Here, Hermann Hesse writes to Thomas Mann, his co-defender of the German humanistic tradition during the harrowing pivots and pitfalls of the 20th century. Mann, then living in a Weimar Republic rapidly falling to fascism, would join Hesse in exile one year later.
Zürich
Dear Herr Thomas Mann,
In the last few days my wife has read me your Goethe-Tolstoy book, and once again I have admired not only the clear, precise formulation of your excellent study, but also and perhaps even more, the courage and vigor with which, contrary to all German custom, you are at pains not to attenuate, simplify, and whitewash, but precisely to stress and deepen the tragic problems. As you can imagine, I attached special importance to the Goethe-Schiller antithesis. Here and there I was reminded of an essay written by Kant in his old age [Critique of Judgement] , in which he sings a moving hymn of praise to nature and those endowed with its gifts, and contrasts the “Great Heads” with the “Darlings of Nature.” The only passage in Kant that I have ever loved.
In several places, your Tolstoy figure, typifying nature’s darling, the hunter, the hawk’s eye, the man whose attitude toward the intellect sometimes borders on malevolent stupidity, reminded me of [Knut] Hamsun. The problem is familiar to me, for I am in the same amp, my origin is maternal, my source and mainstay is nature.
In short, I wish to thank you for the great pleasure your book has given me.
Since leaving the Engadine, where I enjoyed a period of unusual good health, I have not been so well. For the last three weeks I have been having trouble with my intestines, &c. Even so, I still feel the beneficial effects of my holiday and am looking forward to our return to the Ticino, which is planned for the middle of April. I am now obliged to take leave of Zürich, where for six years I have kept a bachelor apartment for the winter. I won’t miss the city, but I will miss a few friends and the concerts. I am preparing to go peasant for a while. It won’t be the first time.
I hope we shall see each other before long. With best regards to you all,
Cordially,
H. Hesse