With this comprehensive preface, which had occupied me during the
whole of the month of August, I hoped that my excursion into the
realms of literature would be ended once and for all. However, as
soon as I began to think seriously about taking up the
composition of Junger Siegfried, which I had promised for Weimar,
I was seized with depressing doubts which almost amounted to a
positive reluctance to attempt this work. As I could not clearly
discern the reason of this dejection, I concluded that its source
lay in the state of my health, so I determined one day to carry
out my theories about the advantages of a water cure, which I had
always propounded with great enthusiasm. I made due inquiries
about a neighbouring hydropathic establishment, and informed my
wife that I was going off to Albisbrunnen, which was situated
about three miles from our abode. It was then about the middle of
September, and I had made up my mind not to come back until I was
completely restored to health.

Minna was quite frightened when I announced my intention, and
looked upon it as another attempt on my part to abandon my home.
I begged of her, however, to devote herself during my absence to
the task of furnishing and arranging our new flat as comfortably
as possible. This, although small, was conveniently situated on
the ground floor of the Vordern Escher Hauser im Zeltweg. We had
determined to move back to the town, on account of the great
inconvenience of the situation of our present quarters,
especially during winter time. Everybody, of course, was
astonished at the idea of my undertaking a water cure so late in
the season. Nevertheless, I soon succeeded in securing a fellow-
patient. I was not fortunate enough to get Herwegh, but Fate was