Romance in Romanticism

This is one of my favorite moments in German Romantic history.  Schelling was one of the most acute, passionate, and profound thinkers of Romanticism, whose insights challenged thinkers such as Fichte and Hegel.  His thought was incredibly influential to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who would really stoke the fires of British Romanticism.  Schelling's rigorous intellect, strong-willed character, and joyful stoicism was so remarkable, that upon first meeting him, Caroline Schlegel wrote to her brother-in-law, Friedrich . . .

Caroline Schlegel: Believe me, my friend, he is, as a man, more interesting than you concede: a real primal nature [rechte Urnatur]; in terms drawn from the world of minerals—granite.
Friedrich Schlegel: But where will he find female granite?

This is quite a statement coming from Caroline, who was married to another great German Romantic, August Wilhelm. She was a tenacious mind during this period, who between debating Novalis, Fichte, Hegel, Schiller, and even Schelling, was able to find the time to translate Shakespeare's works into German. This poignant moment of correspondence brings a smirk to historians' faces, because after divorcing Friedrich's brother, Caroline proved this moment prophetic moment by marrying Schelling, and showed that granite comes in many forms.