self-murder is very frequently the consequence. The great, exceptional man finds himself each day, in a certain measure, in the situation where the ordinary man forthwith despairs of life.” [707W-{64-2/65} On State and Religion: PW Vol. IV, p. 32]
[708W-{64-2/65} On State and Religion: PW Vol. IV, p. 33-34]
[P. 33] {FEUER} “Yet an irrecusable yearning to turn his [“the great, the truly noble man”] back completely on this world must necessarily surge up within his breast were there not for him – as for the common man who lives away a life of constant care – a certain distraction, a periodical turning-aside from that world’s-earnestness which else is ever present to his thoughts. What for the common man is entertainment and amusement, must be forthcoming for him as well, but in the noble form befitting him; and that which renders possible this turning aside, this noble illusion, must again be a work of that man-redeeming Wahn which spreads its wonders wherever the individual’s normal mode of view can help itself no farther. But in this instance the Wahn must be entirely candid; it must confess itself in advance for an illusion, if it is to be willingly embraced by the man who really longs for distraction and illusion in the high and earnest sense I mean. The fancy-picture brought before him must never afford a loophole for re-summoning the earnestness of Life through any possible dispute about its actuality and provable foundation upon fact, as religious Dogma does: no, it must exercise its specific virtue through its very setting of the conscious Wahn in place of the reality. This office is fulfilled by Art; and in conclusion I therefore point my highly-loved young friend to Art, as the kindly Life-saviour who does not really and wholly lead us out beyond this life, but, within it, lifts us up above it and shows it as itself a game of play; a game that, take it ne’er so terrible and earnest an appearance, yet here again is shown us as a mere Wahn-picture, as which it comforts us and wafts us from the common truth of our distress (Noth). The work of noblest Art will be given a glad admittance by my friend, the work that, treading on the footprints of Life’s earnestness, shall soothingly dissolve reality into [P. 34] that Wahn wherein itself in turn, this serious reality, at last seems nothing else to us but Wahn: and in his most rapt beholding of this wondrous Wahn-play (Wahnspiel) there will return to him the indicible dream-picture of the holiest revelation, of meaning ure-akin (urverwandt sinnvoll), with clearness unmistakable, -- that same divine dream-picture which the disputes of sects and churches had made ever more incognisable to him, and which, as wellnigh unintelligible Dogma, could only end in his dismay. The nothingness of the world, here it is harmless, frank, avowed as though in smiling; for our willing purpose to deceive ourselves has led us on to recognise the world’s real state without a shadow of illusion. –
{FEUER} Thus has it been possible for me, even from this earnest sally into the weightiest regions of Life’s earnestness, and without losing myself or feigning, to come back to my beloved Art. Will my friend in sympathy understand me, when I confess that first upon this path have I regained full consciousness of Art’s serenity.” [708W-{64-2/65} On State and Religion: PW Vol. IV, p. 33-34]
[709W-{4/14/65}Letter to King Ludwig II of Bavaria: SLRW, p. 641-642]
[P. 641] {FEUER} {SCHOP} “ … all the obstinacy of existence is washed away by our immense pain at seeing God suffering! The teaching which we could not [P. 642] comprehend, it now affects us: God is within us, -- the world has been overcome! Who created it? An idle question! Who
