1. From James Marshall, mainly about Eckermann. Marshall said that his earlier letter “may have been ill-conceived and worse
expressed. If so—and if it has, in the smallest degree lessened your esteem for him, it will always be a source of self-reproach
to me.” He had meant to speak frankly but favorably. “No doubt you must be sufficiently plagued and pestered on all hands.
This is a kind of moral tax, which is usually levied on such men as you,—it being so natural for the weak to fly for refuge
to the strong. But you must not be too impatient when such men as Eckermann apply to you. Depend upon it, such men do not often come to you on such an errand.” Neuberg's trans. of Heroes “succeeds in Germany beyond anything of yours, which has yet appeared here. The translation is amazingly well-done—not a
tint or shade of the original lost. The Grand-Maréchal of our Court … read the lecture on … Luther, the other evening, to
a select circle invited to his house for the nonce. Nothing could exceed the attention and interest it excited.— I was asked
if it were really and truly the case that you had extemporized those lectures. I answered that I had been told you had, but
that I could scarce believe it possible. I promised, however, to enquire more particularly;—and now beg you would put an end
to our doubts on the subject.”
