Chapter 1

Passing through an ante-chamber, where, in cupboards, stand his mineralogical collections, we enter (App. § 14) the study, a low-roofed, narrow room (+Gemach+, n.), somewhat dark (S. 128, N. 11), for it is (S. 2, N. 1) lighted only through two tiny windows, and furnished with a simplicity quite touching to behold.

In the centre stands a plain oval table of unpolished oak. No arm-chair is to be seen, no sofa, nothing which (S. 3, N. 7) speaks of comfort. A plain hard chair has beside it the basket in which he used to place his handkerchief. Against the wall, on the right, is a long pear-tree table, with book-shelves, on which stand lexicons and manuals. Here hangs a pincushion, venerable in dust, with the visiting-cards, and other trifles which death had made sacred. Here also a medallion of Napoleon, with this circumscription: “Scilicet immenso superest ex nomine multum.” On the side-wall again, a book-case, with some works of poets. On the wall to the left is a long desk of soft wood, at which he was wont to write. A sheet of paper with notes of contemporary history is fastened near the door, and behind this door tables of music and geology.

and — behold = and is (+ist+) furnished with an almost (+fast+) touching simplicity.

middle.

+Eichenholz+, n.; the oak = oak-tree, is rendered by +Eiche+, f., or +Eichbaum+, m.

speaks = points to; to point to a thing, +auf etwas deuten+.

has beside it = stands beside.

used to place, +zu legen pflegte+. ‘=To use=’, when employed transitively, is generally rendered by +brauchen+, +gebrauchen+, +benutzen+, +an´wenden+, and +verbrauchen+, whilst intransitively it is rendered by +pflegen+ or +gewohnt sein+, in the sense of ‘to be accustomed to’, ‘to be in the habit of’, ‘to be wont to do’.

Against = on; on (or to) the right, +rechts+; on (or to) the left, +links+.

+ein langer Tisch von Birnbaumholz.+

in dust = through its age.

which — sacred, +die durch den Tod geheiligt sind+.

Insert ‘is’ or ‘hangs’.

this = the.

Scilicet — multum, Little honour is derived from a great name.

at, +an+.

+über die+ (or +aus der+) +Tagesgeschichte+.

+in der Nähe der Thür+; to fasten, +an´heften.+

+an+; supply ‘hang’ after ‘door’.

+musikalische und geologische Tabellen.+

Section 130.

GOETHE’S DAILY LIFE AT WEIMAR.