vels with a stock to dispose of: for travelling merchants must of
course be able to repair the clocks they may meet with, as well as
those they dispose of. So Pilgrim learned clockmaking regularly. When,
however, he had mastered what was absolutely indispensable, the project
of the journey was all settled. Pilgrim had all sorts of plans in his
head. At one time, his intention was to earn so much money in his
travels, that he might enter the academy for painting as a pupil; then
he proposed becoming an artist at once during his journey; and at last
his grand purpose was to bring home a large sack of money, and to spend
it freely among his own people; for, in fact, he had a great contempt
for money, in so far as he was himself concerned. Moreover, at that
time there was some love affair in his head. Greece--Athens, were the
objects of his travels; and when he even named Athens, his eyes
sparkled, and his cheeks flushed bright red. 'Athens!' said he often,
'does not the very sound of that name seem to transport us into lofty
halls, where we ascend marble stairs?' He fancied that if he were to
breathe this classical atmosphere, he would become another man, and,
above all, a great artist. Of course I endeavoured to cure him of such
wild delusions; and I so far succeeded, that he promised me to occupy
himself solely in making money, and his other plans could be fulfilled
hereafter. Old Lenz and I became his securities, for the value of the
goods that he was to take with him. He set out alone on the journey,
for Lenz, by our advice, stayed at home. 'I am like the river in the
Black Forest which runs into the Black Sea!' said Pilgrim often. He
hoped to introduce our forest clocks into the East and into Greece,
where they had not hitherto met with the same success as in northern
lands, and in the New World, It is very amusing to hear Pilgrim relate
his progress through various countries, and through cities and
villages, all hung round with Black Forest clocks, making them strike
in the streets, while he eagerly looked round on every side. But this
was his great fault: he was too anxious to see everything--customs,
manners, fine buildings, beautiful landscapes; and this is a
disadvantage to a merchant. The works in a clock never vary, even when
carried over sea and land, and just as little do our countrymen, who
are to be seen wandering in every zone, change their natures. To earn,
and to save, and to live economically until they r