CHAPTER [III.] <XI>
"IT is with considerable difficulty that I
remember the original [æra] <era> of
my being: all the events of that period appear confused and
indistinct. A strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I
saw, felt, heard, and smelt, at the same time; and it was,
indeed, a long time before I learned to distinguish between the
operations of my various senses. By degrees, I remember, a
stronger light pressed upon my nerves, so that I was obliged to
shut my eyes. Darkness then came over me, and troubled me; but
hardly had I felt this, when, by opening my eyes, as I now
suppose, the light poured in upon me again. I walked, and, I
believe, descended; but I presently found a great alteration in
my sensations. Before, dark and opaque bodies had surrounded me,
impervious to my touch or sight; but I now found that I could
wander on at liberty, with no obstacles which I could not either
surmount or avoid. The light became more and more oppressive to
me; and, the heat wearying me as I walked, I sought a place where
I could receive shade. This was the forest near
{MS Ingolstadt,} [Ingoldstadt;]
<Ingolstadt;> and here I lay by the side of a
brook resting from my fatigue, until I felt tormented by hunger
and thirst. This roused me from my nearly dormant state, and I
ate some berries which I found hanging on the trees, or lying on
the ground. I slaked my thirst at the brook; and then lying down,
was overcome by sleep.
"It was dark when I awoke; I felt cold also, and
[half-frightened] <half-frightened,> as it
were instinctively, finding myself so desolate. Before I had
quitted your apartment, on a sensation of cold, I had covered
myself with some clothes; but these were insufficient to secure
me from the dews of night. I was a poor, helpless, miserable
wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; [but,]
<but> feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat
down and wept.
