Quotes:Richter, Johann Paul Friedrich

Zirkoff, Boris

Richter, Johann Paul Friedrich (usually called Jean Paul). Famous German author and thinker, b. at Wunsiedel, Bavaria, March 21, 1763; d. at Bayreuth, Nov. 14, 1825. Attended gymnasium at Hof, then went to the university of Leipzig, 1781. Unable to maintain himself there, returned to Hof, 1784, where he lived with his mother. Served as tutor to several families. His power as a writer was recognized with the publication of his second work, Die unsichtbare Loge, 1793. He then produced in quick succession a large number of works which won for him an assured place in German literature. Went to Leipzig, 1797, and to Weimar the following year; had pleasant intercourse with Herder, but did not become intimate with either Goethe or Schiller who did not appreciate his literary methods. After marrying, 1801, settled at Bayreuth, 1804, and spent there a quiet and simple life writing constantly. His material needs were met by a handsome pension from the prince-primate von Dahlberg. Richter regarded his novel Titan (1800–03) and his work Flegeljahre (1804–05) as his masterpieces. He wrote on art, education, current events, etc. His characteristics are an amazingly fertile imagination, the power of suggesting great thoughts by means of the simplest incidents 451 and relations, his deeply religious nature, and his sense of humour. To him visible things were but the symbols of the invisible, and unseen realities were paramount in his thought-world. He had a passionate scorn for pretence and an enthusiasm for truth and goodness. His Collected Writings appeared in 1826–28 in sixty vols., to which were added five vols. in 1836–38.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 9, pp. 450-451