Ah how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which should have been more perfect in me than in others， a sense which I once possessed in highest perfection， a perfection such as few surely in my profession enjoy or ever have enjoyed. O I cannot do it， therefore forgive me when you see me draw back when I would gladly mingle with you， my misfortune is doubly painful because it must lead to my being misunderstood， for me there can be no recreation in society of my fellows， refined intercourse， mutual exchange of thought， only just as little as the greatest needs command may I mix with society.
I must live like an exile， if I approach near to people a hot terror seizes upon me， a fear that I may be subjected to the danger of letting my condition be observed， thus it has been during the last half year which I spent in the country， commanded by my intelligent physician to spare my hearing as much as possible， in this almost meeting my present natural disposition， although I sometimes ran counter to it， yielding to my inclination for society， but what a humiliation when one stood beside me and heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing， or someone heard the shepherd singing and again I heard nothing， such incidents brought me to the verge of despair， but little more and I would have put an end to my life， only art it was that withheld me， ah it seemed impossible to leave the world until I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce， and so I endured this wretched existence， truly wretched， and excitable body which a sudden change can throw from the best into the worst state. Patience， it is said I must now choose for my guide. I have done so， I hope my determination will remain firm to endure until it pleases the inexorable Parcae to break the thread， perhaps I shall get better， perhaps not， I am prepared.
To you brother Carl I give special thanks for the attachment you have displayed toward me of late. It is my wish that your lives may be better and freer from care than I have had， recommend virtue to your children， it alone can give happiness， not money， I speak from experience， it was virtue that upheld me in misery， to it next to my art I owe the fact that I did not end my life by suicide.