consulted by others, I looked to Nature for the answer, and let Nature,
life, spirit, and law speak for themselves through me; then the answer
was not merely satisfactory. No! its simple, unhesitating confidence and
youthful freshness gladdened and quickened the inquirer.

This was all well enough when universal human interests were concerned,
but how about matters of instruction? I could, in fact, fairly confess
that in many respects I had no title to call myself a cultured man, for
hitherto all my culture had been fragmentary or imaginative.

Once again I found myself in conflict with my environment; for I could
not possibly torture my scholars with what I myself had refused to be
tortured with--namely, the learning by heart of disconnected rules. I
was therefore compelled to strike out fresh paths for myself, which
indeed my post rendered a delightful task; because I not only had full
liberty accorded me in this matter, but was even urged onwards in that
direction by my duty, since the institution was a model school for the
higher development of teaching. My past self-culture, self-teaching, and
self-development, and my study of Nature and of life now stood me in
good stead.

But this letter is not intended to contain the whole history of the
development of my mind; and I will therefore pass quickly forward, just
mentioning that from this time for six years onwards, during which I
thrice completely changed the conditions of my life,[96] I held most
earnestly by this same temper of mind and this same endeavour; and
although I still always lived in isolation as to my personal inner life,
yet I was at many points in full contact with the brisk mental effort
and activity of that stirring time (1805 to 1810), as regards teaching,
philosophy, history, politics, and natural science.[97]