prehend the cause of their desires ； but that the grown…up should
wander about this earth like children ， without knowing whence they e，
or whither they go， influenced as little by fixed motives， but guided
like them by biscuits ， sugar…plums， and the rod，—— this is what
nobody is willing to acknowledge； and yet I think it is palpable。
I know what you will say in reply ； for I am ready to admit that
they are happiest ， who， like children， amuse themselves with their
playthings， dress and undress their dolls， and attentively watch the
cupboard， where mamma has locked up her sweet things ， and， when at
last they get a delicious morsel， eat it greedily， and exclaim， 〃More！
〃 These are certainly happy beings； but others also are objects of envy，
who dignify their paltry employments， and sometimes even their passions，
with pompous titles ， representing them to mankind as gigantic achievements
performed for their welfare and glory。 But the man who humbly acknowledges
the vanity of all this， who observes with what pleasure the thriving
citizen converts his little garden into a paradise， and how patiently
even the poor man pursues his weary way under his burden， and how all
wish equally to behold the light of the sun a little longer ，—— yes，
such a man is at peace， and creates his own world within himself ； and
he is also happy， because he is a man。 And then， however limited his
sphere， he still preserves in his bosom the sweet feeling of liberty ，
and knows that he can quit his prison whenever he likes。
MAY 26。 You know of old my ways of settling anywhere， of selecting
a little cottage in some cosy spot， and of putting up in it with every
inconvenience。 Here ， too， I have discovered such a snug， fortable
place ， which possesses peculiar charms for me。
About a league from the town is a place called Walheim。 （The reader
need not take the trouble to look for the place thus designated。 We have
found it necessary to change the names given in the original。 ） It is
delightfully situated on the side of a hill ； and， by proceeding along
one of the footpaths which lead out of the village， you can have a view
of the whole valley。 A good old woman lives there ， who keeps a small
inn。 She sells wine ， beer ， and coffee ， and is cheerful and pleasant
notwithstanding her age。 The chief charm of this spot consists in two
linden…trees， spreading their enormous branches over the little green
before the church ， which is entirely surrounded by peasants' cottages，
barns ， and homesteads。 I have seldom seen a place so retired and peaceable
； and there often have my table and chair brought out from the little
inn ， and drink my coffee there， and read my Homer。 Accident brought
me to the spot one fine afternoon ， and I found it perfectly deserted。
Everybody was in the fields except a little boy about four years of age，
who was sitting on the ground ， and held between his knees a child about
six months old： he pressed it to his bosom with both arms， which thus
formed a sort of arm…chair； and， notwithstanding the liveliness which
sparkled in its black eyes， it remained perfectly still。 The sight charmed
me。 I sat down upon a plough opposite ， and sketched with great delight
this little picture of brotherly tenderness。 I added the neighbouring
hedge ， the barn…door， and some broken cart…wheels， just as they happened
to lie； and I found in about an hour that I had made a very correct and
interesting drawing ， without putting in the slightest thing of my own。
This confirmed me in my resolution of adhering， for the future ， entirely
to nature。 She alone is inexhaustible ， and capable of forming the greatest
masters。 Much may be alleged in favour of rules ， as much may be likewise
advanced in favour of the laws of society ： an artist formed upon them
will never produce anything absolutely bad or disgusting； as a man who
observes the laws ， and obeys decorum， can never be an absolutely intolerable
neighbour ， nor a decided villain： but yet， say what you will of rules，
they destroy the genuine feeling of nature， as well as its true expression。
Do not tell me 〃that this is too hard ， that they only restrain and prune
superfluous branches， etc。〃 My good friend ， I will illustrate this
by an analogy。 These things resemble love。 A warmhearted youth bees
strongly attached to a maiden ： he spends every hour of the day in her
pany ， wears out his health ， and lavishes his fortune ， to afford
continual proof that he is wholly devoted to her。 Then es a man of
the world ， a man of place and respectability， and addresses him thus
： 〃My good young friend， love is natural； but you must love within
bounds。 Divide your time： devote a portion to business ， and give the
hours of recreation to your mistress。 Calculate your fortune； and out
of the superfluity you may make her a present ， only not too often ，
—— on her birthday， and such occasions。〃 Pursuing this advice， he
may bee a useful member of society ， and I should advise every prince
to give him an appointment； but it is all up with his love ， and with
his genius if he be an artist。 O my friend！ why is it that the torrent
of genius so seldom bursts forth， so seldom rolls in full…flowing stream，
overwhelming your astounded soul？ Because， on either side of this stream，
cold and respectable persons have taken up their abodes ， and， forsooth，
their summer…houses and tulip…beds would suffer from the torrent； wherefore
they dig trenches ， and raise embankments betimes， in order to avert
the impending danger。
MAY 27。 I find I have fallen into raptures， declamation， and similes，
and have forgotten， in consequence ， to tell you what became of the
children。 Absorbed in my artistic contemplations， which I briefly described
in my letter of yesterday ， I continued sitting on the plough for two
hours。 Toward evening a young woman ， with a basket on her arm ， came
running toward the children ， who had not moved all that time。 She exclaimed
from a distance ， 〃You are a good boy， Philip ！〃 She gave me greeting
： I returned it， rose ， and approached her。 I inquired if she were
the mother of those pretty children。 〃Yes ，〃 she said； and， giving
the eldest a piece of bread ， she took the little one in her arms and
kissed it with a mother's tenderness。 〃I left my child in Philip's care
，〃 she said ， 〃whilst I went into the town with my eldest boy to buy
some wheaten bread， some sugar ， and an earthen pot。〃 I saw the various
articles in the basket， from which the cover had fallen。 〃I shall make
some broth to…night for my little Hans（which was the name of the youngest）
： that wild fellow ， the big one， broke my pot yesterday ， whilst
he was scrambling with Philip for what remained of the contents。〃 I inquired
for the eldest； and she bad scarcely time to tell me that he was driving
a couple of geese home from the meadow， when he ran up ， and handed
Philip an osier…twig。 I talked a little longer with the woman ， and found
that she was the daughter of the schoolmaster ， and t