Schopenhauer and the Will to Style 53template that an immense number of mediocre thinkers are occupied
with really influential matters" (/3,320). Nietzsche planned an essay on
Democritus and on the "history of literary studies in antiquity and
modernity." The goal of this essay, he wrote to Erwin Rohde on
February 1,1868, would be to tell "the philologists a number of bitter
truths" (2? 2,248). He planned to demonstrate that we have received "all
enlightening thoughts" from only few "great geniuses" and that this
"creativity" stems from people who most assuredly did not pursue
philological and historical studies. Unlike philologists, who merely
annotate, compile, explicate, organize, and enshrine other authors,
geniuses themselves contribute something to the world. Authors of
primary texts make assertions and assert themselves, whereas writers of
secondary literature, namely philologists and historians, diminish great
things by working them into little bits; they are "devoid of the creative
spark" (B 2,249).
By the fall of 1867, Nietzsche was yearning to emerge from the ranks
of commentators and compilers and to become a creative author, while
remaining in the field of philology. In his notebooks, he vented his dis-
pleasure with the routines of the business of philology. It is finally time,
he contended, to stop poking through the "coffer" of tradition; "we
must stop rehashing" (/ 3,337). Philology should recognize that its
stock of truly interesting objects will be exhausted, and that the time has
come to forge something new and forward-looking from the old by
means of a few "great thoughts: the best thing that can be accomplished
is a deliberate poetic re-creation of minds, events, characters" (J3,336).
Nietzsche had not yet reached the point where he could regard him-
self as a genius. In retrospect, at any rate, he would claim that his essay
"Schopenhauer as Educator" could just as well have carried the tide
"Nietzsche as Educator." In 1867, his thoughts had not taken this direc-
tion, but his philological endeavors were falling far short of his aspira-
tions. Nietzsche had a distinct premonition that he would someday
become an author, but noted with a shock of recognition that he was
lacking in style. "I have lived far too long in stylistic innocence" (B