ay
from home, entrusted his education for the most part to his mother, and
to family tutors. The gentleness, meekness, and the pure piety of his
mother's character, as well as the religious habits of both parents,
which naturally extended to the whole household, made the deepest
impression upon his mind; an impression which exerted the happiest
influence upon him throughout his whole life. He now applied himself
diligently to his studies, so that in his twelfth year he had acquired
a pretty thorough knowledge of the Latin language, and some smattering
of Greek. The reading of Poetry was the favorite occupation of his
leisure hours. He was particularly pleased with the higher kind of
fables, and amused himself by composing them and relating them to his
brothers. He was accustomed for several years to act, in concert with
his brothers Erasmus and Charles, a little poetical play, in which they
took the characters of spirits, one of the air, another of the water,
and the other of the earth. On Sunday evenings, Novalis would explain
to them the most wonderful and various appearances and phenomena of
these different realms. There are still in existence some of his poems
written about this period.

He now applied himself too severely to study, especially to history, in
which he took a deep interest. In the year 1789, he entered a
Gymnasium, and in the autumn went to Jena to pursue his studies there.
Here he remained until 1792, and then with his brother Erasmus entered
the University at Leipzig; he left the following year for Wittenberg,
and there finished his studies.

At this time the French war broke out, which not only interrupted his
studies greatly, but which also inspired him suddenly with so great a
desire to enter upon a military life, that the united prayers of his
parents and relations were scarcely able to restrain his wishes.

About this time he became acquainted with Frederick Schlegel, and soon
became his warmest friend; he also gained the friendship of Fichte; and
these two great spirits exerted a powerful and lasting influence upon
his whole life. After applying himself with unwearied ardor to the
sciences, he left Wittenberg for Arnstadt in Thuringia, in order to
accustom himself to practical business with Just, the chief judiciary
of the district. This excellent man soon became one of his nearest
friends. Shortly after his arrival at Arnstadt, he became acquainted
with Sophia von K., who resided at a neig