Editing Doppelgänger (section)

===Johann Wolfgang von Goethe===
Near the end of Book XI of his autobiography, ''[[Dichtung und Wahrheit]]'' ("Poetry and Truth") (1811–1833), [[Goethe]] wrote, almost in passing:

<blockquote>
Amid all this pressure and confusion I could not forego seeing [[Friederike Brion|Frederica]] once more. Those were painful days, the memory of which has not remained with me. When I reached her my hand from my horse, the tears stood in her eyes; and I felt very uneasy. I now rode along the foot-path toward Drusenheim, and here one of the most singular forebodings took possession of me. I saw, not with the eyes of the body, but with those of the mind, my own figure coming toward me, on horseback, and on the same road, attired in a dress which I had never worn,—it was pike-gray [''hecht-grau''], with somewhat of gold. As soon as I shook myself out of this dream, the figure had entirely disappeared. It is strange, however, that, eight years afterward, I found myself on the very road, to pay one more visit to Frederica, in the dress of which I had dreamed, and which I wore, not from choice, but by accident. However, it may be with matters of this kind generally, this strange illusion in some measure calmed me at the moment of parting. The pain of quitting for ever noble [[Alsace]], with all I had gained in it, was softened; and, having at last escaped the excitement of a farewell, I, on a peaceful and quiet journey, pretty well regained my self-possession.<ref>''The Autobiography of Wolfgang von Goethe.'' Translated by John Oxenford. Horizon Press, 1969. This example cited by Crowe in ''The Night-Side of Nature'' (1848).</ref> </blockquote>

This is an example of a doppelgänger which was perceived by the observer to be both benign and reassuring.