another, a simpler and a greater,
world.

The later diaries on his travels are sketchy throughout, and more
laconic and objective: for example, at Schaffhausen (Sept. 18th):

Went out early, 7.30, to see the Falls of the Rhine; colour of
water, green--causes of this, the heights covered by mist--the
depths clear, and we saw the castle of Laufen half in mist;
thought of Ossian. Love mist when moved by deep feeling.

At Brunnen:

Green of the lake, steep banks, small size of boatman in
comparison to the enormous masses of rock. One saw precipices
grown over by trees, summits covered by clouds. Sunshine over the
scene, one felt the formless greatness of Nature.

He was conscious of the great change in himself since his last visit
there, and wrote to Schiller (Oct. 14th, 1797):

I remember the effect these things had upon me twenty years ago.
The total impression remained with me, but the details faded, and
I had a wonderful longing to repeat the whole experience and
correct my impressions. I had become another man, and therefore
it must needs appear different to me.

In later years he travelled a great deal in the Harz Mountains, to
Carlsbad, Toplitz, the Maine, Marienbad, etc. After the death of his
great friends, Schiller and Carl August, he was more and more lonely,
and his whole outlook, with increasing years, grew more impersonal,
his attitude to Nature more abstract and scientific; the archetypal
plant was superseded by the theory of colours. But he kept fresh eyes
for natural beauty into ripe age; witness this letter from
Heidelberg, May 4th, 1808, to Frau von Stein:

Yesterday evening, after finishing my work, I went alone to the
castle, and first scrambled about among the ruins, and then
betook myself to the great balcony from which one can overlook
the whole country. It was one of the loveliest of May evenings
and of sunsets. No! I have really never seen such a fine view!
Just imagine! One looked into the beautiful though narrow Neckar
valley, covered on both sides with woods and vineyards and fruit
trees just coming into flower. Further off the valley widened,
and one saw the setting sun reflected in the Rhine as it flowed
majestically through most beautiful country. On its further side
the horizon was bounded by the Vosges mountains, lit up by the
sun as if by a fire. The whole country was covered w