Wit, wisdom, and pathos: From the prose of Heinrich Heine

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879. Excerpt: ... fxwn "JUlt'aton anB $i)ilosopi)» in ®ermans." The influence of N my latest book, Romancero, I have explained the transformation which took place within me regarding sacred things. Since its publication, many inquiries have been made, with zealous importunity, as to the manner in which the true light dawned upon me. Pious souls, thirsting after a miracle, have desired to know, whether, like Saul on the way to Damascus, I had seen a light from Heaven; or whether, like Balaam the son of Beor, I was riding on a restive ass which suddenly opened its mouth, and began to speak as a man? No! ye credulous believers, I never journeyed to Damascus, nor do I know anything about it, save that lately the Jews there were accused of devouring the monks of St. Francis, and I might never have known even the name of the city had I not read the Song of Solomon, wherein the wise king compares the nose of his beloved to a tower that looketh towards Damascus. Nor have I ever seen an ass, at least any four-footed one, that spake as a man, though I have often enough met men who, whenever they opened their mouths, spake as asses. In truth, it was neither a vision, nor a seraphic revelation, nor a voice from heaven, nor any strange dream or other mystery, which brought me into the way of salvation, and I owe my conversion simply to the reading of a book. A book? Yes, an old, homely-looking book, modest as nature and natural as it--a book which has a work-a-day and unassuming look, like the sun which warms us, like the bread which nourishes us--a book which seems to us as familiar and as full of kindly blessing as the old grandmother who reads daily in it with dear trembling lips, and with spectacles on her nose. And the Book is called quite shortly--The Book, the Bible. R...