A Letter To Novalis

Dear Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg, (Novalis),

I have recently finished reading an excellent book about the Jena Romantic set, of which you were of course such an important member. I had however heard of you long before this, and indeed have enjoyed reading an English translation of your Notes for a Romantic Encyclopaedia: Das Allgemeine Brouillon of which I possess a copy, (also I have translations of 'Fichte Studies' and 'The Novices of Sais'.)

What particularly interests me is your vision of romantic knowledge, and it would be marvellous indeed to be able to discuss this with you. The word 'romantic' has I believe changed in it's common use from the manner in which you were using it. If I understand correctly your meaning was not only that knowledge should be seen to be more interconnected, but also that it is not enough to describe bare 'facts' and to eliminate all human reaction to them. This tendency leads to the modern destain of science as being 'cold' 'unfeeling' and 'bleak'. I believe this is nothing like the joy and excitement that knowledge brought to you, and that you wished to share.

Sadly nowadays education is seen as being almost entirely about money, and many study only to obtain whatever paper they need to be able to earn more. There are of course those of us who study for the pleasure of doing so, indeed, I am one of those, something of an autodidact in many subjects. My particular passion is exploring the thread of thought about how we approach knowledge as it passes through history, which is why naturally your name is known to me.

Though your life was short, and several of your works unfinished, I would like to thank you for what you did leave us. I feel that you and I would understand one another - sadly no equivalent of the Jena set seems to exist today - more is the pity. I hope that one day our souls might meet, and then we shall converse - and I shall take pleasure in hearing you expand you ideas.

Till then,

Goodbye.