_Paris，April24，1788_
Iarrivedhere，mydearfriend，thelastnight，andinabushelofletterspresentedmebywayofreception，Isawthatonewasofyourhandwriting。ItistheonlyoneIhaveyetopened，andIansweritbeforeIopenanother。IdonotthinkIwasinarrearsinourepistolaryaccountwhenIleftParis。InaffectionIamsureyouweregreatlymydebtor。Ioftendeterminedduringmyjourneytowritetoyou：butsometimesthefatigueofexercise，andsometimesfatiguedattentionhinderedme。
AtDusseldorffIwishedforyoumuch。Isurelyneversawsopreciousacollectionofpaintings。AboveallthingsthoseofVanderWerffaffectedmethemost。HispictureofSarahdeliveringAgartoAbrahamisdelicious。IwouldhaveagreedtohavebeenAbrahamthoughtheconsequencecouldhavebeenthatIshouldhavebeendeadfiveorsixthousandyears。CarloDolcebecamealsoaviolentfavorite。IamsolittleofaconnoisseurthatIpreferredtheworksofthesetwoauthorstotheoldfadedredthingsofRubens。Iambutasonofnature，lovingwhatIsee&feel，withoutbeingabletogiveareason，norcaringmuchwhethertherebeone。AtHeidelbergI
wishedforyoutoo。InfactIledyoubythehandthro’thewholegarden。
IwasstruckwiththeresemblanceofthisscenetothatofVaucluseasseenfromwhatiscalledthechateauofPetrarch。Naturehasformedbothonthesamesketch，butshehasfilledupthatofHeidelbergwithabolderhand，theriverislarger，themountainsmoremajesticandbetterclothed。Arttoohassecondedherviews。