i26 Kant: A BiographyFriedrich von Funk (1738-1760), who later died from exhaustion in Königs¬
berg. One of Kant's most peculiar publications deals with his untimely
death. It was written in the form of a letter to Funk's mother, in which
Kant praised the character of her son and used the occasion to reflect on
the meaning of life.
Every human being makes his own plan of his destiny in the world. There are skills he
wants to learn, there are honor and peace, which he hopes to get from them, and last¬
ing happiness in conjugal life and a long list of pleasures or projects make up the pic¬
tures of the magic lantern, which he paints for himself and which he allows to play
continuously in his imaginations. Death, which ends this play of shadows, shows itself
only in the great distance and is obscured and estranged by the light, which envelops
the more pleasant places. While we are dreaming, our true destiny leads us on an en¬
tirely different way. The part we really get seldom looks like the one we expected, and
we find our hope dashed with every step we take. .. until death, which always seemed
far away, suddenly ends the entire game.^119
Under these conditions, the wise man concentrates "on his great destina¬
tion beyond the grave," and he will be "rational in his plans, but without
being stubborn, hopeful that his hopes will be fulfilled, but without being
impatient, modest in his wishes, but without being censorious, trusting
without insisting, and active in fulfilling his duties, but ready, with Chris¬
tian resignation, to obey the command of the Highest, when it pleases Him
to call us from this stage amidst all our striving."^120 We should always re¬
member this, and we should get used to thinking of such things in the bustle
of our daily business tasks and recreations. Tedium, as well as excitement,
controversy, and pleasure, could soon come to an end.
Herder, Student of Kant (1762-1764):
"Initiated, as It Were, into the Roussiana and Humiana"The Russians left Königsberg in 1762. The empress Elizabeth had died on
December 25,1761, and Peter III, a simpleton and Prussiaphile, who was
more at home in Holstein than in Russia, had taken her place. As an ardent
admirer of Frederick, Peter III not only ceased all hostile activities, but also
entered into an alliance with Prussia to declare war on Denmark (a tradi¬
tional enemy of Holstein). Not surprisingly, he managed in short order to
alienate almost everyone who counted in Russia. In Königsberg, the Russ¬
ian commander officially ceased to be in charge, but the troops remained
there. On June 28, Catherine took over power in a coup d'etat led by her