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their minds. The

habitués
of The Crown sang laments for the death of Louis XVI at the hands of the revolutionaries, but in general they felt sympathy for the need for a change of government in France and in Switzerland. During the 1790s The Crown was frequented by Kaspar Billeter (he eventually married the landlord's daughter) a man gifted in acting, music and poetry and also known as a great conversationalist, noted for his scepticism and caustic wit. Bräker does not mention him, possibly for political reasons, but if they did meet this is just the sort of man who would have influenced Bräker's thinking in his last decade of life.

Bräker's closest acquaintance in Wädenschweil was Hans Jakob Hauser, born in Wädenschweil but brought up mainly in Wattwil, where his mother had lived for some years after his father died. In 1775 Hans Jakob married Susanna Giezendanner of Lichtensteig, moved back to Wädenschweil and became a successful tanner. Susanna Hauser was two years older than her friend Anna Katharina Looser, widow of Johannes Giezendanner, also mentioned by Bräker. (In January of the following year Anna Katharina married again, her second husband was Johann Heinrich Rusterholz of the Riedtli, near Zürich.) Through the Hausers Bräker met Hans Konrad Keller von Muralt, a noble and learned man. He in turn gave Bräker a letter of introduction to Dr. Hotz of Richterschweil.


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At this point Bräker abandons his diary until September [Chronik, p 353]

13th Aug. Bräker writes to Füssli, relates his journey home from Zürich, adding "Since then a number of other gentlemen and young ladies too have visited me who have made tours into the mountains - or intend to do so - most of them from your canton - all very amiable people". He returns some proofs of the published version of his diaries. [Chronik, p 353]

7th-11th Oct. "The promised little trip to dear Wädenschweil lasted only from the 6th to the 11th of October, but to the poor pilgrim upon earth it is better than tramping around elsewhere for many weeks. He had looked forward to it for a long time, and made use of a little cunning so that his dear spouse let him go with a good will, which was a double joy to him, Well, on the 5th he made ready for the journey. His purpose was in fact not just pleasure or the improvement of his health, (as he expressed it), but also occasions of business, which he proffered to his dear spouse as his only aim. Actually he wanted to lay in a supply of the fine fruit of Wädenschweil, which he had heard tell could be had for a trifle or even for nothing.

So on the 6th, before daybreak, he set out on his way, full of sweet anticipation and pleasant imaginings. 'Twas a cold morning. A thick frost. Freezing in many places. Hard roads and ice. He shivered from the frost until the dear sun broke out from behind lofty Säntis. The whole valley was white with rime. But as soon as he got into the forest, it was as if he had been suddenly transported into spring. The air was so pleasantly warm. The cattle wandered over the pastures. Far and wide, as far as the Glarus valley, he saw no frost. That made him wonder greatly: only one hour gone and still at the same height, and what a difference! Our Toggenburg must lie under a cold star, he murmured to himself. But if this difference comes from the north wind, I can't understand why it does not have the same effect here as with us, because both valleys lie in the same direction, open to the north wind. But I imagine that our little piece of country lies more open to the east wind than that region, where it is held back by the mountains which divide us from the Uznerland and the Zürich area. For I have noticed that yesterday and early today the east wind blew hard on us, yet here one feels no breath of it. The breeze is so gentle that I can scarcely tell from what part it blows. I see many drops of dew on the points of the grass, and scarcely an hour earlier in the morning the earth was frozen. But only in some places. Yet there was rime all over the land. Enough. The poor pilgrim goes on his way rejoicing. Change the land and the air changes too, he thought. And I feel all the better for it.


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