He is violent in all his
emotions; yet often exercises great self-command. His manner of
thinking is noble; as free as possible from all prejudices, he acts on
the prompting of the moment without troubling whether it may please
other people, is in the fashion, or whether convention permits it. All
constraint is hateful to him. He is fond of children and can occupy
himself much with them. He is _bizarre_; in his conduct and manner
there are various peculiarities which might make him disagreeable. But
with children, with women, and many others he is nevertheless a
favourite. For the female sex he has great respect. _In principiis_ he
is not yet fixed, and is still only endeavouring after a sure system.
To say something on this point; he thinks highly of Rousseau, but is
not a blind worshipper of him. He is not what we call orthodox; yet
this is not from pride or caprice or from a desire to play a part. On
certain important matters, also, he expresses himself only to few, and
does not willingly disturb others in their ideas. He certainly hates
scepticism, and strives after truth and settled conviction on certain
subjects of the first importance; believes even that he has already
attained conviction on the most important; but, so far as I have
observed, this is not the case.
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