"O dear me, I feel so dizzy. Yesterday I took a dram too much - it is only three o'clock in the morning and pitch dark outside. The heavens are pouring with rain. These two hours I have been listening to the splashing of raindrops on my cabbages under the window. And I'm supposed to be going on a journey, and outside I can't see my hand in front of my face. I'm ready to set off any minute. But I will wait for daylight. The night is no friend to anyone save maybe robbers and thieves. No, I must and will be off. When day comes my wife will get up and make a spiteful sermon on the weather. Out, out, you know the road and the rain won't drown you. At nine o'clock I must be in Herisau. God knows how much my hankering for travel has already lost me, so much disillusion and deception. I am indeed obliged to go to St. Gallen on business, but from then on it's just my greed for new things. Yet the hankering is irresistible! Now in God's name - if only heaven were more favourable - I fantasised thus until five o'clock. At last I trudged off on my road in wind and rain, and came to Herisau in good time but thoroughly soaked. I had to dry my clothes there, buy some dry stockings and then dispose of my errands. Then I made a few visits to tell of my intentions.

Frau Schiessin and Jungfer Füsslein recommended me to speak also to Herr Mayr in Arbon

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, which pleased me. But my business errands and dear friends conspired to delay my setting out from St. Gallen that evening. In the morning I met with the two daughters of a worthy friend and fellowcountryman. Their father's business left him no time to show his daughters the sights of the city. So he passed on the task to me and I did it with pleasure. I escorted these fine young ladies, who were in St. Gallen for the first time, to St. Lawrence's tower, to the monastery church and all around. Finally I took them home to their father.

I also made a visit to the monastery to see the Reverend Father Librarian

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, who had once honoured me, the Poor Man, with a visit to my poor cottage, and had made me so bold as to visit him in his cell - I announced myself and asked for the Librarian. He soon came to meet me. He escorted me all over the monastery and showed me all the sights and rarities of it with a benevolence that I should not have allowed myself to expect, and over and above that he made me a present of some natural history specimens and a book about them. When I left, several Fathers were standing by the gate. I made my speech of thanks, which certainly came from my heart, as well as I could. Amongst other things I said as was my custom: "Come visit us in the Toggenburg". "Who the devil would want to go there!" murmured a fat, corpulent Father over-loudly. I mused upon this compliment many a time and related it to many others. For it was made to me not in private but with at least twenty people present. I thought that there must be an inborn hatred in these good gentlemen against the men of Toggenburg. But others have assured me it was only a jest. At my expense. I visited a dear friend and fellowcountrywoman F.

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and then went on to Arbon.

180

The Chronik [p 368] identifies these as Euphrosine Schiess-Mayr, (sister of Füssli's second wife Susanna Mayr and wife of Johann Jakob Schiess of Herisau), and one of Füssli's daughters, not precisely identified. Johann Georg Mayr (1736-1805) was Euphrosine's stepfather, a successful linen-merchant. [Voellmy, v 3 p 30]

181

The Chronik [p 368] gives his name as Johann Nepomuk Hauntinger.

182

Not identified.

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