begun. The usual disappointments, too, were about me.
Those from whom aid was expected failed, and others who aided
did not understand my aims. Enthusiasm for the things loved
best fled when I seemed to be buying and selling them. I
could not get the proper point of view, and could not keep a
healthful state of mind. Mysteriously a gulf seemed to have
opened between me and most intimate friends, and for the
first time for many years I was entirely, absolutely, alone.
Finally, my own character and designs lost all romantic
interest, and I felt vulgarized, profaned, forsaken,--though
obliged to smile brightly and talk wisely all the while. But
these clouds at length passed away.

'And now let me try to tell you what has been done. To one
class I taught the German language, and thought it good
success, when, at the end of three months, they could read
twenty pages of German at a lesson, and very well. This
class, of course, was not interesting, except in the way of
observation and analysis of language.

'With more advanced pupils I read, in twenty-four weeks,
Schiller's Don Carlos, Artists, and Song of the Bell, besides
giving a sort of general lecture on Schiller; Goethe's Hermann
and Dorothea, Goetz von Berlichingen, Iphigenia, first part of
Faust,--three weeks of thorough study this, as valuable to me
as to them,--and Clavigo,--thus comprehending samples of
all his efforts in poetry, and bringing forward some of his
prominent opinions; Lessing's Nathan, Minna, Emilia Galeotti;
parts of Tieck's Phantasus, and nearly the whole first volume
of Richter's Titan.

'With the Italian class, I read parts of Tasso, Petrarch--whom
they came to almost adore,--Ariosto, Alfieri, and the whole
hundred cantos of the Divina Commedia, with the aid of the
fine Athenaeum copy, Flaxman's designs, and all the best
commentaries. This last piece of work was and will be truly
valuable to myself.

'I had, besides, three private pupils, Mrs. ----, who became
very attractive to me, ----, and little ----, who had not
the use of his eyes. I taught him Latin orally, and read
the History of England and Shakspeare's historical plays in
connection. This lesson was given every day for ten weeks, and
was very interesting, though very fatiguing. The labor in Mr.
Alcott's school was also quit