Where the stones come out of their groove, and are not replaced there,
Where the beams are rotting, and vainly the houses are waiting
New supports; that town is sure to be wretchedly managed. 
For where order and cleanliness reign not supreme in high places,
Then to dirt and delay the citizens soon get accustom’d,
Just as the beggar’s accustom’d to wear his cloths full of tatters. 
Therefore I often have wish’d that Hermann would start on his travels
Ere he’s much older, and visit at any rate Strasburg and Frankfort,
And that pleasant town, Mannheim, so evenly built and so cheerful. 
He who has seen such large and cleanly cities rests never
Till his own native town, however small, he sees better’d. 
Do not all strangers who visit us praise our well-mended gateways,
And the well-whited tower, the church so neatly repair’d too? 
Do not all praise our pavements?  Our well-arranged cover’d-in conduits,
Always well furnish’d with water, utility blending with safety,
So that a fire, whenever it happens, is straightway extinguish’d,—­
Is not this the result of that conflagration so dreadful? 
Six times in Council I superintended the town’s works, receiving
Hearty thanks and assistance from every well-disposed burgher. 
How I design’d, follow’d up, and ensured the completion of measures
Worthy men had projected, and afterwards left all unfinish’d! 
Finally, every man in the Council took pleasure in working. 
All put forth their exertions, and now they have finally settled
That new highway to make, which will join our town with the main road. 
But I am greatly afraid that the young generation won’t act thus;
Some on the one hand think only of pleasure and trumpery dresses,
Others wont stir out of doors, and pass all their time by the fireside,
And our Hermann, I fear, will always be one of this last sort.”

Forthwith to him replied the excellent sensible mother
“Father, you’re always unjust whenever you speak of your son, and
That is the least likely way to obtain your wishes’ fulfillment,
For we cannot fashion our children after our fancy. 
We must have them and love them, as God has given them to us,
Bring them up for the best, and let each do as he listeth. 
One has one kind of gift, another possesses another,
Each one employs them, and each in turn in his separate fashion
Good and happy becomes.  My Hermann shall not be upbraided,
For I know that he well deserves the wealth he’ll inherit;
He’ll be an excellent landlord, a pattern to burghers and peasants,
And, as I clearly foresee, by no means the last in the Council. 
But with your blame and reproaches, you daily dishearten him sadly,
As you have done just now, and make the poor fellow unhappy.”