through gaps in a broken tombstone, one hand raising the stone and the other clasping the child whose birth had killed her. Interestingly, the American Simond, writing in 1823, also says [p 186] that some details would have been better left to the imagination. It would have been more suited to the taste in "sensibility" of the 19th century, and to modern taste seems definitely morbid.]
Bräker stays for five days in Bern as guest of "noble benefactors, without whose generous support I should have had to forgo the pleasures of the journey. I would not have been able to enjoy the strengthening of my body and spirit, but would have had to stay in my old nest and brood over my cares." He enjoys "a continual round of visits, pleasure and strolling about - saw fireworks and cannonades and all sorts of interesting sights - heard discourses and conversation - in which indeed I could not at all times take part - neither could nor should".
4th Oct. In the afternoon Bräker leaves Bern and Gottlieb Sigmund Studer accompanies him for some distance. On the way to Fraubrunnen he walks with the family of a French painter, whose German wife interprets for him. They offer him a ride on a cart, but Bräker refuses because he can see that the horse is tired and underfed. Next day he visits Pastor Johannes Müller
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in Limpach, the family is pleased to see someone from their former home in Wattwil, although they are mourning the recent death of a child. Bräker goes on to Solothurn and explores the city.
On the 6th Oct. he travels by boat on the river Aar to Aarburg. On the boat someone asks him "if I happen to know the Poor Man of Toggenburg - Yes - Was he really a poor man - Yes - and thus the conversation ended". But when the boat landed he told who he was. From Aarburg he goes on to Olten to spend the night. On the 7th he travels via Schönenwerd, Aarau and Biberstein to Thalheim. Here he spends the night in the familiar parsonage "Once he (Pastor Seelmatter) was also our pastor. He is a very rich man and since then he has grown very stout, so that walking and speaking are difficult for him. Wattwil is still fresh in his mind, because he still has investments there."
On the 8th he goes via Schinznach and Brugg, where he visits Hans Jakob Belart whose son Johann Jakob is pastor at Wattwil, and again visits "K"
[see note for 26th Sept. above]
and spends the night at Baden. He lodges at the "Half Moon" and next day takes a strengthening bath because he has a stitch in his right side. He crosses the Limmat and goes eastwards for five hours to Bälach. On the 10th he reaches Flach on the Irchel, arriving drenched with rain at the house of Pastor David Michel. The weather is still bad the next day but he goes on via Andelfingen and Marthalen to Uhwiesen.
"But my steadfast goal was Schaffhausen, which once again compelled my heart to see it again, perhaps for the last time in my life, to remember once more my past days of youth and say a last farewell to that city. Frankly, it was not that city nor its inhabitants but its beautiful situation and the memory of the past that cast a spell on me.
From Uhwiesen on the road to Schaffhausen I heard the fall of the Rhine roaring. I saw from there also, looking down from Laufen, the fall of the Rhine which I had seen so often, which travellers have so often and so enthusiastically described as a wonder of the world, but where I could see nothing but a great mass of water rushing down over rocky bluffs with a great roar that arouses more of a shudder than rapture. It is far more delightful for me to see such rivers flowing softly and smoothly [...] A softly flowing river reminds me of the life of man, which is lived all unknown, still and retired, quietly and peacefully. Wild roaring torrents, on the other hand, rivers which foam raging down their courses, remind me of a wild and restless life which draws everyone's eyes after it, like the thundering fall of the Rhine at Laufen. Such a life does not suit me, even if it were lived by all the conquerors of the world, by all ancient and modern heroes, and universally admired, even if I could gain the whole world by such a life, ever greedy for
