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Full Title
The auto-biography of Goethe. Truth and poetry: from my own life. The concluding books. Also letters from Switzerland, and travels in Italy. Translated by the Rev. A. J. W. Morrison, M.A. [Volume II.]
Author
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832. Morrison, A. J. W. (Alexander James William), 1806-1865.
Date Added
8 January 2014
Language
English
Publish Date
1849
Publisher
London: Henry G. Bohn.
Source
Berkshire Athenaeum Books.
Topic
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832 > Travel > Switzerland. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749-1832 > Travel > Italy. Switzerland > Description and travel. Italy > Description and travel.
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OCR
ROME—ARCHENHOL2’S ITALY. 869
Co Rome, Dec. 1, 1786.
Here in Rome, where one sees ‘so many strangers, all of
whom do not visit this capital of the world merely for the
sake of the fine arts, but also for amusements of every kind,
the people are prepared for everything. Accordingly, they
have invented and attained great excellence in certain half
arts which require for their pursuit little more than manual
skill and pleasure in such handiwork, and which consequently
attract the interest of ordinary visitors.
Among these is the art of painting in wax. Requir-
ing little more than tolerable skill in water-colouring, it
serves as an amusement to employ one’s time in preparing
and adapting the wax, and then in burning it, and in such like
mechanical labours. Skilful artists give lessons in the art, and,
under the pretext of showing their pupils how to perform
their tasks, do the chief part of the work themselves, so that
_ when at last the figure stands out in bright relief in the
gilded frame, the fair disciple is ravished with the proof of
her unconscious talent.
Another pretty. occupation is, with a very fine clay, to take
impressions of cameos cut in deep relief. This is also done in
the case of medallions, both sides of which are thus copied at
once. More tact, attention, and diligence is required, lastly,
for preparation of the glass-paste for mock jewels. For all
these things Hofrath Reiffenstein has the necessary workshops
and laboratories either in his house, or close at hand.
Dec. 2, 1786.
I have accidentally found here Anhenholtz’s Italy. A
work written .on the spot, in so contracted and narrow-
minded a spirit as this, is just as if one were to lay a book
purposely on the coals, in order that it might be browned and
blackened, and its leaves curled up and disfigured with smoke.
No doubt he has seen all that he writes about, but he pos-
sesses far too little of real knowledge to support his high pre-
tensions and sneering tone ; and whether he praises or blames,
he is always in the wrong.
Vor. Il. 2B
A
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