I thank you most truly, dear papa, for your good wishes on my
name-day. Do not be uneasy on my account, for I have always God
before my eyes, I acknowledge His omnipotence, I dread His wrath;
but I also know His love, His compassion and mercy towards His
creatures, and that He will never forsake His servants. When His
will is done I am resigned; so I never can fail to be happy and
contented. I shall certainly also strive to live as strictly as
possible in accordance with your injunctions and advice. Thank
Herr Bullinger a thousand times for his congratulations. I mean
to write to him soon and thank him myself, but I may in the mean
time assure him that I neither know nor have any better, more
sincere, or truer friend than himself. I beg also humbly to thank
Madlle. Sallerl; pray tell her I mean to enclose some verses to
show my gratitude to her in my letter to Herr Bullinger. Thank my
sister also; she is to keep the Schuster duets, and give herself
no further trouble on the subject.


In your first letter, dear papa, you write that I lowered myself
by my conduct to that lad Langenmantl. Anything but that! I was
only straightforward, no more. I see you think he is still a boy;
he is one or two and twenty, and a married man. Can any one be
considered a boy who is married? I have never gone near him
since. I left two cards for him to-day, and excused myself for
not going in, having so many indispensable calls to make. I must
now conclude, for mamma insists absolument on going to dinner,
and then to pack. To-morrow we go straight to Wallerstein. My
dear little cousin, who sends you her regards, is anything but a
prude. She dressed a la Francaise to please me yesterday. She
looked at least 5 per cent, prettier in consequence. Now, Addio!