The _third_ skyward road is the alternation between the other two. The foregoing _second_ way is not good enough for man, who here on Earth should take into his hand not the Sickle only, but also the Plough. The _first_ is too good for him. He has not always the force, like Rugendas, in the midst of the Battle to compose Battle-pieces; and, like Backhuisen in the Shipwreck, to clutch at no board but the drawing-board to paint it on. And then his pains are not less lasting than his _fatigues_. Still oftener is Strength denied its Arena; it is but the smallest portion of life that, to a working soul, offers Alps, Revolutions, Rhine-falls, Worms Diets, and Wars with Xerxes; and for the whole it is better so; the longer portion of life is a field beaten flat as a threshing-floor, without lofty Gothard Mountains; often it is a tedious ice-field, without a single glacier tinged with dawn. But even by walking, a man rests and recovers himself for climbing; by little joys and duties, for great. The victorious Dictator must contrive to plough down his battle Mars-field into a flax and carrot field; to transform his theatre of war into a parlor theatre, on which his children may enact some good pieces from the _Children's Friend_. Can he accomplish this, can he turn so softly from the path of poetical happiness into that of household happiness,--then is he little different from myself, who even now, though modesty might forbid me to disclose it--who even now, I say, amid the creation of this Letter, have been enabled to reflect, that, when it is done, so also will the Roses and Elder-berries of pastry be done, which a sure hand is seething in butter for the Author of this Work. As I purpose appending to this Letter a Postscript (at the end of the Book), I reserve somewhat which I had to say about the Third[34] half-satirical, half-philosophical part of the Work till that opportunity. Here, out of respect for the rights of a Letter, the Author drops his half anonymity,[35] and for the first time subscribes himself with his whole true name, Jean Paul Friedrich Richter. _Hof in Voigtland, 29th June_, 1795. LIFE OF QUINTUS FIXLEIN, DOWN TO OUR OWN TIMES. IN FIFTEEN LETTER-BOXES. FIRST LETTER-BOX. Dog-days' Vacation.--Visits.--An Indigent of Quality.