-whether his bright festal humour in
presence of those high kinsfolk, or the noble frankness with which the
Runaway first of all, to save his Family, had in a respectful missive,
dated from Mannheim, explained to his Princely Educator the necessity
of his flight; or the expectation, flattering to the Ducal pride, that
the future greatness of his Pupil might be a source of glory to him
and his Karl's-School: enough, on his part, there took place no kind
of hostile step against the Poet, and still less against his Family.
Captain Schiller again breathed freer when he saw himself delivered
from his most crushing anxiety on this side; but there remained still
a sharp sting in his wounded heart. His military feeling of honour was
painfully hurt by the thought that they might now look upon his Son
as a deserter; and withal the future of this voluntary Exile appeared
so uncertain and wavering, that it did not offer the smallest
justification of so great a risk. By degrees, however, instead of
anger and blame there rose in him the most sympathetic anxiety for the
poor Son's fate; to whom, from want of a free, firm and assuring
position in life, all manner of contradictions and difficulties must
needs arise.

'And Schiller did actually, at Mannheim, find himself in a bad and
difficult position. The Superintendent of the celebrated Mannheim
Theatre, the greatly powerful Imperial Baron von Dalberg, with whom
Schiller, since the bringing out of his _Robbers_, had stood in lively
correspondence, drew back when Schiller himself was here; and kept the
Poet at a distance as a political Fugitive; leaving him to shift as he
could. In vain had Schiller explained to him, in manly open words, his
economic straits, and begged from him a loan of 300 gulden' (30_l._)
'to pay therewith a pressing debt in Stuttgart, and drag himself
along, and try to get started in the world. Dalberg returned the
_Fiesco_, Schiller's new republican Tragedy, which had been sent him,
with the declaration that he could advance no money on the _Fiesco_ in
its present form; the Piece must first be remodelled to suit the
stage. During this remodelling, which the otherwise so passionately
vivid and hopeful Poet began without murmur, he lived entirely on the
journey-money that had been saved up by the faithful Streicher, who
would on no account leave him.'

What became of this good Streicher afterwards, I have inquired
considerably, but with very little success. On th