A star had arisen
within my mind which I was impelled to follow. On this account I could
regard my employment at this time only as a sheet anchor, to be let go
as soon as an opportunity offered itself to resume my vocation. This
opportunity was not long in making its appearance.
My uncle (Hoffmann), who, like my brother, bore me always lovingly in
his thoughts, had lately died. Even on his deathbed he thought of me,
and charged my brother to do all he could to find me some settled
occupation for life, and at any rate to prevent me from leaving the post
I held at the moment before I had some reasonable prospect of a secure
and better engagement elsewhere. Providence willed it otherwise. His
death, through the small inheritance which thereby came to me, gave me
the means of fulfilling the dearest wish of my heart. So wonderfully
does God direct the fate of men.
I must mention one circumstance before I part for ever in this account
of my life from my gentle, loving second-father. On my journey to
Mecklenburg, when I saw my uncle (at Stadt-Ilm) for the last time, I had
the deep joy of a talk with him, such as a trusting father might hold
with his grown-up son, bound to him by every tie of affection.
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