Over the past ten years or so, nearly all of Novalis’ “philosophical” writings have appeared in new and very good English translations. This has led to a reassessment of Novalis in the English-speaking world, with the picture of a poetic, otherworldly mystic being replaced by a not-yet-mature but serious systematic thinker who was on his way to making a major contribution to the Idealist philosophical movement. While both images of Novalis contain truth, the philosopher Novalis is now in danger of eclipsing the poet and mystic. It is the latter that has always interested me the most, and it is his mystical and poetic work that strikes me as most well-developed and mature. To paraphrase Tagore, I respect the philosophical Novalis, but it is the poet in him that I love.
Fern im Osten wird es helle,
Graue Zeiten werden jung;
Aus der lichten Farbenquelle
Einen langen tiefen Trunk!
Alter Sehnsucht heilige Gewährung,
Süße Lieb in göttlicher Verklärung!
Graue Zeiten werden jung;
Aus der lichten Farbenquelle
Einen langen tiefen Trunk!
Alter Sehnsucht heilige Gewährung,
Süße Lieb in göttlicher Verklärung!
--Novalis, Geistliche Leider
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