It may be an unexpected undertaking, and you might rightly be surprised that someone can demand from just those persons who have raised themselves above the herd, and are saturated by the wisdom of the century, a hearing for a subject so completely neglected by them. I confess that I do not know how to indicate anything that presages a fortunate outcome for me, not even the one of winning your approval of my efforts, much less the one of communicating my meaning and enthusiasm to you... You are convinced, I know, that nothing new and nothing convincing can be said anymore about this matter... All this I know and am nevertheless convinced to speak by an inner and irresistible necessity that divinely rules me, and cannot retract my invitation that you especially listen to me.
NOTE: The above, as you no doubt recognized, is directly from Schleiermacher (3-4). I only added links and removed one titular letter "d."