Great lords only wish to see the velvet side of life--of death's doings, nothing at all.

A man like me--do you hear--a cougher, whose marrow is being consumed--incarnate misery on two tottering legs--a piteous figure, whom one can no more imagine outside the grave, than a sportsman without a terrier, or hound--such a person calls into the ears of the ostrich, that shuts its eyes: 'Death is pointing at you! Affliction is coming!' It is my duty to draw a curtain between my lord and sorrow; instead of that, my own person brings incarnate suffering before his eyes.

The elector was as wise as if he were his own fool, when he turned me out of the house." "He graciously gave you leave of absence." "And Gugelkopf is already installed in the palace as my successor! My gracious master knows that he won't have to pay the pension long.

He would willingly have supported me up yonder till I died; but my wish to go to Genoa suited him exactly.

The more distance there is between his healthy highness and the miserable invalid, the better." "Why didn't you wait till spring, before taking your departure ?" "Because Genoa is a hot-house, that the poor consumptive does not need in summer.