The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

HE SHOES of FORTUNE, and Other Tales. By

flans Christian Andersen.
This little volume contains translations of many of
Christian Andersen's children's tales, and a de-
lightt ui little book it is. There are very few authors so
well qualified to write for the amusement of the young
as is Christian Andersen; it is not necessary for him to
assume a new style, or to write in a different language
when addressing juvenile readers, for his habitual strain
of thought and form of expression are always simple and
natural, and, in the true sense of the word, childish.
So much is this characteristic apparent in this little vo-
lume, that so tar from writing down to suit the capacity
of his little readers, he appears rather, in most instances,
to be only expressing his own thoughts and feelings. So
great is the simplicity of this little book, so extravagant
are the fancies of its author, that, we doubt not, many
of the precocious juveniles of " the rising generation"
will look down upon both book and author as too
childish and too ridiculous to afford them any amuse-
ment. On the other hand, all, of whatever age, who
can appreciate the natural, and, remembering the fan-
cies of their own youthful days, can sympathize ;with
the childish, will experience pleasure in looking over
these miniature tales. Andersen gazes abroad on the
great field of nature with the imagination of a child, and
the appreciation of a poet. With the imagination of a
child, however strange the expression may appear, with
the imaginative fancy, which invests every object with
life, and thoughts, and feelings, and with the power of
speech. To him there are literally,
" Tongues in trees, books in the running brook,
" Sermons in stones, and good in every thing."
Yes, "good in every thing," for most of these simple
tales, besides evoking smiles during their perusal, are
calculated to inspire some moral reflection at their close.
The first story, the " Shoes of Fortune," which
gives its title to the book, is founded upon a
not very uncommon contrivance in fairy tales, the
transporting or transforming of some favoured in-
dividual into the place or person he might happen
to desire. By putting on the " shoes of for-
tune," the poor man takes the place of the rich, the
poet is metamorphosed into the bird carolling above his
head ; the would-be traveller longing to behold the
beauties of southron lands, finds himself suddenly in
disagreeable quarters in a well packed diligence, and of
course in all these and the other changes occasioned by
the wonderful shoes, the favoured object of fortune finds
no reasen to approve of his change of state, and learns,
it is to be hoped, a lesson of content. The first trans-
formation occurs to one Councillor Knap, who always
admiring the days of King Hans. some four hundred
years ago, finds himself; on putting on the fairy shoes,
transported to that ancient epoch, on which his admira-
tion gives place to very different sentiments, as we sus-
pect would, under similar circumstances, be the case with
those who talk so much of " the good old times." It is
unnecessary to particularise the various tales ; to those
who can admire or appreciate one, the whole will be
most attractive, and the little volume a delightful re-
creation. It were difficult to find a more amusing book
for those children in years who are not too wise or too
learned to be really children in feelings.

SPORT ING INTELLIGENCE.
HUNTING A PPOI NT N 1 ENTS.
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