Reflections on Lessing's Fragments

the Parnassus of the Muses In Greek mythology, Mount Parnassus was the home of the Muses; the author is using this to describe the high world of literature and art. have been deified, honored, and worshipped as oracular sayings—and continue to be worshipped—even though they are merely the monstrosities original: "Mißgeburten," literally miscarriages or deformed births. of an exaggerated wit Witz: in the 18th century, "wit" referred to intellectual cleverness or the ability to make sharp associations, rather than just humor.. This is because his other actions, and especially his work On the Goal of Jesus and His Disciples The author refers to the "Wolfenbüttel Fragments," a controversial deist work by Hermann Samuel Reimarus which Lessing published, causing a massive religious scandal., clearly prove that he was a man of the poorest character original: "Gemüth," referring to one's inner disposition or soul.. He was one who possessed an enlightened reason Vernunft: "reason," often used in the Enlightenment to mean the faculty of logic and analysis., but a heart that was all the more evil, an unbroken will, a great writerly pride, and withal a pitch-black understanding Verstand: "understanding," often contrasted with "reason" in this period; here the author suggests a lack of true spiritual or moral insight.. This was because he wished to illuminate his "light of understanding" through the "light of reason," whereas the light of animal reason The author argues that logic alone is a "lower" or "animal" faculty if not guided by a higher moral or spiritual sense. must instead be illuminated by the light of understanding and conscience. Inasmuch as reason is a power of the animal nature, while understanding, on the other hand, is a power of the human—