"In the early part of 1805, one Carl Leberecht Schwabe, an
enthusiastic admirer of Schiller, left Weimar on business.
Returning on Saturday the 11th of May, between three and four in the
afternoon, his first errand was to visit his betrothed, who lived in
the house adjoining that of the Schillers. She met him in the
passage, and told him, Schiller was two days dead, and that night he
was to be buried. On putting further questions, Schwabe stood
aghast at what he learned. The funeral was to be private and to
take place immediately after midnight, without any religious rite.
Bearers had been hired to carry the remains to the churchyard, and
no one else was to attend.

"Schwabe felt that all this could not go on; but to prevent it was
difficult. There were but eight hours left; and the arrangements,
such as they were, had already been made. However, he went straight
to the house of death, and requested an interview with Frau von
Schiller. She replied, through the servant, 'that she was too
greatly overwhelmed by her loss to be able to see or speak to any
one; as for the funeral of her blessed husband, Mr. Schwabe must
apply to the Reverend Oberconsistorialrath Gunther, who had kindly
undertaken to see done what was necessary; whatever he might direct,
she would approve of.' With this message Schwabe hastened to
Gunther, and told him, his blood boiled at the thought that Schiller
should be borne to the grave by hirelings. At first Gunther shook
his head and said, 'It was too late; everything was arranged; the
bearers were already ordered.' Schwabe offered to become
responsible for the payment of the bearers, if they were dismissed.
At length the Oberconsistorialrath inquired who the gentlemen were
who had agreed to bear the coffin. Schwabe was obliged to
acknowledge that he could not at that moment mention a single name;