《少年维特的烦恼·第二部·1771 年 10 月至 1772 年 12 月》第4节
The silly creatures cannot see that it is not place which constitutes real greatness, since the man who occupies the first place but seldom plays the principal part. How many kings are governed by their ministers—how many ministers by their secretaries? Who, in such cases, is really the chief? He, as it seems to me, who can see through the others, and possesses strength or skill enough to make their power or passions subservient to the execution of his own designs.
注释摘要
一七七二年一月八日的信里，维特几乎是咬着牙把笔落在纸上。上一段他还在鄙夷地描述一场雪橇派对因为谁先谁后的座次问题搅黄了所有人的兴致，紧接着就抛出了这一段极冷峻的议论。从这里可以摸到维特在公使馆日子里的真实心境：他不是简单地厌烦繁文缛节，而是在用自己全部的理解力去拆解这套等级秩序到底荒唐在哪里。 这封信的口气不同于痛苦的自白，它更像是一段政论，透出一种疏离的…