Looking back, I find that I have lived most of my years in Germany, but foreign countries have left a livelier impression on my mind.

Destiny has always torn me away before I could take deep root any where.

And now, at times, I find myself a stranger here.

For example, the dialects of the provinces are unintelligible to me.

I get more presents than I deserve on Christmas-day, but am not touched by the magic of the Christmas-tree; and few of the popular melodies you are all so proud of, haunt my ear.