- 144 -

to him [...] the harmony of our ways of thinking, above all on religious subjects. O how much I should like to obtain health for this good man!")

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      Now I went with my lad to the Gessner printing works and saw Councillor Gessner, a little man. If I had not known him from his Idylls, I should not have taken much notice of him. From Gessner I went on to Pastor Lavater. For it would have pained me much to go away from Zürich without seeing this great, world-famous man. I found him in his studio. "What do you want?" asked he. "To see the great Lavater", said I. "O, you see nothing but a poor sinner", said he. "Alas, so are we all", said I, and that was the opening speeches. We continued to speak of different subjects. He complained that at the moment he was not provided with spiritual gold, nor with earthly neither. I perceived clearly that he thought I was a beggar, for the good man must be horribly overrun with such people. I excused myself, saying that I was not there to beg. Thereupon he presented me with his portrait in silhouette, a Taufzettel

120

and six hymns. We were interrupted in our conversation by a chest of copper-engravings, artists' materials and drawings, which had been sent to him by one Lips from Berlin, with which he was heartily pleased and had enough to peer at. I took my leave and thought, now I'm satisfied. I still hold that man now in very high esteem. But I had beforehand reckoned a little too much to him, and did not find what I had expected. Alas, but there are only people in this world, one looks in vain for angels!


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      I was once again engaged to meet with the young Dr. Hirzel.

121

He had a chamber full of young gentlemen at his home when I arrived. They looked me through and through and asked me more questions than I could answer. But I soon took to my heels, I can never stand too many damned questions. I thought the young fellows had no right to stare at me and lead me round like a tame bear. For they wanted to take me on to meet with one Bodmer and one Füssli

122

. I have seen enough of these men - adieu!" [Voellmy v 3 pp 14-17]

"Now I went on with my lad to Councillor Gessner, a little wee man as we peasant lads are wont to say, and who surely does not look much like a shepherd but, as he should, more like a poet. The penetrating and yet so agreeable light in his eyes filled me with the greatest confidence. When I came into the room, a few gentlemen were standing on tiptoe before him, I think they were French barons. Although I am not familiar with their language, yet I remarked from his smiling mouth and on the other hand from their pursed lips, that he was countering their artificial compliments with nothing but well-aimed wit. The excellent man, with whom I afterwards spent a few hours and who was pleased to listen thoughtfully to my trifling opinions over Milton and Klopstock's imaginings of heaven and hell, had the kindness at the end of the visit to show my lad over the printing works." [Voellmy, v 3 p 15]

[If this is Füssli imitating Bräker, he does it very well. Possibly he is writing to Bräker's dictation or recalling a conversation?]


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120

Taufzettel: literally, certificate of baptism - possibly some sort of church membership card.


121

Probably the son of "Herr Councillor Hirzel" met earlier the same day. [Chronik, p 217]


122

It is not certain, though possible, that this was Johann Heinrich Füssli (1745-1832) who later published some of Bräker's writings. The Füsslis were a prominent clan in Zürich. [Chronik, p 217]



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