diligence for a hundred years, till, for Rubbish-Pelion piled on
Rubbish-Ossa, you lose sight of the stars and azimuths;
whole mountain continents, seemingly all of cinders and sweepings
(though fragments and remnants do lie hidden, could you find them
again):---these are not details that will be available!
Anecdotes there are in quantity; but of uncertain quality;
of doubtful authenticity, above all. One recollects hardly any
Anecdote whatever that seems completely credible, or renders to us
the Physiognomy of Friedrich in a convincing manner. So remiss a
creature has the Prussian Clio been,--employed on all kinds of
loose errands over the Earth and the Air; and as good as altogether
negligent of this most pressing errand in her own House. Peace be
with her, poor slut; why should we say one other hard word on
taking leave of her to all eternity!--

The Practical fact is, what we have henceforth to produce is more
of the nature of a loose Appendix of Papers, than of a finished
Narrative. Loose Papers,--which, we will hope, the reader can, by
industry, be made to understand and tolerate: more we cannot do for
him. No continuous Narrative is henceforth possible to us. For the
sake of Friedrich's closing Epoch, we will visit, for the last
time, that dreary imbroglio under which the memory of Friedrich,
which ought to have been, in all the epochs of it, bright and
legible, lies buried; and will try to gather, as heretofore, and
put under labels. What dwells with oneself as human may have some
chance to be humanly interesting. In the wildest chaos of marine-
stores and editorial shortcomings (provided only the editors speak
truth, as these poor fellows do) THIS can be done. Part the living
from the dead; pick out what has some meaning, leave carefully what
has none; you will in some small measure pluck up the memory of a