Part 20

It is not a positive line of demarcation, but one which is lost, as it were, "in the soft ether of the evening sky."

Hence the high tide succeeded by the low, the aspiration followed by resignation, the night after the day, death after life, repose after the strife--all this expresses the genius of the German language; and is also expressive of German life and character--its dreaminess, its longing, its desire for the ideal, never to be attained; the abstract, the abstruse; its yearning, its altruism, its transcendentalism, its Weltschmerz (the sadness pervading all nature). It is also expressive of its Begeisterung (an enthusiasm which upon the slightest provocation takes a man almost off his feet). All these are traits of the German national character.

There is no spiritual bond among all these millions that could possibly produce such sentiments and feelings as its result, differing, as they do, from the feelings of any other nation or people, but that of a language common to all.

To prove that the trochaic measure is the one ordained by nature for German expression, it is but necessary to glance at the characteristic words of the preceding verses:

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Wimmelt, Haide, gehen, wehen, drehen, Ranke, haekelt,

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Grenze, jener, Berge, Abend, Wolken, Taenze,

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` strahlen, ihren, eine, Linde, pfeifen, Voegel, Winde,

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` schaurig, singen, traurig.

The same rhythm, though not so obviously expressed, obtains with the words of one syllable:

´` ´` ´` ´` ´ ` ´` ´` Auf, der, Duft, hold, leicht, im, Gold,

´` ´ ` ´` ´ ` ´ ` ´` Grab, steht, lind, suess, ueber's, Moor.

Now compare with this the strength and vigor of English diction, which runs in the precisely opposite direction:

` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ The stag at eve had drunk his fill, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ Where danced the moon on Monan's rill; ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

`´ `´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ And deep his midnight lair had made, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

` ´ ` ´ ` ` ´ ` ´ In lone Glenartney's hazel shade. ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

SCOTT.

` ´ ` ´ ` ´ `´ `´ The day is done, and the darkness ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘

`´ ` ´ ` ` ´ ` ` ´ Falls from the wings of night, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

`´ ` ´ ` ` ´ ` ` ´ ` ´ As a feather is wafted downward ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘

`´ ` `´ ` ´ ` ´ From an eagle in his flight. ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯

LONGFELLOW.

` ` ´ ` `´ `´ `´ ` `´ Oh east is east, and west is west, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

` ´ ` ` ´ ` ´ And never the two shall meet, ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ Till earth and sky stand presently, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

` `´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ At God's great judgment seat. ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ` ´ ` ´ ` ` ´ ` ´ But there is neither east nor west, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

`´ ` ` ´ ` ´ Border, nor breed, nor birth, ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

` ´ `´ `´ ` ´ ` ´ When two strong men stand face to face, ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯