The Old Man 391he never said anything bad about Reinhold, he answered: "Reinhold has done
me too much good for me to be angry with him."^24 The name "Fichte," on
the other hand, was ominous, for "Fichte" means "pine," and bad proofs
were sometimes called "proofs of pine." Furthermore, to "lead someone
behind the pines" could mean to be deceptive.^25 Some of Kant's acquain¬
tances agreed. Thus Borowski found that "the man really was extremely
ungrateful" toward the old philosopher.^26 Others, like Pörschke, sided with
Fichte. Kant was also hurt by Nicolai's attacks on him, saying that he and
Eberhard just "did not want to understand his system."^27
While Kant was no longer the old great conversationalist himself, he
apparently still had his moments. In the summer of 1798 the theologian
Johann Friedrich Abegg (1765-1840) visited Königsberg on a journey that
took him to most of the important cultural centers in Germany. He took
extensive notes from which we can get some idea about how diverse the
opinions on Kant were in Königsberg (and elsewhere) at that time. Herz,
whom Abegg had visited in Berlin, praised Kant's character, contrasting
him explicitly with the "Kantians," who had not produced one decent hu¬
man being.^28 All of Kant's friends, acquaintances, and students in Königs¬
berg seemed to agree to this judgment, but some noted that he could not
take criticism well. Others, like Pörschke, remarked that Kant lacked good¬
will or helpfulness. Scheffner criticized Kant for having been less than
generous in his declaration about Hippel. Why did he talk about the lecture
notes that Hippel had used? Could he not simply have pointed out that he
was his friend?^29 Bock also felt Kant had created the appearance that
Hippel had stolen his ideas, and that he was an "unfeeling" (fiihlloser) man,
who "should not be allowed to speak of friendship and love."^30 Deutsch
emphasized that Kant was Hippel's intimate friend, "if anyone could be
said to have been Hippel's friend."^31 Hippel and Kant were "a magnificent
entertainment."^32
Borowski did not like Kant's philosophy.^33 Pörschke preferred Fichte.
He also claimed that "Kant does not read his own writings any longer; does
not right away understand what he has written himself before.. .[and] his
weakness is that he repeats everything he is told."^34 The curious old man
is a tattletale. Kraus and Kant were still quarreling. They did not see each
other any longer, and when they had to sit at the same table in society, they
made sure they did not sit too close to each other.^35 Kraus, who was called
by Friedländer the German Bayle, did "not have the best character; he
acted ignobly against Kant."^36 Kraus claimed that Hamann believed
Spinoza's writings were inspired by God.^37 Kant did not really believe in