24–30 March 1823

These are the clamours with which conscience pursues and upbraids me — happy if they were undeserved — happiest could they accomplish their end ! But the inscrutable future comes down in darkness and finds us in the thrall of the same old enemies, with all our hopes and full-blown intentions thick on our heads. For your life, then, for your life ! crawl on a few steps farther in the next twelvemonth!