According to him, modern politics was also created during these times “and


separate powerful states sought to take into possession the vacant universal chair [of papacy], converted into a throne”. Hence, the drive for hegemony is rooted in the Westphalian state concept. The only cosmopolitan impulse left is ascribed by Novalis as the Order of Jesuits, a society that is “a pattern for all societies that sense an organic longing for infinite spread and eternal existence”. One of the most unique consequences is the role of the Order as “the mother of the so-called secret societies, a still immature but most surely important historical sow”. However, it was impossible to prevent antagonism between religion and science. The holy sense became marginalised by philosophy, “the infinite creative music of the universe was turned into a monotonous clattering of a monstrous mill”. Nature, earth, human souls and science were cleansed of poetry. “[E]very trace of the Holy was extinguished” by the new European guild of philanthropists and Enlighteners.


Embellished India versus Dead Spitzbergen: the Second Revolution According to Novalis a second revolution is about to come during the 19th


century, a


revolution of religion or rather a return of religion. In the chaos of his time, Novalis sees “true anarchy” as a “generative power of religion. From the extinction of all positive, she lifts her glorious head as a new founder of the world.” The traces of this new world are best observed in Germany, he continues, and Germany leads the European league into it. Poetry is now juxtaposed to the old “chamber reason” (“Stubenverstand”) like an “ornamented India” compared to a “cold, and dead Spitzbergen”.Within politics the new and the old world are fighting each other, the weakness and needs of state orders have become obvious through grotesque examples. Novalis, hoping that the (Napoleonic) war creates a closer and more diverse connection and contact between the European states, cries out: “if a new movement of the until now slumbering Europe would be brought into the game, if Europe wanted to rouse itself, if we would face a state of states, a political state theory!” But in his opinion it is impossible that secular forces create harmony among themselves. A


third element, simultaneously secular and unearthly, is required to establishthat (eternal) peace:


“Blood will flow across Europe as long as the nations become aware of their horrible insanity that


leads them around in circles, [until] hit by holy music, appeased they will step in a colourful blend towards the former altars, commit works of peace and [until] a great repast of love, as a feast of peace […] will be celebrated with hot tears. Religion only is able to rouse Europe and to secure the people, and with


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