登陆注册
6246000001298

第1298章

Yes, Doctor, this is your Kriegsgott; throned in a free-and-easy fashion. In regard to that of Sentries, I believe there do come up from Potsdam nightly a corporal and six rank-and-file; but perhaps it is at a later hour; perhaps they sit within doors, silent, not to make noises. Another gentleman, of sauntering nocturnal habits, testifies to having, one night, seen the King actually asleep in bed, the doors being left ajar. [Ib. i. 388.]--As Zimmermann had a DIALOGUE next day with his Majesty, which we propose to give;still more, as he made such noise in the world by other Dialogues with Friedrich, and by a strange Book about them, which are still ahead,--readers may desire to know a little who or what the Zimmermann is, and be willing for a rough brief Note upon him, which certainly is not readier than it is rough:--Johann Georg Zimmermann: born 1728, at Brugg in the Canton of Bern, where his Father seems to have had some little property and no employment, "a RATHSHERR (Town-Councillor), who was much respected." Of brothers or sisters, no mention. The Mother being from the French part of the Canton, he learned to speak both languages. Went to Bern for his Latin and high-schooling; then to Gottingen, where he studied Medicine, under the once great Haller and other now dimmed celebrities. Haller, himself from Bern, had taken Zimmermann to board, and became much attached to him: Haller, in 1752, came on a summer visit to native Bern: Zimmermann, who had in the mean time been "for a few months" in France, in Italy and England, now returned and joined him there; but the great man, feeling very poorly and very old, decided that he would like to stay in Bern, and not move any more;--Zimmermann, accordingly, was sent to Gottingen to bring Mrs. Haller, with her Daughters, bandboxes and effects, home to Bern. Which he did;--and not only them, but a soft, ingenious, ingenuous and rather pretty young Gottingen Lady along with them, as his own Wife withal. With her he settled as STADTPHYSICUS (Town-Doctor) in native Brugg; where his beloved Hallers were within reach; and practice in abundance, and honors, all that the place yielded, were in readiness for him.

Here he continued some sixteen years; very busy, very successful in medicine and literature; but "tormented with hypochondria;"--having indeed an immense conceit of himself, and generally too thin a skin for this world. Here he first wrote his Book on SOLITUDE, a Book famed over all the world in my young days (and perhaps still famed); he wrote it a second time, MUCH ENLARGED, about thirty years after: [<italic> Betrachtungen uber die Einsamkeit, von Doctor J. G. Zimmermann, Stadtphysicus in Brugg <end italic>

(Zurich, 1756),--as yet only "1 vol. 8vo, price 6d." (5 groschen);but it grew with years; and (Leipzig, 1784) came out remodelled into 4 vols.;--was translated into French, "with many omissions,"by Mercier (Paris, 1790); into English from Mercier (London, 1791).

"Zurich, 1763-1764:" by and by, one "Dobson did it into English."]

I read it (in the curtailed English-Mercier form, no Scene in it like the above), in early boyhood,--and thank it for nothing, or nearly so. Zimmermann lived much alone, at Brugg and elsewhere;all his days "Hypochondria" was the main company he had:--and it was natural, but UNprofitable, that he should say, to himself and others, the best he could for that bad arrangement: poor soul!

He wrote also on MEDICAL EXPERIENCE, a famed Book in its day;"also on NATIONAL PRIDE; and became famed through the Universe, and was Member of infinite Learned Societies.

All which rendered dull dead Brugg still duller and more dead;unfit utterly for a man of such sublime accomplishments. Plenty of Counts Stadion, Kings of Poland even, offered him engagements;eager to possess such a man, and deliver him from dull dead Brugg;but he had hypochondria, and always feared their deliverance might be into something duller. At length,--in his fortieth year, 1768, --the place of Court-Physician (HOFMEDICUS) at Hanover was offered him by George the Third of pious memory, and this he resolved to accept; and did lift anchor, and accept and occupy accordingly.

Alas, at the Gate of Hanover, "his carriage overset;" broke his poor old Mother-in-law's leg (who had been rejoicing doubtless to get home into her own Country), and was the end of her--poor old soul;--and the beginning of misfortunes continual and too tedious to mention. Spleen, envy, malice and calumny, from the Hanover Medical world; treatment, "by the old buckram Hofdames who had drunk coffee with George II.," "which was fitter for a laquais-de-place" than for a medical gentleman of eminence: unworthy treatment, in fact, in many or most quarters;--followed by hypochondria, by dreadful bodily disorder (kind not given or discoverable), "so that I suffered the pains of Hell," sat weeping, sat gnashing my teeth, and could n't write a Note after dinner;followed finally by the sickness, and then by the death, of my poor Wife, "after five months of torment." Upon which, in 1771, Zimmermann's friends--for he had many friends, being, in fact, a person of fine graceful intellect, high proud feelings and tender sensibilities, gone all to this sad state--rallied themselves;set his Hanover house in order for him (governess for his children, what not); and sent him off to Berlin, there to be dealt with by one Meckel, an incomparable Surgeon, and be healed of his dreadful disorder ("LEIBESSCHADE, of which the first traces had appeared in Brugg"),--though to most people it seemed rather he would die;"and one Medical Eminency in Hanover said to myself [Zimmermann]

同类推荐
  • 过鲍溶宅有感

    过鲍溶宅有感

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 先进遗风

    先进遗风

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Yellow Crayon

    The Yellow Crayon

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 天竺别集

    天竺别集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 禅门要略

    禅门要略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 全系元素师:太逆天

    全系元素师:太逆天

    二十一世纪第一杀手,医毒谷的传人慕容雪在抢夺冰雪链和皓月手镯的时候不小心死亡,再一次醒来,她是慕容世家的废物慕容雪,爹娘死了,小叔欺负。不过没关系。她来了,从此,御万兽、炼神丹、炼神器。她是灵武双修,全系天才。从前欺负她的人他要欺负回去。
  • 总裁,非诚请勿扰(大结局)

    总裁,非诚请勿扰(大结局)

    话说,她遭遇车祸了。车祸就车祸吧,可是该死的……她竟然失忆了,连自己是谁也不知道。据说,她是那个帅得不像话的首席总裁的未婚妻?据说,她曾经是个不安分的女人,做了对不起那位首席总裁的事情,成了千夫所指的对象?据说,他现在还愿意娶她,但是只是为了有个已婚的名分,其余的,她丝毫不能干涉?……好吧,她相信。她忏悔。那么,就战战兢兢地做这个名不副实的总裁夫人。虽然憋屈得很,可是,谁叫自己曾经是那么坏的女人?你说,每天受着自己空白记忆的折磨,是不是很难受?你说,每天对着一张冷冰冰的脸孔,是不是很难熬?你说,每天看着那个帅老公搂着不一样的各路美女,是不是很难堪?没事,她忍。这叫,自作孽,不可活。忽然有一天,她被告知:她和那个帅帅的酷老公,根本是陌生人……
  • 万物聚态

    万物聚态

    2018年一位普通初中物理老师对学生开启了万物是由能量组成的启蒙,其中一位名叫陈浩宇的男生在2050年的某一天准备发布“相控阵激光全息影像器”技术验证机的时候,收到了曾经的初中学霸女同学岳思勤的信息,从此开始了自己从“人基文明”向“脑基文明”、“硅基文明”、“量子基文明”和“能基文明”不断进化的硬科幻之旅……
  • 我不相信爱情,我只相信你

    我不相信爱情,我只相信你

    胡宇是一名作者,一个月前突然接到一部小说的邀请,从此开始了狗血而疯狂,痛苦并快乐的“美好”生活……新浪微博:和面先生
  • 爱在心髓世界流淌

    爱在心髓世界流淌

    平凡的如同尘埃的女孩,游走在贫困和富有,在大山深处品味爱和被爱。在几经生离死别之后,一切归于平淡,而流淌在心扉的爱在延续,传递......
  • 紫云..more
  • 傲娇总裁的爱妻

    傲娇总裁的爱妻

    “司牧原是不是你先爱上我的?你怎么脸红了?”“我哪有,你看错了”“哈哈,你就是脸红了”“给我闭嘴”“我不要,承认自己先爱上我又不会少块肉”“闭嘴”“哈哈”男人看着自己面前得意洋洋的小女人,直接堵住了她的嘴。女子推开他“司牧原你使诈”“嘘、、闭眼,好好享受这一刻吧,我的小甜心”
  • 圣震八荒

    圣震八荒

    一个在不幸之中诞生了生命,注定了轩辕月本该不幸的一生。但当一颗世界之树的种子与他相遇,命运发生了改变。只是这改变,究竟是让轩辕月脱离苦海,还是让他跌入一个更大的深渊?这个世界,充满了无数算计与谋划,而谁又能笑到最后?
  • 钻石闪婚:陆少不好惹

    钻石闪婚:陆少不好惹

    陆维桐,陆氏集团的指定接班人,微博粉丝数千万,关注0,就在前一秒,关注数突然变成了1。不久,这位禾城最俊美多金的男人晒出了大红的结婚证。闪婚之前,她对他千娇百媚千依百顺。闪婚当天,她竟然一大早给他电话:“来抓我,抓到了陪你……”闪婚以后……特么的!她竟然带着他的种跑了!!!