Hebrew also was abandoned; but, on the other
hand, Greek irresistibly enthralled me, and nearly all my time and
energy were finally given to its study, with the help of the best books.
I was now free, happy, in good mental and bodily health and vigour, and
I gained peace within myself and without, through hard work, interrupted
only by an indisposition which kept me to my room for a few weeks. After
working all day alone, I used to walk out late in the evening, so that
at least I might receive a greeting from the friendly beams of the
setting sun. To invigorate my spirit as well as my bodily frame I would
walk on till near midnight in the beautiful neighbourhood which
surrounds Goettingen. The glittering starry sky harmonised well with my
thoughts, and a new object which appeared in the heavens at this time,
aroused my wonder in an especial degree. I knew but little of astronomy,
and the expected arrival of a large comet[74] was, therefore, quite
unknown to me; so that I found out the comet for myself, and that was a
source of special attraction. This object absorbed my contemplation in
those silent nights, and the thought of the all-embracing,
wide-spreading sphere of law and order above, developed and shaped
itself in my mind with especial force during my night-wanderings.
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