356 Kant: A Biography
relish."^98 He probably then decided to visit Kant in Königsberg by way of
Warsaw (where he took up another position as a private tutor that did not
last very long).^99 In Königsberg, he first looked at "the immense (ungeheure)
city" and then visited Kant early the next day. He was not received "enthu¬
siastically" (sonderlich), but, like many learned visitors, he stayed to attend
Kant's lectures. Kant did not excite him, seeming "sleepy" to him. But
he wanted a more serious interchange with Kant. Not knowing how to
arrange another visit, he "finally had the idea to write a Critique of All Rev¬
elation." In six weeks, he finished the book and delivered it to Kant.^100
Borowski gave the following account:
One morning he [Fichte] brings the manuscript to Kant, asks for his judgment, and
whether Kant, in case he finds it worthy of publication, might not help him to find a
publisher.... Kant likes him because of his modesty, and he promises to do what he
could. That very evening I met Kant on his walk. His first words were: "You must help
me - help me very quickly - to find name and also money for a young destitute man.
Your brother in law (Härtung, the book dealer) must be involved. Persuade him to
publish... the manuscript.^101
Though Kant thought the manuscript was good enough for publication
(after reading up to paragraph three), Fichte revised it and had Borowski
and Schulz read it as well. But he did not expect too much from Schulz,
because he had "more orthodox (rechtgläubige) concepts than a critical
philosopher and mathematician should have."^102 The book was soon fin¬
ished, but because of difficulties with the censorship process, it appeared
only at the Easter Book Fair of 1792.^103 Fichte benefited greatly from Kant's
help. He did not expect much from the lectures. Indeed, he found: "His
lectures are not as useful as his writings. His weak body is tired to house
such a great mind. Kant is already very frail, and his memory begins to leave
him."^104 Still, Fichte may perhaps be called Kant's most famous "student"
of that time.
Friedrich Lupin (1771-1845) reported that Kant was especially inter¬
ested in talking about mineralogy and about a mineralogist named Werner,
whom he knew.^105 Lupin thought that this was because Kant himself was
at that time busy with his edition of the physical geography, but it was
probably motivated more by genuine interest in mineralogy. After his ini¬
tial "audience," as Lupin described the encounter, he was invited to come
back for lunch the next day. He gave the following account:
When I came the next day at the agreed hour at the promised meal of honor, I found
the philosopher meticulously dressed; and he received me with the voice of the host