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them. New bliss, new life, do you not burn deep into my soul! Divine refreshment, God's warmth, sun, heaven, earth - nothing but God's words in golden sounds - all holy!

Hast thou ever perceived my inconstancy, an insignificant creature out of so many millions, that adores thee even unto idolatry? Yes, I believe so! I alone see Thy gentle smile, thou shouldst be my sun, warmth for me especially. Moon and stars pale before thy radiance, and my thoughts lose themselves in admiration of thee. But thou art always new, always a wonderful power of God! O Moses, why dost thou write so coldly: and God made a great light! [Genesis 1 v 16] Great, O great above all human reason, great and wonderful image of God! Origin of all that shines! Light and life of a thousand worlds! Thou visible goddess, strongest convincer of the unbelieving! Among all that eye can see, the most powerful proof of God, of God's most mighty arm! Thy light makes the adoration of thy mighty creator ardent, joyful, O everything is confusion, babbling nonsense, impotence, not the expression of a feeling heart!" [...] [Voellmy, v 3 pp 18-19]

This rather breathless style was used by Lavater and widely imitated. [Chronik, p 186]

16th Aug. "My comrades preferred to peer, I don't know with what sensations, at the beautiful girls from Appenzell. And in fact they are charming creatures. There was one little face among them, Lavater in all his physiognomic odds and ends has not a single one like it. A picture that certainly excels all the nymphs of the poets, all the shepherdesses of romance. I could not restrain myself from speaking to this fair one, without a single blameworthy thought. Certainly I believed that the soul of this tiny thing harmonised perfectly with her pretty little head. With the most liberal ingenuousness, with the manner of an angel unsuspicious and pure, she was as open in her conversation with me as if I had been her father. [Bräker describes her face in detail, not completely uncritically] [...] I cannot describe her little nose to you: a little sharp at the end and yet wide enough. Towards the eyes too thin. What a nose! On my faith, thought I, Lavater would find out wonders from that. And such red, narrow lips, a pure pleasing voice, such a mouth. Yes, I will say so to his face, if that is not the mouth of an eloquent woman, then... That gives me no joy, she said smiling." [Voellmy, v 3 pp 17-18]

17th Aug. Bräker's son Jakob is swindled out of his pocket-money by a "rascally Papist", Bräker is unable to sleep for anger. [Chronik, p 187]

There are no diary entries in the Chronik from 1st October to 20th December. Bräker had read aloud to Salome some of the diary entries concerning herself, she had made many objections to them and so he gave up the diary for a while and wrote dialogues instead, probably those used in his drama. He is now planning something else for the new year, this probably refers to his autobiography. [Chronik, p 190]

"Saviour of the world, forgive me, do not be angry if I set down a few thoughts which might be interpreted as my own wickedness. Thou knowest my heart, eternal Spirit that permeates all things! Forgive all the idle, alas, perhaps unpardonable doubts. A text in the Gospel about those who doubt makes me tremble. These thoughts come without my intention. They torment me. I curse them. perhaps I should smother these doubts in my bosom! Yes, I will do so. But perhaps I should not set them down here. My posterity may be offended thereby. I do not wish for that. No, I will set them down and my own arguments against them, with which I confront these enemies, these stiffnecked enemies!

Never do I doubt Thee, great God, eternal and almighty! Never doubt Thy force and strength, Thy wisdom and might, incomprehensible to mankind. But imprison my reason, Lord, show me Thy ways. How is it possible that Thou, God of majesty, hast become a poor child, and didst all that the Gospels say. There I do not doubt that anything might be impossible to Thee, in heaven or on earth. But could not Thy incomprehensible almighty power not pardon Thy creatures of

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