BERLIN TO HAMBURG 43 



give us, let us be stronger than pain, the deepest wounds 

 of which will heal under the soothing influence of Father 

 Time. It was easy for Lessing to suggest in his immor- 

 tal "Nathan the Wise" that: "No man is ever compelled 

 to accept dictation" (Kein Mensch muss miissen). Hap- 

 py he who never experiences the contrary, but pity him 

 who is not only forced to accept, but who has to dictate 

 his own sentence. I have been one of the latter; I was 

 compelled to leave Konigsberg. (As mentioned in the 

 preface, the author had to leave his home for political 

 reasons.) You wished to know, dear father, who had 

 supplied me with recommendations. I had three for 

 Hamburg, two of which have already done their good 

 work, i. e., the one from Kosenstock to Heinrich Bartsch, 

 whom I have already mentioned, and one from Malmros 

 to the Prussian Consul-General,* Wilhelm O'Swald, who 

 in turn sent me two very good recommendations, one for 

 Franz Hallmann, Valparaiso, and the other to Gent, 

 Schott, Duncker and Bottcher in San Francisco, Califor- 

 nia. Both letters are written in most flattering terms, 

 owing to the warm recommendations Malmros had given 

 me; this is a great point gained, as the firm William 

 O'Swald & Co. ranks very high in commercial circles, in 

 fact, its world-wide reputation is such that the signature, 

 if attached to a young man's introductory letter, carries 

 great weight. My third recommendation was from the 

 Exchange broker Kalan to Louis Dubois, who contem- 

 plates going to San Francisco himself, where he hopes to 

 get settled by the end of next summer. He is a cousin of 

 Bartsch and as I have only had one slight opportunity of 

 speaking to him, there is little to be said at this time, but 

 that my first impression left me hopeful. Besides the 

 above mentioned there is a letter from Markwald, 

 Konigsberg, to his brother in San Francisco, who now 

 happens to be in Bremen and may arrive here any day. 



*Before 1871, each one of the separated principalities of the 

 Fatherland, had an accredited representative near the seat of the 

 government of the other. — Transl. 



