The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-06 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

PETER SCIILEMIIII,, a Tale, from the German of LA-
MOT TE FOUQUE, with designs, by GEORGE CRIIIIE-
MAN R.
We have many apologies to offer to our readers,
and to the publishers of this amusing volume, for
not having sooner given an account of it. It is one
of the most siiiguhirly romantic publications that
we can recollect to have perused. The author,
the Baron tie AMOTTE FOUQUE, is highly cele-
brated in Germany for his tales, abounding in
supernatural and horrific incidents. With one
of these, Undine, the public is well acquaint-
ed, for besides, an excellent, and spirited
translation which appeared some time ago the
story has been dramatised at Covent Garden
Theatre. Peter Schlemihl comes warm from
his vivid and procreative imagination, and al-
though we are not introduced. to spirits of the
air, &c. there is sufficient of the ultra-natural in
the progress of the story to identify the author.
The plot turns upon the temptation of Peter
Schlemihl by no less a personage than the
.Devil himself, who commences his.-Semptations
by inducing him to accept the purse 'of Portanatus,
which will produce gold ad infinitum, in exchange
for his shadow. The miseries which Peter
Schlernild undergoes from mankind, in conse-
quence. of the discovery that he, has lost his
shadow, are excessively well depicted ; some-
what too highly coloured, perhaps, but not
on that account detracting from the humorous
tendency of the work. The ultimate design of
the Devil in getting possession of the shadow is to
induce Peter Schlemihl to sell the reversion of
his soul in exchange for the shadow, the loss
of which has entailed upon him so many miseries.
in this, however, he is unsuccessful, the virtue of
Peter proves too strong for the temper, and re-
cotiCiling himself to the lost of his shadow, lie
casts away the dearly-bought purse, and volun-
tarily exiles himself from society. For his
peregrinations, however, a new pair of boots
is necessary, and he by accident obtains
possession of a pair of seven-leagued ones with
which lie traverses the globe. Th e history
of his travels is now quite on the model of• the
most celebrated of travellers, the renowned
Baron Alunchausen, but is nevertheless very
amusing in the narration. From these scanty
materials M. DE LIMOTTE FOUQUE has con-
trived to work up an amusing tale, and no
slight praise is to be attributed to the trans-
lator for the fidelity and spirit which he has dis-
played in adapting the ideas of the author to our
language. %% e now give our Readers an ex-
tract with which we'must conclude our notice.
" How I was startled when I saw the old man in the grey
coat behind, and advancing towards me ! He immediately took
off his hat, and bowed to me more profoundly than any one had
ever done before. It was clear he wished to address me, and
without extreme rudeness I could not avoid him. lin my
turn uncovered myself, made my obeisance, and stood still,
with a bare head, in the sunshine, as if rooted there. I shook,
with terror while I saw him approach : I felt like a bird fasci.
noted by a rattle-snake. He appeared sadly perplexed, kept
his eyes on the ground, made several bows, approached nearer,
and with a low and trembling voice, as if he were asking alms,
thus accosted me:—
" Will the gentleman forgive the intrusion of one who has
stooped him in this unusual way ? I have a request to make,
but pray pardon—' In the name of Heaven, Sir,' I cried
out in my anguish, what can Ido for one who—' We both
started back, and methooght both blushed deeply.
" After a momentary silence, he again began—' During the
short time rhea I enjoyed the happiness of being near you, I
observed, Sir,—wiil you allow me to say so—l observed, with
unutterable astonishment, the beautiful shadow in the sun,
which, with a certain noble contempt, and perhaps, without
being aware of it, you threw off from your feet. Forgive me
this, I confess, too daring intrusion—should you be inclined
to transfer it to me ?'
" He was silent, and my head turned round like a water-
wheel. What could I make of this singular proposal far dis-
posiseg of my shadow ? He is crazy, thought I ; and with an
altered tone, yet more forcible, as contrasted with the humility
of his own, I replied :
s How is this, good friend ? Is not your own shadow
enough for you? This seems to me a whimsical sort of bar•
gain, indeed !' He began again : I have in my pocket
niany matters which might not be quite unacceptable to the
gentleman ; for this invaluable shadow I deem any price too
little.'
" A Chill carne over me: I remembered what I had seen and
knew not how to address him whom I had just ventured to call
my good friend. I spoke again, and assumed an extraordinary
courtesy to set matters in order.
" Pardon, Sir, pardon your most humble servant—_l do not
quite understand your meaning ; how can my shadow—' He
interrupted me—' I only beg your permission to be allowed to
lift up your noble shadow, and put it in my pocket : how to do
it is my own affair. Asa proof of my gratitude for the gentle-
man, 1 leave him the choice of all the jewels which my pocket
affords ; the genuine divining rods, mandrake roots, change
pennies, money extractors, the napkins of Rolando's Squire,
and divers other miracle workers, a choice assortment ; but all
this is not fit for you—better that you should have Fortunatus's
wishing cap, restored spick and span
.new ; and also a fortune.
bag, which belonged to him.' Fortunatus's fortnne-bag !'
exclaimed I ; and, as great as had been my terror, all my
senses were now enraptured by the sound. I became dizzy,
and nothing but double ducats seemed sparkling before my
eyes.
`•‘' Condescend, Sir, to inspect and make a trial of this bag.'
He put his hand into his pocket, and drew front it a moderately-
lirmly.stitched purse of thick cordovan, with two con-
venient leather cords hanging to it, which he presented to me.
I instantly dipped into it, drew from it ten pieces of gold, and
ten more, and ten more, and yet ten more. I stretched out my
hand —` Done ! the bargain is made—l give you my shadow
foe your purse.' He grasped my hand, kneeled down behind
me, and with wonderful dexterity I perceived hint leosening
my shadow from the ground. from head to foot ;—he lifted it
sip;—he rolled it together, and folded it, and at last put it into
hispocket."
The author, after depicting with considerable ingenuity the
miseries which a shadowies.s rnan iy condemned tai undergo, and
for which the possession of an inexhaustible purse of gold could
not compensate, proceeds,—
" 'The deepest pity seemed to inspire the fairer sex ; but
my soul was not less wounded by this than by the contumely
of tlie young, the proud disdain of the old, especially of those
stout and well-fed men, whose dignified shadows accrued to
do them honour. • • • • To leave nothing untried, I
sent Bendel with a costly brilliant ring to the most celebrated
painter in the city, requesting he would pay me a visit. He
came—l ordered away my servants, locked the door, sat my-
self down by him, and after praising his art, I came with a
troubled spirit to the great disclosure, having first enjoined on
him the-strictest secresy.
" Mr. Professor,' I began, can you paint a false shadow
for one, who in the most luckless way is the world has lost
his own ?'—' You mean a reflected shadow ?'—"fo be sure.'
•--" But,' he rejoined, through what negligence could he lose
-his own shadow ?'—' How it happened,' replied I, that
does not matter, I immediately began again with
a lie, last winter, when I was travelling in Russia, it froze
so severely, during the extraordinary cold, that the shadow was
frozen to the ground, and it was impossible to get it free.'
" And I,' said the Professor, could only make him a sheet
shadow, which he would be apt to lose again on the slightest
motion, especially for one whose genuine shadow was so badly
fixed, as must be inferred from your account ; the simplest
and wisest determination for him who has no shadow, is not
to go in the sun.' He stood up, and walked away, after
having sent through me a piercing glance which mine could
not endure.",
We cannot however take our leave of Peter
Schlemihl without bestowing some praise on the
style in which he has been introduced to the
world. With respect to the designs by GEORGE
CRUIKSHANK, we have so often had occa-
sion to notice his productions,, that any thing