Monday, May 18:
Letter from a man in Kolberg, nephew of the lady who wanted a certificate of patronage; he sends another 300 thalers and says it is his aim to devote himself to this theater of ours.
Yesterday another letter arrived from the A.A.Z. editor, thanking R. for his letter and assuring him of his unconditional respect. R. works. I have all sorts of papering and seamstress affairs to attend to, and on top of that the weather is frosty. The American takes his leave.
In the evening I could at last read some proverbs from India, which truly restored me. One about evil fame acquired through a brother-in-law gives us great delight; also another, about a son whom one has for five years as a master, ten years as a servant, and from his fifteenth year as a friend; and several more dealing with the immutability of character charm us with their depth and their vividness, being very close to the naivete of Nature while at the same time highly civilized.