The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-06 00:00:00

DEATH OF AN AUSTRIAN POET AND
NOVELIST.

AN American lecturer, who is destined to achieve
in England the fame he has gained across the
Atlantic, not only in that capacity, but as a jour.
nalist, has recently appeared before an invited
audience of the elite, on which occasion he displayed
his abundant talent at the St. Andrew's Hall, New-
man-street, London. The soiree d'invitation was
given mainly with the object of obtaining the critical
opinion of the press upon the visitor's chance of
success among British audiences, and it is no exag-
geration to say that that opinion is unanimously in
his favour, Mr. French possesses a natural and
pleasing presence. His language enchains the mind,
while the eye is delighted with most ingenious cabsera
effects, superior to previous displays of dissolving
,c shown il3, this country.. Travellers wlio were
present declared the views the most perfect present-
ments of nature ithaginable, and there seemed a The Tzk_an, whb
general consensus of opinkua that Mr. French need wrki-i- fit
experience no misgivinp in facing a mixed Londotl
audieucc, which is bio intention at uo distant date. -
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German literature has suffered a great loss by the
death of Alfred Meissner, the Austrian poet, novelist,
and dramatic autlior,who died on the 29th inst., at Bre-
genz, in the Tyrol, aged 63. Alfred Meissner's father,
Dr. Theophilus Meissner, was a popular author, his
mother was a Scotchvroman, born at Inverary. The
family was Protestant. Alfred Meissner was born at
replitz, Bohemia, and graduated as a Doctor in
Medicine at the University of Prague, but he soon
gave ud his practice, and in 1846 published his re-
markable epic "Ziska,r which treats of the life and
fate of John Huss. Meissner was a great friend of
Heinrich Heine, and his second important work pub-
lished in 1849 was called "The Son of Atte, Troll,
being a continuation of Heine's celebrated political
satire. Meanwhile, being an enthusiast in the cause
of liberty and an ardent Czech Nationalist, Meissner
found it prudent to leave Austria during Metternich's
al e , and he spent several years in Paris, where
among other things he wrote a volume entitled "Re-
volutionary Studies," and one called In the Year of
Grace 1848." In 1850 he went to London as the
guest of Lord John Russell, in whose house, he pre-
pared for the stage two dramas, "The Wif of Uriah
and Reginald Armstrong; or, The World of
Silver," but neither of these works was suc-
cessful on the German stage, nor dd he have
better luck with a more ambitious drama, "The
Eretender of York." Discouraged by these
failures Meissner ceased to write for the stage..
1855 he published his " RecollecLons of Heinrich
Heine," then a volume of novelettas, and one of very
sweet lyrical poems. Ms first
Princes and People," was a pol
was widely read, but it has not
"Black and Yellow" and "
which are accounted his
last years of his life Meis-2.er
the Austrian papers, . IX,.s last
was an autobiography te three -
in anecdote and jasbeen
for the force and fra.shnesvf

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