What others said about Arabic Read in the original
“I am not far from learning Arabic as well; at the least I mean to practise its letter-forms enough to copy the amulets, talismans, abraxas and seals in the original script. In no language, perhaps, are spirit, word and script so primordially embodied together.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
1749–1832
Germany's greatest poet, author of the «West-östlicher Divan».
Original text — German
Wenig fehlt, daß ich noch arabisch lerne, wenigstens soviel will ich mich in den Schreibezügen üben, daß ich die Amulette, Talismane, Abraxas und Siegel in der Urschrift nachbilden kann. In keiner Sprache ist vielleicht Geist, Wort und Schrift so uranfänglich zusammengekörpert.
In Arabic
ما أقربَني من أن أتعلّمَ العربيّةَ أيضاً؛ وأقلُّ ما أنويه أن أتمرّنَ على رسمِ حروفِها حتى أستطيع أن أحاكي التمائمَ والطلاسمَ و«الأبراكساس» والأختامَ بخطِّها الأصليّ. ولعلّه ما من لغةٍ اتّحد فيها الروحُ والكلمةُ والخطُّ في جسدٍ واحدٍ اتّحاداً أصيلاً منذ البدء كما اتّحدت في هذه.
Source
Brief an Christian Heinrich Schlosser, 23. Januar 1815, Weimarer Ausgabe IV, Bd. 25, Nr. 6996, Weimar: Böhlau, 1901, p. 164
The English translation is Voice of Arabic's, made from the original.
Written while Goethe was composing the «West-östlicher Divan».
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