f "the Pupils
at Sais," and many of his fragments. He then accompanied him to Halle,
and many hours were peacefully passed in Reichardt's house. His first
conception of Henry of Ofterdingen dates about this time. He had also
already written some of his spiritual songs; they were to make a part
of a hymn book, which he intended to accompany with a volume of
sermons. Besides these labors he was very industrious in the duties of
his office; all his duties were attended to with willingness, and
nothing of however little importance was insignificant to him.

When Tieck, in the autumn of 1799, took up his residence at Jena, and
Frederick Schlegel also dwelt there, Novalis often visited them,
sometimes for a short, and sometimes for a longer time. His eldest
sister was married about this time, and the wedding was celebrated at a
country seat near Jena. After this marriage Novalis lived for a long
time in a lonely place in the golden meadow of Thuringia, at the foot
of the Kyffhauser mountain; and in this solitude he wrote a great part
of Henry of Ofterdingen. His society this year was mostly confined to
that of two men; a brother-in-law of his betrothed, the present General
von Theilman, and the present General von Funk, to whom he had been
introduced by the former. The society of the last-mentioned person was
valuable to him in more than one respect. He made use of his library,
among whose chronicles he, in the spring, first hit upon the traditions
of Ofterdingen; and by means of the excellent biography of the emperor
Frederick the Second, by General von Funk, he became entirely possessed
with lofty ideas concerning that ruler, and determined to represent him
in his romance as a pattern for a king.

In the year 1800, Novalis was again at Weissenfels, whence, on the 23d
of February, he wrote to Tieck,--"My Romance is getting along finely.
About twelve printed sheets are finished. The whole plan is pretty much
laid out in my mind. It will consist of two parts; the first, I hope,
will be finished in three weeks. It contains the basis and introduction
to the second part. The whole may be called an Apotheosis of Poesy.
Henry of Ofterdingen becomes in the first part ripe for a poet, and in
the second part is declared poet. It will in many respects be similar
to Sternbald, except in lightness. However, this want will not probably
be unfavorable to the contents. In every point of view it is a first
attempt, the print of that spirit