taking my share in
warding off the general danger.

Before these convictions all considerations gave way, even that of my
bodily constitution, which was far too weakly for such a life.

As comrades I selected the Luetzowers; and at Eastertide 1813 I arrived
at Dresden on my road to join the infantry division of Luetzow's corps at
Leipzig.[79] Through the retired nature of my self-concentrated life it
came about naturally that I, although a regularly matriculated student,
had held aloof from the other students, and had gained no settled
acquaintance amongst them; thus, out of all the vigorous comrades whom I
met at Dresden, many of whom were like myself, Berlin students, I did
not find one man I knew. I made but few new friends in the army, and
these few I was fated to encounter on the first day of my entrance into
my new work of soldiering. Our sergeant at the first morning halt after
our march out from Dresden, introduced me to a comrade from Erfurt as a
Thueringer, and therefore a fellow-countryman. This was Langethal; and
casually as our acquaintance thus began, it proved to be a lasting
friendship. Our first day's march was to Meissen, where we halted. We
had enjoyed lovely spring weather during our march, and our repose was
gladdened by a still lovelier evening. I found all the university
students of the corps, driven by a like impulse, collected together in
an open place by the shores of Elbe and near a public restaurant; and
some old Meissen wine soon served us as a bond of union. We sat about
twenty strong in a jolly group at a long table, and began by welcoming
and pledging one another to friendship. It was here that Langethal
introduced me to a university friend of his at Berlin, the young
Middendorff, a divinity student from the Mark.[80] Keeping together in a
merry little society till the middle of the lovely spring night, we
united again next morning in a visit to the splendid cathedral of
Meissen. Thus from the very first did we three join fast in a common
struggle towards and on behalf of the higher life, and even if we have
not always remained in the like close outward bonds of union, we have
from that time to this, now near upon fifteen years, never lost our
comradeship in the inner life and our common endeavour after
self-education. Both Langethal and Middendorff had a third friend, named
Bauer, amongst our comrades of the camp. With him also, as I think, I
made acquaintance as early as at Meissen, b