IhavecarefullycollectedwhateverIhavebeenabletolearnofthestoryofpoorWerther,andherepresentittoyou,knowingthatyouwillthankmeforit.Tohisspiritandcharacteryoucannotrefuseyouradmirationandlove:tohisfateyouwillnotdenyyourtears.
　　Andthou,goodsoul,whosufferestthesamedistressasheenduredonce,drawcomfortfromhissorrows;andletthislittlebookbethyfriend,if,owingtofortuneorthroughthineownfault,thoucanstnotfindadearercompanion.
　　BOOKI
　　MAY4.
　　HowhappyIamthatIamgone!Mydearfriend,whatathingistheheartofman!Toleaveyou,fromwhomIhavebeeninseparable,whomIlovesodearly,andyettofeelhappy!Iknowyouwillforgiveme.Havenototherattachmentsbeenspeciallyappointedbyfatetotormentaheadlikemine?PoorLeonora!andyetIwasnottoblame.Wasitmyfault,that,whilstthepeculiarcharmsofhersisteraffordedmeanagreeableentertainment,apassionformewasengenderedinherfeebleheart?AndyetamIwhollyblameless?DidInotencourageheremotions?DidInotfeelcharmedatthosetrulygenuineexpressionsofnature,which,thoughbutlittlemirthfulinreality,sooftenamusedus?
　　DidInot——butoh!whatisman,thathedaressotoaccusehimself?MydearfriendIpromiseyouIwillimprove;Iwillnolonger,ashaseverbeenmyhabit,continuetoruminateoneverypettyvexationwhichfortunemaydispense;Iwillenjoythepresent,andthepastshallbeformethepast.Nodoubtyouareright,mybestoffriends,therewouldbefarlesssufferingamongstmankind,ifmen——andGodknowswhytheyaresofashioned——didnotemploytheirimaginationssoassiduouslyinrecallingthememoryofpastsorrow,insteadofbearingtheirpresentlotwithequanimity.BekindenoughtoinformmymotherthatIshallattendtoherbusinesstothebestofmyability,andshallgivehertheearliestinformationaboutit.
　　Ihaveseenmyaunt,andfindthatsheisveryfarfrombeingthedisagreeablepersonourfriendsallegehertobe.Sheisalively,cheerfulwoman,withthebestofhearts.Iexplainedtohermymother'swrongswithregardtothatpartofherportionwhichhasbeenwithheldfromher.Shetoldmethemotivesandreasonsofherownconduct,andthetermsonwhichsheiswillingtogiveupthewhole,andtodomorethanwehaveasked.Inshort,Icannotwritefurtheruponthissubjectatpresent;onlyassuremymotherthatallwillgoonwell.AndIhaveagainobserved,mydearfriend,inthistriflingaffair,thatmisunderstandingsandneglectoccasionmoremischiefintheworldthanevenmaliceandwickedness.Atallevents,thetwolatterareoflessfrequentoccurrence.
　　InotherrespectsIamverywelloffhere.Solitudeinthisterrestrialparadiseisagenialbalmtomymind,andtheyoungspringcheerswithitsbounteouspromisesmyoftentimesmisgivingheart.Everytree,everybush,isfullofflowers;andonemightwishhimselftransformedintoabutterfly,tofloataboutinthisoceanofperfume,andfindhiswholeexistenceinit.
　　Thetownitselfisdisagreeable;butthen,allaround,youfindaninexpressiblebeautyofnature.ThisinducedthelateCountMtolayoutagardenononeoftheslopinghillswhichhereintersecteachotherwiththemostcharmingvariety,andformthemostlovelyvalleys.Thegardenissimple;anditiseasytoperceive,evenuponyourfirstentrance,thattheplanwasnotdesignedbyascientificgardener,butbyamanwhowishedtogivehimselfupheretotheenjoymentofhisownsensitiveheart.ManyatearhaveIalreadyshedtothememoryofitsdepartedmasterinasummer-housewhichisnowreducedtoruins,butwashisfavouriteresort,andnowismine.Ishallsoonbemasteroftheplace.Thegardenerhasbecomeattachedtomewithinthelastfewdays,andhewilllosenothingthereby.
　　MAY10.
　　Awonderfulserenityhastakenpossessionofmyentiresoul,likethesesweetmorningsofspringwhichIenjoywithmywholeheart.Iamalone,andfeelthecharmofexistenceinthisspot,whichwascreatedfortheblissofsoulslikemine.Iamsohappy,mydearfriend,soabsorbedintheexquisitesenseofmeretranquilexistence,thatIneglectmytalents.Ishouldbeincapableofdrawingasinglestrokeatthepresentmoment;andyetIfeelthatIneverwasagreaterartistthannow.When,whilethelovelyvalleyteemswithvapouraroundme,andthemeridiansunstrikestheuppersurfaceoftheimpenetrablefoliageofmytrees,andbutafewstraygleamsstealintotheinnersanctuary,Ithrowmyselfdownamongthetallgrassbythetricklingstream;and,asIlieclosetotheearth,athousandunknownplantsarenoticedbyme:whenIhearthebuzzofthelittleworldamongthestalks,andgrowfamiliarwiththecountlessindescribableformsoftheinsectsandflies,thenIfeelthepresenceoftheAlmighty,whoformedusinhisownimage,andthebreathofthatuniversallovewhichbearsandsustainsus,asitfloatsaroundusinaneternityofbliss;andthen,myfriend,whendarknessoverspreadsmyeyes,andheavenandearthseemtodwellinmysoulandabsorbitspower,liketheformofabelovedmistress,thenIoftenthinkwithlonging,Oh,wouldIcoulddescribetheseconceptions,couldimpressuponpaperallthatislivingsofullandwarmwithinme,thatitmightbethemirrorofmysoul,asmysoulisthemirroroftheinfiniteGod!Omyfriend——butitistoomuchformystrength——Isinkundertheweightofthesplendourofthesevisions!
　　MAY12.
　　Iknownotwhethersomedeceitfulspiritshauntthisspot,orwhetheritbethewarm,celestialfancyinmyownheartwhichmakeseverythingaroundmeseemlikeparadise.Infrontofthehouseisafountain,——afountaintowhichIamboundbyacharmlikeMelusinaandhersisters.Descendingagentleslope,youcometoanarch,where,sometwentystepslowerdown,wateroftheclearestcrystalgushesfromthemarblerock.Thenarrowwallwhichenclosesitabove,thetalltreeswhichencirclethespot,andthecoolnessoftheplaceitself,——everythingimpartsapleasantbutsublimeimpression.NotadaypassesonwhichIdonotspendanhourthere.Theyoungmaidenscomefromthetowntofetchwater,——innocentandnecessaryemployment,andformerlytheoccupationofthedaughtersofkings.AsItakemyrestthere,theideaoftheoldpatriarchallifeisawakenedaroundme.Iseethem,ouroldancestors,howtheyformedtheirfriendshipsandcontractedalliancesatthefountain-side;andIfeelhowfountainsandstreamswereguardedbybeneficentspirits.Hewhoisastrangertothesesensationshasneverreallyenjoyedcoolreposeatthesideofafountainafterthefatigueofawearysummerday.
　　MAY13.
　　Youaskifyoushallsendmebooks.Mydearfriend,Ibeseechyou,fortheloveofGod,relievemefromsuchayoke!Ineednomoretobeguided,agitated,heated.Myheartfermentssufficientlyofitself.Iwantstrainstolullme,andIfindthemtoperfectioninmyHomer.OftendoIstrivetoallaytheburningfeverofmyblood;andyouhaveneverwitnessedanythingsounsteady,souncertain,asmyheart.ButneedIconfessthistoyou,mydearfriend,whohavesooftenenduredtheanguishofwitnessingmysuddentransitionsfromsorrowtoimmoderatejoy,andfromsweetmelancholytoviolentpassions?Itreatmypoorheartlikeasickchild,andgratifyitseveryfancy.Donotmentionthisagain:therearepeoplewhowouldcensuremeforit.
　　MAY15.
　　Thecommonpeopleoftheplaceknowmealready,andloveme,particularlythechildren.WhenatfirstIassociatedwiththem,andinquiredinafriendlytoneabouttheirvarioustrifles,somefanciedthatIwishedtoridiculethem,andturnedfrommeinexceedingill-humour.Ididnotallowthatcircumstancetogrieveme:IonlyfeltmostkeenlywhatIhaveoftenbeforeobserved.Personswhocanclaimacertainrankkeepthemselvescoldlyalooffromthecommonpeople,asthoughtheyfearedtolosetheirimportancebythecontact;whilstwantonidlers,andsuchasarepronetobadjoking,affecttodescendtotheirlevel,onlytomakethepoorpeoplefeeltheirimpertinenceallthemorekeenly.
　　Iknowverywellthatwearenotallequal,norcanbeso;butitismyopinionthathewhoavoidsthecommonpeople,inordernottolosetheirrespect,isasmuchtoblameasacowardwhohideshimselffromhisenemybecausehefearsdefeat.
　　TheotherdayIwenttothefountain,andfoundayoungservant-girl,whohadsetherpitcherontheloweststep,andlookedaroundtoseeifoneofhercompanionswasapproachingtoplaceitonherhead.Irandown,andlookedather."ShallIhelpyou,prettylass?"saidI.Sheblusheddeeply."Oh,sir!"sheexclaimed."Noceremony!"Ireplied.Sheadjustedherhead-gear,andIhelpedher.Shethankedme,andascendedthesteps.
　　MAY17.
　　Ihavemadeallsortsofacquaintances,buthaveasyetfoundnosociety.IknownotwhatattractionIpossessforthepeople,somanyofthemlikeme,andattachthemselvestome;andthenIfeelsorrywhentheroadwepursuetogethergoesonlyashortdistance.Ifyouinquirewhatthepeoplearelikehere,Imustanswer,"Thesameaseverywhere."Thehumanraceisbutamonotonousaffair.Mostofthemlabourthegreaterpartoftheirtimeformeresubsistence;andthescantyportionoffreedomwhichremainstothemsotroublesthemthattheyuseeveryexertiontogetridofit.Oh,thedestinyofman!
　　Buttheyarearightgoodsortofpeople.IfIoccasionallyforgetmyself,andtakepartintheinnocentpleasureswhicharenotyetforbiddentothepeasantry,andenjoymyself,forinstance,withgenuinefreedomandsincerity,roundawell-coveredtable,orarrangeanexcursionoradanceopportunely,andsoforth,allthisproducesagoodeffectuponmydisposition;onlyImustforgetthatthereliedormantwithinmesomanyotherqualitieswhichmoulderuselessly,andwhichIamobligedtokeepcarefullyconcealed.Ah!thisthoughtaffectsmyspiritsfearfully.Andyettobemisunderstoodisthefateofthelikeofus.
　　Alas,thatthefriendofmyyouthisgone!Alas,thatIeverknewher!Imightsaytomyself,"Youareadreamertoseekwhatisnottobefoundherebelow."Butshehasbeenmine.Ihavepossessedthatheart,thatnoblesoul,inwhosepresenceIseemedtobemorethanIreallywas,becauseIwasallthatIcouldbe.Goodheavens!didthenasinglepowerofmysoulremainunexercised?InherpresencecouldInotdisplay,toitsfullextent,thatmysteriousfeelingwithwhichmyheartembracesnature?Wasnotourintercourseaperpetualwebofthefinestemotions,ofthekeenestwit,thevarietiesofwhich,evenintheirveryeccentricity,borethestampofgenius?Alas!thefewyearsbywhichshewasmyseniorbroughthertothegravebeforeme.NevercanIforgetherfirmmindorherheavenlypatience.
　　AfewdaysagoImetacertainyoungV——,afrank,openfellow,withamostpleasingcountenance.Hehasjustlefttheuniversity,doesnotdeemhimselfoverwise,butbelievesheknowsmorethanotherpeople.Hehasworkedhard,asIcanperceivefrommanycircumstances,and,inshort,possessesalargestockofinformation.
　　WhenheheardthatIamdrawingagooddeal,andthatIknowGreektwowonderfulthingsforthispartofthecountry,hecametoseeme,anddisplayedhiswholestoreoflearning,fromBatteauxtoWood,fromDePilestoWinkelmann:heassuredmehehadreadthroughthefirstpartofSultzer'stheory,andalsopossessedamanuscriptofHeyne'sworkonthestudyoftheantique.Ialloweditalltopass.Ihavebecomeacquainted,also,withaveryworthyper...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：

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