[ . . . ] My circumstances in those days were really distressing and deplorable; and my good friends, who at the time knew the true nature of my situation, felt pity for me. [ . . . ] The other day, I went for a walk around the so-called Bleicherweiher, a pond, and the horrible thought crossed my mind that by a sudden jump into the water, I could remedy all suffering once and for all. However, my guardian angel instilled me with better thoughts, planting into my mind that I should not give up all hope, since I could, after all, still make my fortune with a second marriage, [ . . . ] My mood brightened up at this, I put such dark ideas completely out of my mind. Entering the city quite confidently by Spittel Gate, I visited my sister and luckily for me, met a relative there, whom I had not talked to in years. She commented to me that she had never seen me so sullen and melancholic. [ . . . ] Because of the length of time we spent together, we became increasingly serious in our discourse, and I took the liberty to ask whether she had a maiden inclined to get married. The answer was that she had indeed two maidens, though she did not know whether they were inclined to marry. The best advice she could give was to accompany her home that evening so I could see both and thus had a choice [ . . . ].
At nine o’clock, I took the liberty of accompanying the abovementioned lady to her home, where I was not fortunate enough, however, to set eyes upon my future better half. [ . . . ] After dinner, we got a visit from the mother of my future wife, [ . . . ] Finally, I steered my discourse round to the main topic, asking her that since I felt a matrimonial inclination toward her daughter, her affable character gave me hopes of not receiving a negative reply. I concealed nothing, portrayed my circumstances in great detail, and said that during my stay away from home I had lost everything I owned. I continued that I hoped to God that all of it could be replaced again by thriftiness. I got the reply that though she did not find any fault with my person, the matter nonetheless needed consideration; the step that her daughter planned was important and in a number of days, she would let me know her answer. My bride and I were so firmly attached to one another that no one was capable of loosening this bond. Immediately, I got ready to take inventory, which really took up a lot of time; my fixed and movable goods and all remaining effects were in utmost order within a mere 20 minutes. I also arranged that my engagement was proclaimed on Sunday next, and that a fortnight after that [November 14, 1781], I was married and blessed by the priest’s power to the respectable and honorably virtuous maiden Maria Magdalena, daughter of the respectable and quite learned Joh. Leonhard Wagner. [ . . . ]
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