uch a step if it were
known; no one would desire to take it, no one would dare to take it. I
dare it, and I do it, because my childhood has taught me that where for
trust we find distrust, where for union we find division, where for
belief we find doubt, there but sad fruit will come to the harvest, and
a burdensome and narrow life alone can follow.

I return again to the narrative of the development of my inner and outer
life.

A new existence now began for me, entirely opposed to that which I had
hitherto led. An uncle on my mother's side came to visit us in this
year; he was a gentle, affectionate man.[12] His appearance among us
made a most agreeable impression upon me. This uncle, being a man of
experience, may have noticed the adverse influences which surrounded me;
for soon after his departure he begged my father by letter to turn me
over to him entirely. My father readily consented, and towards the end
of the year 1792 I went to him. He had early lost both wife and child,
and only his aged mother-in-law lived in his house with him. In my
father's house severity reigned supreme; here, on the contrary, mildness
and kindness held sway. There I encountered mistrust; here I was
trusted. There I was under restraint; here I had liberty. Hitherto I had
hardly ever been with boys of my own age; here I found forty
schoolfellows, for I joined the upper class of the town school.[13]

The little town of Stadt-Ilm is situated in a somewhat wide valley, and
on the banks of a small limpid stream.[14] My uncle's house had gardens
attached, into which I could go if I liked; but I was also at liberty to
roam all over the neighbourhood, if only I obeyed the strict rule of the
house to return punctually at the time appointed. Here I drank in fresh
life-energy in long draughts; for now the whole place was my playground,
whereas formerly, at home, I had been limited to our own walls. I gained
freedom of soul and strength of body.

The clergyman who taught us never interfered with our games, played at
certain appointed playgrounds, and always with great fun and spirit.
Deeply humiliating to me were the frequent slights I received in our
play, arising from my being behind boys of my age in bodily strength,
and more especially in agility; and all my dash and daring could not
replace the robust, steady strength, and the confident sureness of aim
which my companions possessed. Happy fellows! they had grown up in
continual exercise of t