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 that her husband
was gone on a journey into Switzerland for some money a relation had left
him。 〃They wanted to cheat him，〃 she said， 〃and would not answer his
letters ； so he is gone there himself。 I hope he has met with no accident，
as I have heard nothing of him since his departure。〃 I left the woman ，
with regret ， giving each of the children a kreutzer ， with an additional
one for the youngest， to buy some wheaten bread for his broth when she
went to town next ； and so we parted。 I assure you ， my dear friend ，
when my thoughts are all in tumult， the sight of such a creature as this
tranquillises my disturbed mind。 She moves in a happy thoughtlessness
within the confined circle of her existence ； she supplies her wants
from day to day ； and， when she sees the leaves fall， they raise no
other idea in her mind than that winter is approaching。 Since that time
I have gone out there frequently。 The children have bee quite familiar
with me ； and each gets a lump of sugar when I drink my coffee ， and
they share my milk and bread and butter in the evening。 They always receive
their kreutzer on Sundays ， for the good woman has orders to give it
to them when I do not go there after evening service。 They are quite at
home with me， tell me everything ； and I am particularly amused with
observing their tempers ， and the simplicity of their behaviour， when
some of the other village children are assembled with them。
It has given me a deal of trouble to satisfy the anxiety of the mother，
lest（as she says ） 〃they should inconvenience the gentleman。〃
MAY 30。 What I have lately said of painting is equally true with respect
to poetry。 It is only necessary for us to know what is really excellent，
and venture to give it expression ； and that is saying much in few words。
To…day I have had a scene ， which， if literally related ， would， make
the most beautiful idyl in the world。 But why should I talk of poetry
and scenes and idyls？ Can we never take pleasure in nature without having
recourse to art ？
If you expect anything grand or magnificent from this introduction，
you will be sadly mistaken。 It relates merely to a peasant…lad， who has
excited in me the warmest interest。 As usual， I shall tell my story badly
； and you， as usual ， will think me extravagant。 It is Walheim once
more—— always Walheim —— which produces these wonderful phenomena。
A party had assembled outside the house under the linden…trees， to
drink coffee。 The pany did not exactly please me ； and， under one
pretext or another， I lingered behind。
A peasant came from an adjoining house， and set to work arranging
some part of the same plough which I had lately sketched。 His appearance
pleased me； and I spoke to him ， inquired about his circumstances ，
made his acquaintance ， and， as is my wont with persons of that class，
was soon admitted into his confidence。 He said he was in the service of
a young widow ， who set great store by him。 He spoke so much of his mistress，
and praised her so extravagantly， that I could soon see he was desperately
in love with her。 〃She is no longer young ，〃 he said ： 〃and she was
treated so badly by her former husband that she does not mean to marry
again。〃 From his account it was so evident what inparable charms she
possessed for him ， and how ardently he wished she would select him to
extinguish the recollection of her first husband's misconduct ， that
I should have to repeat his own words in order to describe the depth of
the poor fellow's attachment， truth， and devotion。 It would ， in fact，
require the gifts of a great poet to convey the expression of his features，
the harmony of his voice， and the heavenly fire of his eye。 No words
can portray the tenderness of his every movement and of every feature
： no effort of mine could do justice to the scene。 His alarm lest I should
misconceive his position with regard to his mistress， or question the
propriety of her conduct， touched me particularly。 The charming manner
with which he described her form and person ， which， without possessing
the graces of youth ， won and attached him to her， is inexpressible ，
and must be left to the imagination。 I have never in my life witnessed
or fancied or conceived the possibility of such intense devotion， such
ardent affections ， united with so much purity。 Do not blame me if I
say that the recollection of this innocence and truth is deeply impressed
upon my very soul ； that this picture of fidelity and tenderness haunts
me everywhere ； and that my own heart， as though enkindled by the flame，
glows and burns within me。
I mean now to try and see her as soon as I can： or perhaps ， on
second thoughts ， I had better not ； it is better I should behold her
through the eyes of her lover。 To my sight， perhaps， she would not appear
as she now stands before me ； and why should I destroy so sweet a picture？
JUNE 16。 〃Why do I not write to you ？〃 You lay claim to learning ，
and ask such a question。 You should have guessed that I am well —— that
is to say —— in a word， I have made an acquaintance who has won my
heart ： I have —— I know not。
To give you a regular account of the manner in which I have bee
acquainted with the most amiable of women would be a difficult task。 I
am a happy and contented mortal ， but a poor historian。
An angel！ Nonsense ！ Everybody so describes his mistress； and yet
I find it impossible to tell you how perfect she is ， or why she is so
perfect ： suffice it to say she has captivated all my senses。
So much simplicity with so much understauding —— so mild， and yet
so resolute —— a mind so placid ， and a life so active。
But all this is ugly balderdash ， which expresses not a single character
nor feature。 Some other time—— but no ， not some other time， now，
this very instant ， will I tell you all about it。 Now or never。 Well ，
between ourselves ， since I menced my letter， I have been three times
on the point of throwing down my pen， of ordering my horse ， and riding
out。 And yet I vowed this morning that I would not ride to…day， and yet
every moment I am rushing to the window to see how high the sun is。
I could not restrain myself —— go to her I must。 I have just returned，
Wilhelm ； and whilst I am taking supper I will write to you。 What a delight
it was for my soul to see her in the midst of her dear， beautiful children，
—— eight brothers and sisters ！
But ， if I proceed thus， you will be no wiser at the end of my letter
than you were at the beginning。 Attend， then ， and I will pel myself
to give you the details。
I mentioned to you the other day that I had bee acquainted with
S ——， the district judge ， and that he had invited me to go and visit
him in his retirement ， or rather in his little kingdom。 But I neglected
going ， and perhaps should never have gone ， if chance had not discovered
to me the treasure which lay concealed in that retired spot。 Some of our
young people had proposed giving a ball in the country， at which I consented
to be present。 I offered my hand for the evening to a pretty and agreeable，
but rather monplace， sort of girl from the immediate neighbourhood
； and it was agreed that I should engage a carriage， and call upon Charlotte，
with my partner and her aunt， to convey them to the ball。 My panion
informed me ， as we drove along through the park to the hunting…lodge，
that I should make the acquaintance of a very charming young lady。 〃Take
care，〃 added the aunt， 〃that you do not lose your heart。〃 〃Why？〃 said
I。 〃Because she is already engaged to a very worthy man ，〃 she replied，
〃who is gone to settle his affairs upon the death of his father ， and
will succeed to a very considerable inheritance。〃 This information possessed
no interest for me。 When we arrived at the gate ， the sun was setting
behind the tops of the mountains。 The atmosphere was heavy； and the ladies
expressed their fears of an approaching storm ， as masses of low black
clouds were gathering in the horizon。 I relieved their anxieties by pretending
to be weather…wise， although I myself had some apprehensions lest our
pleasure should be interrupted。
I alighted； and a maid came to the door， and requested us to wait
a moment for her mistress。 I walked across the court to a well…built house，
and ， ascending the flight of steps in front ， opened the door， and
saw before me the most charming spectacle I had ever witnessed。 Six children，
from eleven to two years old， were running about the hall， and surrounding
a lady of middle height ， with a lovely figure ， dressed in a robe of
simple white， trimmed with pink ribbons。 She was holding a rye loaf in
her hand， and was cutting slices for the little ones all around， in
proportion to their age and appetite。 She performed her task in a graceful
and affectionate manner ； each claimant awaiting his turn with outstretched
hands ， and boisterously shouting his thanks。 Some of them ran away at
once， to