antw. Re: What is Fluck talking about?

[owen j mcgrann]

>  what i would really like to know: did melville actually
>  read german philosophers?

yes, melville was pretty familiar with schopenhauer at least (it's possible
to read "bartleby" as a parable of schopenhauerian asceticism and the
rejection of the will to life).  in his journals and correspondance he talks
directly about arthur the cheerful.

cheers,
- owen