius, and zeal for the interests of literature, was
performing for Schiller the essential duties of a friend, even while
his personal repugnance continued unabated.

A strict similarity of characters is not necessary, or perhaps very
favourable, to friendship. To render it complete, each party must no
doubt be competent to understand the other; both must be possessed of
dispositions kindred in their great lineaments: but the pleasure of
comparing our ideas and emotions is heightened, when there is
'likeness in unlikeness.' _The same sentiments, different opinions_,
Rousseau conceives to be the best material of friendship: reciprocity
of kind words and actions is more effectual than all. Luther loved
Mela