y the
scenes I had witnessed."

CHAPTER II.

St. John's day was past. Henry's mother had for a long time delayed
making a journey to Augsburg, her paternal home, to present her son to
his grandfather, who had never yet seen him. Some merchants, trusty
friends of the elder Ofterdingen, were just about travelling to
Augsburg on business. Henry's mother resolved to improve this good
opportunity of fulfilling her wishes; and this more especially, because
she had observed that Henry had lately been more silent, and more taken
up with his own gloomy fancies than usual. She saw that he was out of
spirits, or sick; and thought that a long journey, the sight of strange
people and places, and, as she secretly anticipated, the charms of some
young country girl would drive off the gloomy mood of her son, and make
him as affable and cheerful as was his wont. Her husband agreed with
her in her plans, and Henry was delighted beyond all bounds with the
idea of visiting a country, which, for a long time, he had looked upon
(owing to the many things he had heard concerning it, from his mother
and from travellers) as an earthly Paradise, and in which he had often
wished himself.

Henry was just twenty years old. He had never passed the environs of
his native city; the world was known to him only by report; only a few
books had come within his reach. The course of life at the Landgrave
was simple and quiet, according to the customs of the times; and the
splendor and comfort of princely life, in those days, could but poorly
compare with the conveniences, which, in our times, a private man can
obtain for himself and family, without extravagance. Yet by reason of
their very scarcity, a regard, almost approaching tenderness, was felt,
in those times, for household furniture, and the conveniences of life.
They were considered more valuable and curious. The secrets of nature,
and the origin of its bodies, hardly attracted the notice of thinking
minds, more than these scarce specimens of art and workmanship. This
regard, too, for these silent companions of life was much heightened,
by the distance from which they were brought, and by that charm of
antiquity which gathered around furniture, often the property of
successive generations; an heir-loom from father to son. They were
often raised to the rank of pledges of a peculiar blessing and destiny;
and the weal of whole kingdoms and far-scattered families d