27 May–2 June 1839

There is no history. There is only Biogra- phy. The attempt to perpetrate, to fix a thought or principle, fails continually. You can only live for yourself; your action is good only whilst it is alive, — whilst it is in you. The awkward imitation of it by your child or your disciple is not a repetition of it, is not the same thing, but another thing. The new individual must work out the whole problem of science, letters and theology for himself ; can owe his fathers nothing. There is no history ; only biography.

The laws, literature, religion, at certain times appear but a sad travestie and caricature of na- ture, and so do our modes of living.

'T is pity we should leave with the children all the romance, all that is daintiest in life, and reserve for ourselves as we grow old only the prose. Goethe fell in love in his old age, and I would never lose the capacity of delicate and noble sentiments.