the first time since their boyhood, reminded
him of the adventure, recounting the circumstances with great
minuteness and glee. It is as follows: Once in 1768, Elwert
and he had to repeat their catechism together on a certain
day publicly in the church. Their teacher, an
ill-conditioned, narrow-minded pietist, had previously
threatened them with a thorough flogging if they missed even
a single word. To make the matter worse, this very teacher
chanced to be the person whose turn it was to catechise on
the appointed day. Both the boys began their answers with
dismayed hearts and faltering tongues; yet they succeeded in
accomplishing the task; and were in consequence rewarded by
the mollified pedagogue with two kreutzers apiece. Four
kreutzers of ready cash was a sum of no common magnitude; how
it should be disposed of formed a serious question for the
parties interested. Schiller moved that they should go to
Harteneck, a hamlet in the neighbourhood, and have a dish of
curds-and-cream: his partner assented; but alas! in Harteneck
no particle of curds or cream was to be had. Schiller then
made offer for a quarter-cake of cheese; but for this four
entire kreutzers were demanded, leaving nothing whatever in
reserve for bread! Twice baffled, the little gastronomes,
unsatisfied in stomach, wandered on to Neckarweihingen;
where, at length, though not till after much inquiry, they
did obtain a comfortable mess of curds-and-cream, served up
in a gay platter, and silver spoons to eat it with. For all
this, moreover, they were charged but three kreutzers; so
that there was still one left to provide them with a bunch of
St. John grapes. Exhilarated by such liberal cheer, Schiller
rose into a glow of inspiration: having left the village, he
mounted with his comrade to the adjacent height, which
overlooks both Harteneck and Neckarweihingen; and there in a
truly poetic effusion he pronounced his malediction on the
creamless region, bestowing with the same solemnity his
blessing on the one which had afforded him that savoury
refreshment.' _Friedrich von Schillers Leben_ (Heidelberg.
1817), p. 11.]

This good hope was not, however, destined to be realised in the way
they expected: accidents occurred which changed the direction of
Schiller's exertions, and threatened for a time to prevent the su