stars, and on each side the banks and wooded hill-tops and the
battlements of the old castles bathed in the moonlight, whilst nothing
falls on one's ear but the gentle splashing of one's own movements. I
should like to swim like this every evening. I drank some very fair wine
afterwards, and then sat a long time with Lynar smoking on the
balcony--the Rhine below us. My little New Testament and the
star-studded heavens brought us on the subject of religion, and I argued
long against the Rousseau-like sophism of his ideas, without, however,
achieving more than to reduce him to silence. He was badly treated as a
child by _bonnes_ and tutors, without ever having known his parents.
Later on, in consequence of much the same sort of education as myself,
he picked up the same ideas in his youth; but is more satisfied and more
convinced by them than ever I was.

Next day we took the steamer to Coblenz, stopped there an hour for
breakfast, and came back the same way to Frankfort, where we arrived in
the evening. I undertook this expedition with the intention of visiting
old Metternich, who had invited me to do so at Johannisberg; but I was
so much pleased with the Rhine that I preferred to make my way over to
Coblenz and to postpone the visit. When you and I saw it we had just
returned from the Alps, and the weather was bad; on this fresh summer
morning, however, and after the dusty monotony of Frankfort, the Rhine
has risen very considerably in my estimation. I promise myself complete
enjoyment in spending a couple of days with you at Rüdesheim; the place
is so quiet and rural, honest people and cheap living. We will hire a
small boat and row at our leisure downwards, climb up the Niederwald and
a castle or two, and return with the steamer. One can leave this place
early in the morning, stay eight hours at Rüdesheim, Bingen, or
Rheinstein, etc., and be back again in the evening. My appointment here
appears now to be certain.