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Vienna, June 13, 1875
¡Querido Berganza
Preparatory studies for the zoology examination (which take up more of my time than the actual studies), and which I only finished yesterday, just in time to tackle the subject itself tomorrow and to take the examination on July 15, have prevented me from replying to your kind letter as speedily as its contents merit.
If you think that I can be of use to Klamper,1 then I shall be glad to call on him and to cultivate his companionship. Since, however, I still lack a reason for doing so, and cannot possibly appear before him with your letter and say that I am soliciting his friendship as appointed visiting nurse, I must ask you to take the first step from Leipzig, perhaps by informing him that I have asked for his address (which, forgetful fellow that I am, I do not have in fact), so that he may have a reason for calling on me and I am given the chance of influencing him in the way you think desirable. For the rest of this year (until July 15, since the student calendar contradicts the astronomical one), I shall not be able to see much of him during the week; however, thereafter I shall, of course, be able to fulfill your request more adequately.
I should naturally make every effort to find time for Klamper, were I to share your view of his condition. Ever since Werther and Faust, every decent “German man” has experienced a melancholy period of being weary of life without really sharing these heroes' fate. Otherwise, suicide and insanity would be much more prevalent than in fact they are in our half-rational world (homo semisapiens L.).2 Klamper will survive this passing dark mood just as everyone else does, particularly when the causes of his present state (that the lack of suitable friends should be the main reason is hard to believe) eventually lose their oppressive grip on him.
Moreover, your view of his low spirits overlooks the fact that if a person has grounds for complaint at all, then he also feels the need to unburden himse