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〃And such a being ，〃 She continued ， 〃was to leave us ， Werther！
Great God ， must we thus part with everything we hold dear in this world？
Nobody felt this more acutely than the children ： they cried and lamented
for a long time afterward ， plaining that men had carried away their
dear mamma。〃
Charlotte rose。 It aroused me ； but I continued sitting， and held
her hand。 〃Let us go，〃 she said： 〃it grows late。〃 She attempted to withdraw
her hand： I held it still。 〃We shall see each other again，〃 I exclaimed
： 〃we shall recognise each other under every possible change ！ I am
going ，〃 I continued ， 〃going willingly ； but， should I say for ever，
perhaps I may not keep my word。 Adieu ， Charlotte； adieu， Albert。 We
shall meet again。〃 〃Yes ： tomorrow ， I think，〃 she answered with a
smile。 Tomorrow ！ how I felt the word！ Ah ！ she little thought ， when
she drew her hand away from mine。 They walked down the avenue。 I stood
gazing after them in the moonlight。 I threw myself upon the ground， and
wept： I then sprang up ， and ran out upon the terrace ， and saw， under
the shade of the linden…trees ， her white dress disappearing near the
garden…gate。 I stretched out my arms， and she vanished。
BOOK II。
OCTOBER 2O。 We arrived here yesterday。 The ambassador is indisposed，
and will not go out for some days。 If he were less peevish and morose ，
all would be well。 I see but too plainly that Heaven has destined me to
severe trials ； but courage！ a light heart may bear anything。 A light
heart ！ I smile to find such a word proceeding from my pen。 A little
more lightheartedness would render me the happiest being under the sun。
But must I despair of my talents and faculties， whilst others of far
inferior abilities parade before me with the utmost self…satisfaction ？
Gracious Providence ， to whom I owe all my powers， why didst thou not
withhold some of those blessings I possess， and substitute in their place
a feeling of self…confidence and contentment？
But patience！ all will yet be well ； for I assure you ， my dear
friend， you were right ： since I have been obliged to associate continually
with other people ， and observe what they do ， and how they employ themselves，
I have bee far better satisfied with myself。 For we are so constituted
by nature ， that we are ever prone to pare ourselves with others；
and our happiness or misery depends very much on the objects and persons
around us。 On this account， nothing is more dangerous than solitude：
there our imagination ， always disposed to rise， taking a new flight
on the wings of fancy ， pictures to us a chain of beings of whom we seem
the most inferior。 All things appear greater than they really are ， and
all seem superior to us。 This operation of the mind is quite natural：
we so continually feel our own imperfections， and fancy we perceive in
others the qualities we do not possess， attributing to them also all
that we enjoy ourselves ， that by this process we form the idea of a
perfect ， happy man，—— a man， however， who only exists in our own
imagination。 But when ， in spite of weakness and disappointments ， we
set to work in earnest， and persevere steadily ， we often find， that，
though obliged continually to tack， we make more way than others who
have the assistance of wind and tide； and， in truth ， there can be
no greater satisfaction than to keep pace with others or outstrip them
in the race。
NOVEMBER 26。 I begin to find my situation here more tolerable ， considering
all circumstances。 I find a great advantage in being much occupied； and
the number of persons I meet， and their different pursuits ， create
a varied entertainment for me。 I have formed the acquaintance of the Count
C —— and I esteem him more and more every day。 He is a man of strong
understanding and great discernment ； but， though he sees farther than
other people， he is not on that account cold in his manner ， but capable
of inspiring and returning the warmest affection。 He appeared interested
in me on one occasion ， when I had to transact some business with him。
He perceived， at the first word， that we understood each other， and
that he could converse with me in a different tone from what he used with
others。 I cannot sufficiently esteem his frank and open kindness to me。
It is the greatest and most genuine of pleasures to observe a great mind
in sympathy with our own。
DECEMBER 24。 As I anticipated ， the ambassador occasions me infinite
annoyance。 He is the most punctilious blockhead under heaven。 He does
everything step by step ， with the trifling minuteness of an old woman
； and he is a man whom it is impossible to please， because he is never
pleased with himself。 I like to do business regularly and cheerfully，
and ， when it is finished， to leave it。 But he constantly returns my
papers to me， saying ， 〃They will do，〃 but remending me to look
over them again ， as 〃one may always improve by using a better word or
a more appropriate particle。〃 I then lose all patience， and wish myself
at the devil's。 Not a conjunction ， not an adverb， must be omitted：
he has a deadly antipathy to all those transpositions of which I am so
fond； and， if the music of our periods is not tuned to the established，
official key， he cannot prehend our meaning。 It is deplorable to be
connected with such a fellow。
My acquaintance with the Count C—— is the only pensation for
such an evil。 He told me frankly， the other day， that he was much displeased
with the difficulties and delays of the ambassador； that people like
him are obstacles ， both to themselves and to others。 〃But ，〃 added
he， 〃one must submit ， like a traveller who has to ascend a mountain
： if the mountain was not there， the road would be both shorter and
pleasanter； but there it is， and he must get over it。〃 The old man perceives
the count's partiality for me ： this annoys him， and， he seizes every
opportunity to depreciate the count in my hearing。 I naturally defend
him ， and that only makes matters worse。 Yesterday he made me indignant，