what he called "provincial expressions", the others are comments of his own. He explicitly states that he might have done more annotation if he had had the time.
The question is further confused by the consideration of alterations made by editors subsequent to Füssli. It is occasionally possible to detect changes made by Voellmy, as in a passage quoted by Böning which allows comparison between Voellmy's version and the original diary, when Bräker discusses his interest in the weather on 28th January 1789. It lends credence to Böning's assertion [biog., p 206] that Voellmy bowdlerised some of Bräker's earthier passages, such as his encounter with a dissolute monk in September 1793, and omitted some passages without indicating that he had done so. No doubt Bräker's many other editors and translators have all chipped away at Bräker's text in their turn.
Much of Füssli's time may also have been taken up by writing the dialogue "Peter and Paul" which he published as an appendix to Bräker's autobiography. Though he attributes it to Bräker, it is very likely that Füssli wrote this dialogue himself, basing it on a similar dialogue "Balz and Andres", which appears in the diary and so is almost certainly Bräker's own work.
1st Jan. Bräker has a hangover from celebrating the New Year. [Chronik, p 314]
3rd Jan. Bräker visits Imhof. "My mood was only so-so, tra-la-la, but a new pleasure was opened to me. He offered me Schubart's Vaterländische Chronik, from which I promise myself great things". [Voellmy, v 2 p 54]
Imhof had introduced Bräker to the writings of Christian Schubart (1739-1791), a German writer from Wurttemberg. Voellmy [v 2 p 54] describes him as a true "Stürmer und Dränger" [ultra-Romantic]. He shows deep religious feeling and hatred of tyranny, [traits that Bräker shared]. He published the "Deutsche Chronik" [German chronicle] from 1774 to 1777, from 1777 to 1787 he was in prison, when released he moved to Stuttgart and continued his journal as the "Vaterländische Chronik" [Chronicle of the homeland]. It was an idiosyncratic mixture of literature, culture and politics. Bräker was not disappointed, on 6th January he records "The man pleases me".
[Schubart was to have a considerable effect on his own writing.]
On the same day Bräker sets out this year's aims for the diary: "With pleasure do I continue my diary - in order to write therein the events of every day - I mean - those of my narrow domain - for writing has become with me almost a necessity." [Chronik, p 314]
14th Jan. Bräker dreams that his friend Ambühl has returned to Wattwil:
"Ah, the dream - that I must not forget - perhaps one day it will come true - then I could look it up in my diary
One of the first nights of this year - I can't remember which - I dreamt very vividly - and the dream is still quite new and detailed in my memory -I lay in a house in the village on straw - old and grey and without strength - but without the least pain - Suddenly I heard the news that my friend Bertold had arrived - Hastily I called out - said to him - he must be so kind and to come to me here - The messenger went away: Meanwhile I thought - Ah, what a fool I am - he will not come for a long time - I know his obstinacy - and now - perhaps puffed up with pride - he will be offended at my lack of refinement and think - yes, he can wait or come to me himself.
While I was thinking thus - then he came - in all friendliness - still the same old Bertold - save that he was grown quite stout and dressed like a German merchant - He threw himself down on the straw beside me - before I had time to sit up - and embraced and kissed me - I clung to him and our tears streamed down - He tried to lift me up - I forbade it - said that I could turn myself
