Chapter 2

As a scholar, his acquisitions were little superior to those of his unrespected son; and in several points of view the glory of Charlemagne might be extenuated by an analytical dissection. But rejecting a mode of judging equally uncandid and fallacious, we shall find that he possessed in everything that grandeur of conception which distinguishes extraordinary minds. Like Alexander, he seemed born for universal innovation; in a life restlessly active, we see him reforming (S. 78, N. 14, B) the coinage, and establishing the legal divisions of money; gathering about him the learned of every country, founding schools and collecting libraries; interfering, but with the tone of a King, in religious controversies; aiming, though prematurely, at the formation of a naval force; attempting, for the sake of commerce, the magnificent enterprise of uniting (S. 1, N. 3) the Rhine and Danube; and meditating to mould the discordant codes of Roman and barbarian laws into one uniform system.—HALLAM, “THE STUDENT’S MIDDLE AGES.”

Scholar = ‘pupil or schoolboy’ is rendered by +Schüler+; = ‘student’ by +Student+, and = ‘learned man’ by +Gelehrter+. The last sense is applicable here.

acquisitions = knowledge.

superior, +überlegen+, with dat. unrespected = unnoticed.

in many respects, +in mancher Hinsicht+, after which place ‘might’.

be — dissection, +durch eine eingehende Untersuchung geschmälert werden.+

Say ‘But if we reject an equally (+eine ebenso+) partial (+parteiisch+) and (+als+) fallacious (+trügerisch+) mode of judging (+Beurteilungsweise+, f.)’.

Use the gen. of the def. art.

‘mind’, here +Geist+, m.

born = created; ‘universal’, here +weitumfassend.+

innovations = reforms.

=All parts qualifying a noun must be placed before it.=

+Münzsystem+, n.

form a comp. n. according to S. 36, N. 7, A; both nouns are combined in the sing.

Complete the clause by saying: ‘we see him gathering’, etc.,—to gather, +versammeln+; about, +um+; of every country = of all countries.

interfering in religious controversies, +sich mit religiösen Streitigkeiten befassen+; after which place the clause ‘but — King’, and supply ‘always’ after ‘but’; ‘tone’, here = dignity.

This sentence should likewise be introduced by supplying ‘We see him’, after which place ‘though prematurely’ (+zu frühzeitig+); to aim, +streben (nach)+.

Begin this clause with ‘see him’.

for the sake of, +um ... willen+, with Gen.

attempt the magnificent enterprise, +den großartigen Versuch machen.+

and = with the.

+und darauf sinnen.+

the — laws, +die sich widersprechenden römischen und sonstigen Gesetze+; uniform, +einheitlich+; to mould, +verschmelzen.+

Section 129.

GOETHE’S DAILY LIFE AT WEIMAR.