On a trip to Jena, during which he and a companion seem to have found their way into various musical and oratorical associations, he paid a visit to Schiller.  With this object in view, he had come armed with a request from the management of the Leipzig Theatre, who wanted to secure the rights of Wallenstein, which was just finished.  He told me later of the magic impression made upon him by Schiller, with his tall slight figure and irresistibly attractive blue eyes.  His only complaint was that, owing to a well-meant trick played on him by his friend, he had been placed in a most trying position; for the latter had managed to send Schiller a small volume of Adolph Wagner’s poems in advance.

The young poet was much embarrassed to hear Schiller address him in flattering terms on the subject of his poetry, but was convinced that the great man was merely encouraging him out of kindness.  Afterwards he devoted himself entirely to philological studios—­one of his best-known publications in that department being his Parnasso Italiano, which he dedicated to Goethe in an Italian poem.  True, I have heard experts say that the latter was written in unusually pompous Italian; but Goethe sent him a letter full of praise, as well as a silver cup from his own household plate.  The impression that I, as a boy of eight, conceived of Adolph Wagner, amid the surroundings of his own home, was that he was a peculiarly puzzling character.

I soon had to leave the influence of this environment and was brought back to my people at Dresden.  Meanwhile my family, under the guidance of my bereaved mother, had been obliged to settle down as well as they could under the circumstances.  My eldest brother Albert, who originally intended to study medicine, had, upon the advice of Weber, who had much admired his beautiful tenor voice, started his theatrical career in Breslau.  My second sister Louisa soon followed his example, and became an actress.  My eldest sister Rosalie had obtained an excellent engagement at the Dresden Court Theatre, and the younger members of the family all looked up to her; for she was now the main support of our poor sorrowing mother.  My family still occupied the same comfortable home which my father had made for them.  Some of the spare rooms were occasionally let to strangers, and Spohr was among those who at one time lodged with us.  Thanks to her great energy, and to help received from various sources (among which the continued generosity of the Court, out of respect to the memory of my late stepfather, must not be forgotten), my mother managed so well in making both ends meet, that even my education did not suffer.