Hurrah for citizen Götte,
The man of the August gate;
He’s half a Lafayette,
The “Lafa” we abate.
It was he that didn’t tremble,
To the Duke he pushed his way,
And without asking questions,
Told him the truth that day.
The continuation of this folk-song is unknown. “Yette” is supposed to be equivalent to “Götte,” and it was certainly intended by the ingenious poet that our “Laffe” (dandy) should be recognized in “Lafa.”
[6] Dissen died in 1837, after a long and severe illness, at the age of fifty-three.
[7] When a pupil in the highest class, Richard had travelled on the Rhine with his father during the vacation, and visited Mainz at the same time. The charming description of this journey, which in print would fill quite a little volume, has been preserved in manuscript.
[8] In a letter of Samuel Hirzel’s to Horner, the former gives most lively expression to his delight in the lectures of G. Hermann, and afterwards says: “Then he began inveighing against Buttmann without ceremony.” A. Springer, The Young Hirzel, Leipzig, 1883. It is well known what a harsh attack Hermann Boeckh could make in the presence of his class.
[9] De Tabulis Eugubinis. Dissert. Berolini. 1833. (Index to Works. No. 1.)
[10] Aeschyl. Agam. vs. 357: πολλῶν γὰρ ὲσθλῶν τὴν ὄνησιν είλόμην. Hermanni interpretationem unam esse rectam. etiamsi librorum lectio retineatur.
[11] Berlin 1834. Second Edition. Leipsic 1842. (Index to Works. No. III.)
[12] Died in 1680.