A table showing our (German) alphabet in its relations with many
others made a surprising impression upon me. It enabled me to recognise
the connection and the derivation of our letters from the old Phoenician
characters. This gave me a dim conception of the inner connection of all
those languages of which, as my brother had studied and was still
studying them, I often heard, and saw in print. Especially the Greek
language lost much of its strangeness in my eyes, now that I could
recognise its characters in the German alphabet. All this, however, had
no immediate consequence in my life; these things, as echoes from my
youth, produced their effect upon me at a later time.
At this time, too, I read all sorts of boys' books. The story of Samuel
Lawill impressed me most vividly; I, too, longed for such a ring, which
by its warning pressure on my finger could hinder my hand from effecting
unworthy purposes, and I was very angry with the youthful owner of the
ring in the story, who threw it away in irritation because it pressed
him right hard at a moment when he wished to commit a passionate
deed.[16]
My confirmation, and the preparation for it, all conducted by my uncle,
was over.
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