13) ... Das
Pergament, ist das der heilige
Bronnen ...
FAUST:
FAUST.
Das Pergament, ist das der heil'ge Bronnen,
Woraus ein Trunk den Durst auf ewig stillt?
Erquickung hast du nicht gewonnen,
Wenn sie dir nicht aus eigner Seele quillt.
Parchment! Is that the sacred
fountain whence alone
There springs a draught that thirst for ever
quells?
Refreshment? It you never will have won
If from that soul of yours it never wells.
This is another typical "illness" of professors,
reading books like others collect stamps. Evidently everyone
can read any quantity of books, the least significant
included. The things change a bit, if society is paying
for it, because then it has to be returned to the society
that finances the reading. To return something to society,
ideology has to be changed. It is not of interest what
kind of influence which guy had over another or whether
Columbus moved his toe before he got the right ideas.
What's really interesting is the question, how to fascinate
people with literature. How to teach Faust in colleges,
that students find it interesting. It can't be normal
that a movie like Carmen by Carlos Saura fascinated millions
of people and creates a huge interest for this opera,
but all the universities are not able to fascinate students
for anything. But of a person that reads books, like others
collect stamps, nothing great can be expected.