will be peculiarly necessary, lest they sham, and higgle
about letting me away.'

'Stuttgard, 15th July 1782.

'My long silence must have almost drawn upon me the reproach
of folly from your Excellency, especially as I have not only
delayed answering your last kind letter, but also retained
the two books by me. All this was occasioned by a harassing
affair which I have had to do with here. Your Excellency
will doubtless be surprised when you learn that, for my last
journey to you, I have been confined a fortnight under
arrest. Everything was punctually communicated to the Duke.
On this matter I have had an interview with him.

'If your Excellency think my prospects of coming to you
anywise attainable, my only prayer is to _accelerate the
fulfilment of them_. The reason why I now wish this with
double earnestness, is one which I dare trust no whisper of
to paper. This alone I can declare for certain, that within
a month or two, if I have not the happiness of being with
you, there will remain no further hope of my ever being
there. Ere that time, I shall be forced to take a _step_,
which will render it impossible for me to stay at Mannheim.'
* * *

* * * * *

The next two extracts are from letters to another correspondent.
Doering quotes them without name or date: their purport sufficiently
points out their place.

'I must haste to get away from this: in the end they might
find me an apartment in the Hohenasperg, as they have found
the honest and ill-fated Schubart. They talk of better
culture that I need. It is possible enough, they might
cultivate me differently in Hohenasperg: but I had rather
try to make shift with what culture I have got, or may still
get, by my unassisted efforts. This at least I owe to no one
but my own free choice, and volition that disdains
constraint.'

* * * * *

'In regard to those affairs, concerning which they wish to
put my spirit under wardship, I have long reckoned my
minority to be concluded. The best of it is, that one can
cast away such clumsy manacles: me at least they shall not
fetter.'

* * * * *

[No date.]

'Your Excellency will have learned from my friends at
Mannheim, what the