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The Sorrows of Young Werther
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J.W. von Goethe Thomas Carlyle and R.D. Boylan Edited by Nathen Haskell
Dole PREFACE I have carefully collected whatever I have been able to learn
of the story of poor Werther， and here present it to you ， knowing that
you will thank me for it. To his spirit and character you cannot refuse
your admiration and love： to his fate you will not deny your tears.
And thou， good soul， who sufferest the same distress as he endured
once， draw comfort from his sorrows； and let this little book be thy
friend， if ， owing to fortune or through thine own fault， thou canst
not find a dearer companion.
BOOK I
MAY 4. How happy I am that I am gone！ My dear friend ， what a thing
is the heart of man ！ To leave you ， from whom I have been inseparable，
whom I love so dearly ， and yet to feel happy！ I know you will forgive
me. Have not other attachments been specially appointed by fate to torment
a head like mine？ Poor Leonora ！ and yet I was not to blame. Was it
my fault， that ， whilst the peculiar charms of her sister afforded me
an agreeable entertainment， a passion for me was engendered in her feeble
heart ？ And yet am I wholly blameless？ Did I not encourage her emotions？
Did I not feel charmed at those truly genuine expressions of nature ，
which ， though but little mirthful in reality， so often amused us ？
Did I not —— but oh ！ what is man， that he dares so to accuse himself？
My dear friend I promise you I will improve ； I will no longer ， as
has ever been my habit， continue to ruminate on every petty vexation
which fortune may dispense； I will enjoy the present ， and the past
shall be for me the past. No doubt you are right， my best of friends ，
there would be far less suffering amongst mankind ， if men —— and God
knows why they are so fashioned —— did not employ their imaginations
so assiduously in recalling the memory of past sorrow ， instead of bearing
their present lot with equanimity. Be kind enough to inform my mother
that I shall attend to her business to the best of my ability ， and shall
give her the earliest information about it. I have seen my aunt ， and
find that she is very far from being the disagreeable person our friends
allege her to be. She is a lively ， cheerful woman ， with the best of
hearts. I explained to her my mother’s wrongs with regard to that part
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