Julius Lange, who knocked at my door one evening to tell
me the result, was the witness of my disappointment. "I can understand,"
he said, "that you should exclaim: _'Oleum et operam perdidi!'_,
but you must not give up hope for so little. It is a good thing that you
prohibited the opening of the paper giving your name in the event of the
paper not winning the prize, for no one will trouble their heads about
the flattering criticism and an honourable mention would only harm you
in People's eyes; it would stamp you with the mark of mediocrity."
V.
The anonymous recipient of the honourable mention nevertheless
determined to call upon his judges, make their acquaintance, and let
them know who he was.
I went first to Hauch, who resided at that time at Frederiksberg Castle,
in light and lofty rooms. Hauch appeared exaggeratedly obliging, the old
man of seventy and over paying me, young man as I was, one compliment
after the other. The treatise was "extraordinarily good," they had been
very sorry not to give me the prize; but I was not to bear them any ill-
will for that; they had acted as their consciences dictated. In eighteen
months I should be ready to take my Magister examination; the old poet
thought he might venture to prophesy that I should do well. He was
surprised at his visitor's youth, could hardly understand how at my age
I could have read and thought so much, and gave me advice as to the
continuation of my studies.
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