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delightfully situated on the side of a hill ； and， by proceeding along
one of the footpaths which lead out of the village， you can have a view
of the whole valley。 A good old woman lives there ， who keeps a small
inn。 She sells wine ， beer ， and coffee ， and is cheerful and pleasant
notwithstanding her age。 The chief charm of this spot consists in two
linden…trees， spreading their enormous branches over the little green
before the church ， which is entirely surrounded by peasants' cottages，
barns ， and homesteads。 I have seldom seen a place so retired and peaceable
； and there often have my table and chair brought out from the little
inn ， and drink my coffee there， and read my Homer。 Accident brought
me to the spot one fine afternoon ， and I found it perfectly deserted。
Everybody was in the fields except a little boy about four years of age，
who was sitting on the ground ， and held between his knees a child about
six months old： he pressed it to his bosom with both arms， which thus
formed a sort of arm…chair； and， notwithstanding the liveliness which
sparkled in its black eyes， it remained perfectly still。 The sight charmed
me。 I sat down upon a plough opposite ， and sketched with great delight
this little picture of brotherly tenderness。 I added the neighbouring
hedge ， the barn…door， and some broken cart…wheels， just as they happened
to lie； and I found in about an hour that I had made a very correct and
interesting drawing ， without putting in the slightest thing of my own。
This confirmed me in my resolution of adhering， for the future ， entirely
to nature。 She alone is inexhaustible ， and capable of forming the greatest
masters。 Much may be alleged in favour of rules ， as much may be likewise
advanced in favour of the laws of society ： an artist formed upon them
will never produce anything absolutely bad or disgusting； as a man who
observes the laws ， and obeys decorum， can never be an absolutely intolerable
neighbour ， nor a decided villain： but yet， say what you will of rules，
they destroy the genuine feeling of nature， as well as its true expression。
Do not tell me 〃that this is too hard ， that they only restrain and prune
superfluous branches， etc。〃 My good friend ， I will illustrate this
by an analogy。 These things resemble love。 A warmhearted youth bees
strongly attached to a maiden ： he spends every hour of the day in her
pany ， wears out his health ， and lavishes his fortune ， to afford
continual proof that he is wholly devoted to her。 Then es a man of
the world ， a man of place and respectability， and addresses him thus
： 〃My good young friend， love is natural； but you must love within
bounds。 Divide your time： devote a portion to business ， and give the
hours of recreation to your mistress。 Calculate your fortune； and out
of the superfluity you may make her a present ， only not too often ，
—— on her birthday， and such occasions。〃 Pursuing this advice， he
may bee a useful member of society ， and I should advise every prince
to give him an appointment； but it is all up with his love ， and with
his genius if he be an artist。 O my friend！ why is it that the torrent
of genius so seldom bursts forth， so seldom rolls in full…flowing stream，
overwhelming your astounded soul？ Because， on either side of this stream，
cold and respectable persons have taken up their abodes ， and， forsooth，
their summer…houses and tulip…beds would suffer from the torrent； wherefore
they dig trenches ， and raise embankments betimes， in order to avert
the impending danger。
MAY 27。 I find I have fallen into raptures， declamation， and similes，
and have forgotten， in consequence ， to tell you what became of the
children。 Absorbed in my artistic contemplations， which I briefly described
in my letter of yesterday ， I continued sitting on the plough for two
hours。 Toward evening a young woman ， with a basket on her arm ， came
running toward the children ， who had not moved all that time。 She exclaimed
from a distance ， 〃You are a good boy， Philip ！〃 She gave me greeting
： I returned it， rose ， and approached her。 I inquired if she were
the mother of those pretty children。 〃Yes ，〃 she said； and， giving
the eldest a piece of bread ， she took the little one in her arms and
kissed it with a mother's tenderness。 〃I left my child in Philip's care
，〃 she said ， 〃whilst I went into the town with my eldest boy to buy
some wheaten bread， some sugar ， and an earthen pot。〃 I saw the various
articles in the basket， from which the cover had fallen。 〃I shall make
some broth to…night for my little Hans（which was the name of the youngest）
： that wild fellow ， the big one， broke my pot yesterday ， whilst
he was scrambling with Philip for what remained of the contents。〃 I inquired
for the eldest； and she bad scarcely time to tell me that he was driving
a couple of geese home from the meadow， when he ran up ， and handed
Philip an osier…twig。 I talked a little longer with the woman ， and found
that she was the daughter of the schoolmaster ， and that her husband
was gone on a journey into Switzerland for some money a relation had left
him。 〃They wanted to cheat him，〃 she said， 〃and would not answer his
letters ； so he is gone there himself。 I hope he has met with no accident，
as I have heard nothing of him since his departure。〃 I left the woman ，
with regret ， giving each of the children a kreutzer ， with an additional
one for the youngest， to buy some wheaten bread for his broth when she
went to town next ； and so we parted。 I assure you ， my dear friend ，
when my thoughts are all in tumult， the sight of such a creature as this
tranquillises my disturbed mind。 She moves in a happy thoughtlessness
within the confined circle of her existence ； she supplies her wants
from day to day ； and， when she sees the leaves fall， they raise no
other idea in her mind than that winter is approaching。 Since that time
I have gone out there frequently。 The children have bee quite familiar
with me ； and each gets a lump of sugar when I drink my coffee ， and
they share my milk and bread and butter in the evening。 They always receive
their kreutzer on Sundays ， for the good woman has orders to give it
to them when I do not go there after evening service。 They are quite at
home with me， tell me everything ； and I am particularly amused with
observing their tempers ， and the simplicity of their behaviour， when
some of the other village children are assembled with them。
It has given me a deal of trouble to satisfy the anxiety of the mother，
lest（as she says ） 〃they should inconvenience the gentleman。〃
MAY 30。 What I have lately said of painting is equally true with respect
to poetry。 It is only necessary for us to know what is really excellent，
and venture to give it expression ； and that is saying much in few words。
To…day I have had a scene ， which， if literally related ， would， make
the most beautiful idyl in the world。 But why should I talk of poetry
and scenes and idyls？ Can we never take pleasure in nature without having
recourse to art ？
If you expect anything grand or magnificent from this introduction，
you will be sadly mistaken。 It relates merely to a peasant…lad， who has
excited in me the warmest interest。 As usual， I shall tell my story badly
； and you， as usual ， will think me extravagant。 It is Walheim once
more—— always Walheim —— which produces these wonderful phenomena。
A party had assembled outside the house under the linden…trees， to
drink coffee。 The pany did not exactly please me ； and， under one
pretext or another， I lingered behind。
A peasant came from an adjoining house， and set to work arranging
some part of the same plough which I had lately sketched。 His appearance
pleased me； and I spoke to him ， inquired about his circumstances ，
made his acquaintance ， and， as is my wont with persons of that class，
was soon admitted into his confidence。 He said he was in the service of
a young widow ， who set great store by him。 He spoke so much of his mistress，
and praised