A Late Night with Schelling

In his introduction to Ideen, Schelling writes,
"Nature is visible Spirit; Spirit is invisible Nature."

Hmmm, coming from the perspective of the Thomists gratias perfecit naturam (Grace perfects Nature), I'm intrigued as to the relations between the Spirit and Nature in regards to Grace. Schelling, you may have dissolved a dichotomy I didn't know I had, I don't know. It's 3 AM. We'll see in the morning.

Though I certainly did like, "Der Anfang und das Ende aller Philosophie ist - Freiheit."
("The Beginning and End of all Philosohpy is Freedom").

Much Work to Do

Considering my diligent working through Hesse and my reading spontaneously dropped German phrases in theological and philosophical contexts, I think my German is coming along blessedly. But today I decided to let my introduce my Theological Major (advanced in years and reading) to my newly sprouting German Minor (still finding its way through the world) by introducing him to Hans, only to exclaim has I have done previously, that Hans, You've Done it Again!

I've been reading a lot of Hans Urs von Balthasar over my Spring Break (a couple articles or chapters a day) especially in his views on eschatology. I've been increasingly perturbed by the allusions of these theologians to his dissertation ,,Geschichte des eschatologischen Problems in der modernen deutschen Literatur'' (History of the Eschatological Problems in Modern German Literature). I've read so many quotes from it, but have searching in vain today and yesterday in finding it online . . . until now.
Why did I not think to look at Johannes Verlag (John's Publisher) for John's Dissertation? I found it here and hungrily began reading the abstract at the bottom, only to find my German vocab still has a long way to go before devouring the 270 Seiten (page) work. This self-inflicted theo-germanistic ass-kicking can be mine for the low-low price of 18 Euros. I'll keep my eyes peeled in Tübingen. This labor seems incredibly daunting, but for now its a labor a love, and a great theologian once said "Love Alone is Credible."

Heres my vocab from the abstract . . .

greifen (griff, gegriffen): to grab (er grieft)
enthüllen (enthüllte, enthüllt): to disclose
verbergen (verbarg, verborgen): to burry
beichte (beichtete, beichtet): to confess
jmdn. berufen (berieft, berufen): to appoint someone
etw. berufen: to convene something
fassen (faßte, gefaßt): to accomodate, conceive, believe, hold . . . oh fassen, wait til we put some prefixes on you.
ausführen (führte aus, ausgeführt): to accomplish
etw. vermögen (vermochte, vermocht/vermögen): to be able to do something
beanspruchen (beanspruchte, beansprucht): to claim, stress,
heranreifen (heifte heran, herangereift): to mature
vorwitzig: meddlesome
erstaunlich: amazing, astonishing
uferlos: shoreless
zähmbar: tamable
die Haltung: attitude
der Anlauf: attempt
die Erläuterung: commentary/explanation
die Fülle: abundance
das Zeugnis: the attestation, credentials pl., testimony
mangels + Gen.: for want of

Hesse: Im Presselschen Gartenhaus

So with my studies in Tübingen 24 days away, I've decided to read a short story by one of Tübingen's most famous alums: Herman Hesse, the author of Steppenwolf, The Magic Mountain, and Siddartha. I've read Siddartha and loved the sparce and delicate language used by this German to illustrate a beautiful Asian atmosphere. Now I wanted to see what he would do with his alma mater of Tübingen.

Im Presselschen Gartenhaus is a short story that takes place in Tübingen in the shadow to the world-reknown seminary (das Stift) with detailed descriptions of the surrounding landscape (umliegende Lanschaft). Is there any better story for me to read? I mean really.

I found this sentence* in the first couple pages especially captivating. He tacks simple elaborative clauses (sometimes 3 or 4 at a time) on to objects in order to offer different shades of perspective (die Wahrnehmung). The shades are not complex in themselves, but taken as a whole, Hesse gives his world layers of interpretation. What results is a cadanced language with the simplicity of Hemmingway paired with the meandering quality of Kerouac, I think. I hope you enjoy it . . .

Wie eine bereitstehende Salzlösung oder ein kaltes, stilles Wintergewässer nur einer leisen Berührung bedarf, um plötzlich in Kristallen zusammenzuschießen und gebannt zu erstarren, so war mit jenem Schwalbenfluge dem jungen Dichtergemüt plötzlich der Neckar, die grüne Zeile der stillen Baumwipfel und die schwachdunstige Berglandschaft dahinter zu einem verklärten und geläuterten Bild erstarrt, das mit der erhobenen, feierlich milden Stimme einer höheren, dichterischen Wirklichkeit zu seinen zarten Sinnen sprach.

(This is Tübingen and the Neckar river running through it.)

This is a clunky translation of my own doing** . . .

"Like a ready-standing salt solution or a cold still wintery pond, needing only a quiet touch, which is suddenly beaten into crystals and banished to freeze, so it was to the young poetic mind with those swallow flights suddenly to the Neckar; the green silhouette of the still tree tops and the weakly hazy mountain countryside behind it, to a transfigured and cleansed picture solidified, speaking with the uplifted cheerful mild voice of a higher more poetic reality to his delicate senses."


*Yes that's just one sentence.
**It wasn't that hard to read in German, but trying to put it into English was a pain. I have a new found respect for translators.