My fortune
  has been and will be similar； and I am neither half so brave nor half
  so determined as the poor wretch with whom I hesitate to compare myself.
  SEPTEMBER 5. Charlotte had written a letter to her husband in the
  country ， where he was detained by business. It commenced， "My dearest
  love， return as soon as possible ： I await you with a thousand raptures."
  A friend who arrived， brought word ， that ， for certain reasons， he
  could not return immediately. Charlotte's letter was not forwarded， and
  the same evening it fell into my hands. I read it ， and smiled. She asked
  the reason. "What a heavenly treasure is imagination：" I exclaimed ；
  "I fancied for a moment that this was written to me." She paused， and
  seemed displeased. I was silent.
  SEPTEMBER 6. It cost me much to part with the blue coat which I wore
  the first time I danced with Charlotte. But I could not possibly wear
  it any longer. But I have ordered a new one ， precisely similar， even
  to the collar and sleeves ， as well as a new waistcoat and pantaloons.
  But it does not produce the same effect upon me. I know not how it
  is， but I hope in time I shall like it better.
  SEPTEMBER 12. She has been absent for some days. She went to meet
  Albert. To-day I visited her： she rose to receive me ， and I kissed
  her hand most tenderly.
  A canary at the moment flew from a mirror ， and settled upon her
  shoulder. "Here is a new friend ，" she observed， while she made him
  perch upon her hand ： "he is a present for the children. What a dear
  he is ！ Look at him！ When I feed him， he flutters with his wings ，
  and pecks so nicely. He kisses me ， too， only look！"
  She held the bird to her mouth； and he pressed her sweet lips with
  so much fervour that he seemed to feel the excess of bliss which he enjoyed.
  "He shall kiss you too，" she added ； and then she held the bird
  toward me. His little beak moved from her mouth to mine ， and the delightful
  sensation seemed like the forerunner of the sweetest bliss.
  "A kiss ，" I observed， "does not seem to satisfy him： he wishes
  for food， and seems disappointed by these unsatisfactory endearments."
  "But he eats out of my mouth，" she continued ， and extended her
  lips to him containing seed ； and she smiled with all the charm of a
  being who has allowed an innocent participation of her love.
  I turned my face away. She should not act thus. She ought not to excite
  my imagination with such displays of heavenly innocence and happiness ，
  nor awaken my heart from its slumbers ， in which it dreams of the worthlessness
  of life ！ And why not？ Because she knows how much I love her.
  SEPTEMBER 15. It makes me wretched， Wilhelm， to think that there
  should be men incapable of appreciating the few things which possess a
  real value in life. You remember the walnut trees at S——， under which
  I used to sit with Charlotte， during my visits to the worthy old vicar.
  Those glorious trees， the very sight of which has so often filled my
  heart with joy， how they adorned and refreshed the parsonage yard， with
  their wide-extended branches！ and how pleasing was our remembrance of
  the good old pastor ， by whose hands they were planted so many years
  ago ： The schoolmaster has frequently mentioned his name. He had it from
  his grandfather. He must have been a most excellent man ； and， under
  the shade of those old trees， his memory was ever venerated by me. The
  schoolmaster informed us yesterday， with tears in his eyes ， that those
  trees had been felled. Yes， cut to the ground！