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For such a small town it seemed a lively place, probably because of the through traffic of merchandise and travellers.

3rd October. Konigsfelden, Gebersdorf and on to Baden.

I had longed greatly to see one day this warm spring which fills the baths. So I went quickly to the public bath, and since there was nobody about for the moment I undressed down to my shirt, sat down in it for an hour and felt a noticeable lightening of my limbs. I thought: and where does this hot water come from? And whence does it receive its warmth? But while the most learned scientists do not know, and are of different opinions on the matter, how can I solve it, simple old booby that I am. In my simple opinion the warmth must come from fire under the earth, or may be warmed by stones like quicklime. For that in the bowels of the earth there exists eternal inextinguishable fire, that is incontestably shown by the mountains that spew fire. If these springs lie over layers of rock heated by the subterranean fire, they could well be warm by the time they reach us. Enough, no mortal will ever satisfy my thirst for knowledge.

After this little bath had had its wonderful effect on me, my old bones were considerably lightened, without going into any house in Baden, with powerful strides I set out on my way through Wertigen to Dietikon. I bought a little bite to eat. Then by Schlieren, Altstätten to Zürich over the fattest, most fertile fields, land like garden soil, also the finest fruit tress, the most beautiful meadows and roads. But I did not choose to be ferried on the Limmat across to Baden and below Baden. Better to go on foot on these fine roads than in a shaky ferry.

In Zürich I went directly to the Riedtli, to my good acquaintances, the patriarchal family. At my departure from Bern they had given me a parasol to take with me, which I had never used but always carried with me. I made no longer stay in Zürich. Now I intended to go by Flach to pay a visit to my dear pastor [David] Michel and his charming family. I went on by Kloten to spend the night at Embrach and was well lodged above my expectations. On the way there I came upon a viewpoint whence I could see Hoher Säntis and the chain of all the mountain ridges in the Toggenburg, which seemed quite close to me and made me feel as if I were at home. My host, who was a butcher and well known in our parts, asked after this one and that one in the Toggenburg. I spent the evening very pleasantly.

In Rorbis a man I did not know called me into his house, set a bottle of delicious wine before me and conversed with me in an uncommonly friendly manner, at which I wondered much. I asked him where he had met me before. The maidservant had told him my name and dwelling-place. It turned out that he knew my neighbour G., a wine-merchant, very well, and he still had some of his wine in stock. I should recommend him. He invited me to taste various wines, so that even so early in the morning it was going to my head. But I stumped over the Itchel and found my patriarchal household in the best of health. But in other respects not so well off. For in the vineyards all was miserably bare and blighted. The spring had brought frost far and wide, so that no new shoots were growing. The good pastor Michel conducted me around and showed me the sad sight of his barren vineyards, and the same thing had happened all over those parts to pastors whose stipend consisted of vineyards and tithe wine. Of course the wine-growers are even worse off, especially those who have to pay taxes in wine, or who have borrowed money in the early part of the year with it as security. My pastor Michel did not need any comfort from me, because he can resign himself calmly to anything. But I said to him: who knows, perhaps next year heaven will make it up to you. O yes, said he, I hope so too.

Pastor Michel was for almost twenty years pastor in my neighbourhood, in a small parish, on a very meagre stipend, with a numerous household so that he had to supplement his income from his own property and economise in everything. And yet he was always content and cheerful. His wife, a woman like all women ought to be, together with her daughters earned more in a week by her handwork than his stipend brought in. 'Twas always an inward delight to visit this family, the like of which is seldom found, or to receive a visit from them. Every year I took Communion on

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