- 267 -
power, noisy and catching attention everywhere, and all the world was worshipping me, away with thee is what I should certainly say. Better to be content with unknown quiet retirement and my modest share of life and enjoy it. Where are now those heroes once so much admired? [...]
In Schaffhausen I walked up and down the streets, into all the houses and squares where I had been so happy forty years ago. But now I thought that everything had changed. Of my acquaintance who lived there at that time I saw only two persons and they too were forty years older. Only the Rhine was just the same, and the grapes tasted as good as ever. For the rest, no company for me and no conversation that might have been for my edification [...]
On the 13th the rain poured down again. But once more I made the same tour as yesterday through the city, to bid it a last farewell. I even went to a place where they were recruiting. I saw Turks and Polaks and others as recruits, in comical tattered uniforms, which made me quite melancholy, so that I could recall to the full those days of my existence. In the afternoon the weather became somewhat better. So I set off on my way home, up the softly-flowing, mirror-smooth bright Rhine, towards the Paradies monastery. There I stood still again, glanced one more at the beautiful shores of the Rhine and the splendid vineyards, and the city below. [...] Fare thee well in thy beautiful vineyards on the shores of the Rhine!
Thus I chattered to myself, full of memories of the kindness that I had enjoyed here forty years ago in this part of the world, and the carefree, happy days. O had I known then what paths I had to travel, what fate awaited me! How good it is that it is hidden from our eyes what fate we are journeying to meet!
Now I stumped on again by Paradies, Trutikon, Nuforn, Dietigen and Usslingen, to spend the night at Horgenbach, where I was very well lodged. But on the whole journey I never met with more hideously dirty roads than from Schaffhausen to here, roads where one often had to wade knee-deep in the muck.
On the 14th, again owing to bad weather, I could get only as far as Weil and only on the following day, in good weather, complete my journey home."
17th Oct. Ebel writes to Füssli asking him to give Bräker money on his behalf.
Bräker visits Herisau and the Thurgau. He sees copies on sale of an anonymous pamphlet "Briefe eines Deutschen über die politischen Bewegungen im Kanton Zürich" [Letter from a German concerning the political unrest in Canton Zürich] [Chronik, p 428]
21st-23rd Oct. Bräker and Girtanner attend a meeting of the Literary Society in St. Gallen, and Bräker also has the chance to meet Sulzer again at Girtanner's house. [Chronik, p 428]
[In September, the Prince-Abbot and the chapter of St. Gallen had decided that the appeals from Gossau were a threat to their authority, and made it known that if a very limited list of concessions was not accepted, the abbey would appeal to the Schirmorte [protector cities]. On 28th October, however, after direct negotiations between the Prince-Abbot and a delegation from Künzle's supporters, the Prince-Abbot very unexpectedly offered to conclude a "Gütliche Vertrag" [Amicable Agreement], which was accepted by the commune of Gossau on 23rd November. It proposed the institution of a Landrat of 51 members with Künzle as president, with military powers, the abolition of serfdom, political rights for the communes and the right to elect minor officials. The chapter of the abbey, who had not been consulted, were outraged.]
29th Oct. Bräker writes to Füssli to thank him for hospitality in Zürich. He tells Füssli that his only cow has died in calving and asks that Füssli's son-in-law Pastor Wirz should be told that Bräker cannot now supply the cow which was promised to him. He sends samples of cotton cloth for Füssli's wife and Frau Wieland, and asks Füssli to thank Heinrich Gessner for sending a copy
Contents |