ItwasfallingnightwhentheyreachedWeimar，wheretheyfoundatthestationaprovisionofomnibusesfarbeyondthehotelaccommodations。
TheydrovefirsttotheCrown-Prince，whichwasinapromisingstateofreparation，butwhichforthepresentcouldonlywelcomethemtoanapartmentwhereacanvascurtaincutthemofffromafreshlyplasteredwall。Thelandlorddeploredthefact，andsenthospitablyouttotryandplacethemattheElephant。ButtheElephantwasfull，andtheRussianCourtwasfulltoo。ThenthelandlordoftheCrown-Princebethoughthimselfofanewhotel，ofthesecondclass，indeed，butverynice，wheretheymightgetrooms，andafterthedelayofanhour，theygotacarriageanddroveawayfromtheCrown-Prince，wherethelandlordcontinuedtothelastasbenevolentasiftheyhadbeenaprofitinsteadofalosstohim。
Thestreetsofthetownatnineo’clockwereemptyandquiet，andtheyinstantlyfelttheacademicqualityoftheplace。Throughthepalenighttheycouldseethatthearchitecturewasoftheclassicsentimentwhichtheyweredestinedtofeelmoreandmore；atonepointtheycaughtafleetingglimpseoftwofigureswithclaspedhandsandhalfembraced，whichtheyknewforthestatuesofGoetheandSchiller；andwhentheymountedtotheirroomsattheGrand-DukeofSaxe-Weimar，theypassedunderafrescorepresentingGoetheandfourotherworld-famouspoets，Shakspere，Milton，Tasso，andSchiller。ThepoetsalllookedlikeGermans，aswasjust，andGoethewasnaturallychiefamongthem；hemarshalledtheimmortalsontheirway，andSchillerbroughtuptherearandkeptthemfromgoingastrayinanElysiumwheretheydidnotspeakthelanguage。Fortherest，thehotelwasbrand-new，ofaquiteAmericanfreshness，andwaspervadedbyasweetsmellasofstrawmatting，andprovidedwithsteam-radiators。InthesenseofitshomelikenesstheMarchesboastedthattheywerenevergoingawayfromit。
Inthemorningtheydiscoveredthattheirwindowslookedoutonthegrand-ducalmuseum，withagardenedspacebeforeandbelowitsclassicisticbulk，where，inawhimoftheweather，thegayflowerswerefullofsun。Inapleasantillusionoftakingitunawares，Marchstrolledupthroughthetown；butWeimarwasasmuchawakeatthathourasatanyofthetwenty-four，andthetranquillityofitsstreets，whereheencounteredafewpassersseveralblocksapart，wastheirhabitualmood。Hecamepromptlyupontwoobjectswhichhewouldwillinglyhaveshunned：a’denkmal’oftheFranco-Germanwar，notsofuriouslybadasmostGermanmonuments，butantipatheticanduninteresting，asallpatrioticmonumentsare；andawoman-and-dogteam。Intheshockfromthishewassensiblethathehadnotseenanywoman-and-dogteamsforsometime，andhewonderedbywhatcivicorethnicinfluencestheirdistributionwassocontrolledthattheyshouldhaveaboundedinHamburg，Leipsic，andCarlsbad，andwhollyceasedinNuremberg，Ansbach，andWurzburg，toreappearagaininWeimar，thoughtheyseemedascharacteristicofallGermanyastheuglydenkmalstohervictoriesoverFrance。
TheGoetheandSchillermonumentwhichhehadglimpsedthenightbeforewascharacteristictoo，butlessoffensivelyso。Germanstatuesatthebestareconscious；andthepoet-pair，astheinscriptioncallsthem，havetheairofshowilyconfrontingposteritywiththeirclaspedhands，andofbeingonlypartiallyraptfromthespectators。ButtheyweremoreunconsciousthananyotherGermanstatuesthatMarchhadseen，andhequelledadesiretoaskGoethe，ashestoodwithhishandonSchiller’sshoulder，andlookedserenelyintospacefaraboveoneofthetypicalequipagesofhiscountry，whathethoughtofthatsortofthing。ButuponreflectionhedidnotknowwhyGoetheshouldbeheldpersonallyresponsiblefortheexistenceofthewoman-and-dogteam。HefeltthathemightmorereasonablyattributetohistastetheprevalenceofclassicprofileswhichhebegantonoteintheWeimarpopulace。ThiscouldbeasympatheticeffectofthatpassionfortheantiquewhichthepoetbroughtbackwithhimfromhissojourninItaly；thoughmanyofthepeople，especiallythechildren，werebow-legged。Perhapstheantiquehad：begunintheirfaces，andhadnotyetgotdowntotheirlegs；inanycasetheywerecharmingchildren，andasatestoftheirculture，hehadamindtoaskalittlegirlifshecouldtellhimwherethestatueofHerderwas，whichhethoughthemightaswelltakeinonhisramble，andsobedonewithasmanystatuesashecould。Sheansweredwithaprettyregretinhertendervoice，“ThatItrulycannot。”andhewasmoresatisfiedthanifshecould，forhethoughtitbettertobeachildandhonest，thantoknowwhereanyGermanstatuewas。
HeeasilyfounditforhimselfintheplacewhichiscalledtheHerderPlatzafterit。HewentintothePeterandPaulChurchthere；whereHerderusedtopreachsermons，sometimesnotatalllikedbythenobilityandgentryfortheirrevolutionarytendency；thesovereignwasshieldedfromtheworsteffectsofhisdoctrinebyworshippingapartfromothersinnersinaglazedgallery。Herderisburiedinthechurch，andwhenyouaskwhere，thesacristanliftsawoodentrap-doorinthepavement，andyouthinkyouaregoingdownintothecrypt，butyouareonlytoseeHerder’smonumentalstone，whichiskeptcoveredsotosaveitfrompassingfeet。HerealsoisthegreatestpictureofthatgreatsoulLukeKranach，whohadsincerityenoughinhispainingtoatoneforalltheswellingGermansculpturesintheworld。Itisacrucifixion，andthecrossisofawhitebirchlog，suchasmighthavebeencutoutoftheWeimarwoods，shavedsmoothonthesides，withthebarkshowingattheedges。Kranachhasputhimselfamongthespectators，andastreamofbloodfromthesideoftheSaviorfallsinbaptismuponthepainter’shead。HeisinthecompanyofJohntheBaptistandMartinLuther；LutherstandswithhisBibleopen，andhisfingerontheline，“ThebloodofJesuscleansethus。”
Partlybecausehefeltguiltyatdoingallthesethingswithouthiswife，andpartlybecausehewasnowveryhungry，Marchturnedfromthemandgotbacktohishotel，whereshewaslookingoutforhimfromtheiropenwindow。Shehadtheairofbeinglongdomesticatedthere，asshelaugheddownatseeinghimcome；andthecontinuedbrilliancyoftheweatheraddedtotheillusionofhome。
ItwaslikeadayoflatespringinItalyorAmerica；thesuninthatgardenedhollowbeforethemuseumwasalreadyhotenoughtomakehimgladoftheshelterofthehotel。Thesummerseemedtohavecomebacktoobligethem，andwhentheylearnedthattheyweretoseeWeimarinafestivemoodbecausethiswasSedanDay，theircuriosity，ifnottheirsympathy，acceptedthechancegratefully。Buttheywerealmostmovedtowishthatthewarhadgoneotherwisewhentheylearnedthatallthepubliccarriageswereengaged，andtheymusthaveonefromastableiftheywishedtodriveafterbreakfast。Stillitwasofferedthemforsuchamodestnumberofmarks，andtheirdriverprovedsofriendlyandconversable，thattheyassentedtothecourseofhistory，andweremoreandmorereconciledastheybowledalongthroughthegrand-ducalparkbesidethewatersoftheclassicIlm。
ThewatersoftheclassicIlmaresluggishandslimyinplaces，andinplacesclearandbrooklike，butalwaysadulldarkgreenincolor。Theyflowintheshadowofpensivetrees，andbythebrinksofsunnymeadows，wheretheafter-mathwandersinheavywindrows，andthechildrensportjoyouslyoverthesmooth-mownsurfacesinallthefreedomthatthereisinGermany。Atlast，afterimmemorialappropriationtheownersoftheearthareeverywhereexpropriated，andthepeoplecomeintothepleasureifnottheprofitofit。Atlast，theprince，theknight，thenoblefinds，asinhisturntheplutocratwillfind，thathispropertyisnotforhim，butforall；andthatthenationistoenjoywhathetakesfromitandvainlythinkstokeepfromit。Parks，pleasaunces，gardens，setapartforkings，aretheplay-groundsofthelandlesspoorintheOldWorld，andperhapsyieldthesweetestjoyofprivilegetosomestate-sickruler，someworld-wearyprincess，somelonelychildborntothesolitudeofsovereignty，astheyeachlookdownfromtheirpalacewindowsupontheleisureofoverworktakingitslittleholidayamidstbeautyvainlycreatedfortheperpetualfestivaloftheiremptylives。
MarchsmiledtothinkthatinthisveryWeimar，wheresovereigntyhadgracedandennobleditselfasnowhereelseintheworldbythecompanionshipoflettersandthearts，theystillwerenothurryingfirsttoseethepalaceofaprince，butwereinvoluntarilymakingitsecondtothecottageofapoet。ButinfactitisGoethewhoisforevertheprinceinWeimar。Hisgreatnessblotsoutitshistory，hisnamefillsthecity；thethoughtofhimisitschiefestimitationandlargesthospitality。Thetravellersremembered，aboveallotherfactsofthegrand-ducalpark，thatitwastherehefirstmetChristianeVulpius，beautifulandyoung，whenhetoowasbeautifulandyoung，andtookherhometobehislove，tothejustandlastingdispleasureofFranvonStein，whowasevenlessreconciledwhen，aftereighteenyearsofduereflection，theloveofGoetheandChristianebecametheirmarriage。
They，wonderedjustwhereitwashesawtheyounggirlcomingtomeethimastheGrand-Duke’sministerwithanoffice-seekingpetitionfromherbrother，Goethe’sbrotherauthor，longfamedandlongforgottenforhisromantictaleof“RinaldoRinaldini。”
Theyhadindeednogreatmind，intheirAmericanrespectability，forthatrathermatter-of-factanddeliberateliaison，andlittleastheirsympathywasforthepassionlessintellectualintriguewiththeFrauvonStein，itcastnohaloofsentimentabouttheGoethecottagetosupposethattherehislove-lifewithChristianebegan。Mrs。Marchevenresentedthefact，andwhenshelearnedlaterthatitwasnotthefactatall，sheremoveditfromherassociationswiththeprettyplacealmostindignantly。
InspiteofourfacileandmultipledivorcesweAmericansareworshipersofmarriage，andifagreatpoet，theministerofaprince，isgoingtomarryapoorgirl，wethinkhehadbetternotwaittilltheirsonisalmostofage。Mrs。MarchwouldnotacceptasextenuatingcircumstancestheGrand-Duke’sgodfatherhood，orGoethe’sopenconstancytoChristiane，orthetardyconsecrationoftheirunionaftertheFrenchsackof，Weimar，whenthegirl’sdevotionhadsavedhimfromtherudenessofthemaraudingsoldiers。ForherNewEnglandsoultherewerenodegreesinsuchguilt；and，perhapstherearereallynotsomanyaspeoplehavetriedtothink，intheirdeferencetoGoethe’sgreatness。Butcertainlytheaffairwasnotsosimpleforagrand-ducalministerofworld-widerenown，andhemightwellhavefeltitsdifficulties，forhecouldnothavebeenproofagainstthecensoriouspublicopinionofWeimar，ortheyetmorecensoriousprivateopinionofFranvonStein。
OnthatlovelyItalo-AmericanmorningnoghostoftheseolddeadembarrassmentslingeredwithinorwithouttheGoethegarden-house。
Thetreeswhichthepoethimselfplantedflungasun-shotshadowuponit，andaboutitsfeetbaskedagardenofsimpleflowers，fromwhichthesweetlamegirlwholimpedthroughtheroomsandshowedthem，gatheredapartingnosegayforhervisitors。Thefewsmalllivingroomswereabovetheground-floor，withkitchenandofficesbelowintheItalianfashion；
inoneofthelittlechamberswasthecamp-bedwhichGoethecarriedwithhimonhisjourneysthroughItaly；andinthelargerroomatthefrontstoodthedeskwherehewrote，withthechairbeforeitfromwhichhemightjusthaverisen。
Allwasmuchmorelivinglyconsciousofthegreatmangonethantheproudlittlepalaceinthetown，whichsoaboundswithrelicsandmemorialsofhim。Hislibrary，hisstudy，hisstudytable，witheverythingonitjustasheleftitwhen“Caddelastancamana。”
arethere，andthereisthedeath-chairfacingthewindow，fromwhichhegaspedfor“morelight“atlast。Thehandsome，well-arrangedroomsarefullofsouvenirsofhistravel，andofthatpassionforItalywhichhedidsomuchtoimparttoallGermanhearts，andwhosemodernwaningleavesitsrecordshereofaninterestpathetically，almostamusingly，faded。Theyintimatetheclassictempertowhichhismindtendedmoreandmore，andamidstthemultitudeofsculptures，pictures，prints，drawings，gems，medals，autographs，thereisthesenseofthemany-
mindedness，theuniversaltaste，forwhichhefoundroominlittleWeimar，butnotinhiscontemporaneousGermany。Butitisalllesskeenlypersonal，lessintimatethanthesimplegarden-house，orelse，withthegreattroopofpeoplegoingthroughit，andthecustodianslecturinginvariousvoicesandlanguagestotheattendantgroups，theMarcheshaditlesstothemselves，andsoimaginedhimlessinit。