Chapter 3

           WhenIhadattainedtheageofseventeenmyparentsresolvedthatIshouldbecomeastudentattheuniversityofIngolstadt.IhadhithertoattendedtheschoolsofGeneva,butmyfatherthoughtitnecessaryforthecompletionofmyeducationthatIshouldbemadeacquaintedwithothercustomsthanthoseofmynativecountry.Mydeparturewasthereforefixedatanearlydate,butbeforethedayresolveduponcouldarrive,thefirstmisfortuneofmylifeoccurred—anomen,asitwere,ofmyfuturemisery.Elizabethhadcaughtthescarletfever;herillnesswassevere,andshewasinthegreatestdanger.Duringherillnessmanyargumentshadbeenurgedtopersuademymothertorefrainfromattendinguponher.Shehadatfirstyieldedtoourentreaties,butwhensheheardthatthelifeofherfavouritewasmenaced,shecouldnolongercontrolheranxiety.Sheattendedhersickbed;herwatchfulattentionstriumphedoverthemalignityofthedistemper—Elizabethwassaved,buttheconsequencesofthisimprudencewerefataltoherpreserver.Onthethirddaymymothersickened;herfeverwasaccompaniedbythemostalarmingsymptoms,andthelooksofhermedicalattendantsprognosticatedtheworstevent.Onherdeathbedthefortitudeandbenignityofthisbestofwomendidnotdeserther.ShejoinedthehandsofElizabethandmyself."Mychildren,"shesaid,"myfirmesthopesoffuturehappinesswereplacedontheprospectofyourunion.Thisexpectationwillnowbetheconsolationofyourfather.Elizabeth,mylove,youmustsupplymyplacetomyyoungerchildren.Alas!IregretthatIamtakenfromyou;and,happyandbelovedasIhavebeen,isitnothardtoquityouall?Butthesearenotthoughtsbefittingme;Iwillendeavourtoresignmyselfcheerfullytodeathandwillindulgeahopeofmeetingyouinanotherworld."

           Shediedcalmly,andhercountenanceexpressedaffectionevenindeath.Ineednotdescribethefeelingsofthosewhosedearesttiesarerentbythatmostirreparableevil,thevoidthatpresentsitselftothesoul,andthedespairthatisexhibitedonthecountenance.