he new year,
rustic congratulants with their foolish rhymes would too liberally
present themselves, "Mother, there is a new Hofmannswaldau at the
door!" Thus did the excellent Mother guide forward the soul of her
docile Boy, with Bible-passages and Church-symbols, with tales,
histories and poems, into gradual form and stature. Never forgetting,
withal, to awaken and nourish his sense for the beauties of Nature.
Before long, Nature had become his dearest abode; and only love of
that could sometimes tempt him to little abridgments of school-hours.
Often, in the pretty region of Lorch, he wished the Sun goodnight in
open song; or with childish pathos summoned Stuttgart's Painters to
represent the wondrous formation and glorious colouring of the sunset
clouds. If, in such a humour, a poor man met him, his overflowing
little heart would impel him to the most active pity; and he liberally
gave away whatever he had by him and thought he could dispense with.
The Father, who, as above indicated, never could approve or even
endure such unreasonable giving-up of one's feelings to effeminate
impressions, was apt to intervene on these occasions, even with manual
punishment,--unless the Mother were at hand to plead the little
culprit off.

[Footnote 59: A once-celebrated Silesian of the 17th century,
distinguished for his blusterous exaggerations, numb-footed
caprioles, and tearing of a passion to rags;--now extinct.]

'But nothing did the Mother forward with more eagerness, by every
opportunity, than the kindling inclination of her Son to become a
Preacher; which even showed itself in his sports. Mother or Sister had
to put a little cowl on his head, and pin round him by way of surplice
a bit of black apron; then would he mount a chair and begin earnestly
to preach; ranging together in his own way, not without some traces of
coherency, all that he had retained from teaching and church-visiting
in this kind, and interweaving it with verses of songs. The Mother,
who listened attentively and with silent joy, put a higher meaning
into this childish play; and, in thought, saw her Son already stand in
the Pulpit, and work, rich in blessings, in a spiritual office. The
spiritual profession was at that time greatly esteemed, and gave
promise of an honourable existence. Add to this, that the course of
studies settled for young Wuertemberg Theologians not only offered
important pecuniary furtherances and advantages, but also mor