The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Seynard the Fox. After the German version of
Goethe, by T. S. Arnold, Esq. With illustrations
from the designs of Wilhelm von. Kaulbach.
Trubner and Co., Paternoster-row.

The story of Reynard the Fox is one that has over-
come the drawbacks of translation, and survived the
destroying influence of lapse of time and change of
customs. His wickedness, his ingenuity, his unprin-
cipled cunning and murderous propensities, with
all the attendant circumstances an dcharacters, have
been the common property of many generations of
European readers. The gifted hand of Goethe
reproduced this old humorous classic in a form more
adapted to his age, using it as a means fir dis-
playing his keen satire and vivid representation of
character. The editor in his prttace gives the
following account of the origin of this famous work :

" The story of Reynard the Fox, here presented to the
English public in the translation of Mr. Arnold, is ene
which has been famous for centuries. The earliest edition
known of this remarkable work is preserved in the Grenville
Library at the British Muesum, and is supposed to be an
unique copy. It is a black letter octavo, in Dutch, and was
printed at Gouda, near Rotterdam, 1479. Upon this work
was based the translation of William Caxton, published in
1484. The first English Reynard is also extremely 'are,
only three copies being known, of which two are in the
British Museum. It is, however, easy of reference, having
been reprinted by the Percy Society in 1844. The first
German version was published at Lubeck in 1498, but the
origin of the legend is much more remote, the poem
having been known in Low German, French, and
Latin writers even in the twelfth century. At the pre-
sent day it is impossible to trace the authorship
of the oldest version, referred by some to Willem die Matoe,
but a Reinhart _Fuchs is still preserved, dating about the
middle of the thirteenth century ; and it Would seem that
the earliest traces of the poem must be sought in Flanders,
where the nucleus of the series of adventures was formed.
Henry Von Alkmar, who was In the service of the Duke
of Lorraine, is stated in the preface to the Lubeck edition
to be the first who translated the story from the Italian and
French into German ; but other authorities refer theauthor-
ship to a certain Nicholas Baumann, who died at Rostock
in 1696 ; and the motive of his writing the poem is stated
to have been the persecution with which ho was visited at
the Court of Julich. Yet the story was evidently not of
his invention, therefore he must be only regarded as one of
the numerous editors. Its earliest public seems to have
been the same which received with avidity the Eulenspiegel
legend, the Lay of the Niebelangen, and similar produc-
tions ; and in its general satiric views of mankind, it belongs
especially to the grotesque school which has given to Ger-
many some of its Inost enduring fictions. Its celebrity,
however, is European, and translated into almost every
language it has become a native of many lands."

The peculiar attraction of the present edition con-
sists in the production of the designs of Wilhelm
von Kaulbach, " who seized upon the spirit of
Goethe's design, and assumed with a happy facility
the mood which, as by a witch's spell, transformed
men into their brute synonyms." The remarkable
ability Aisplayed in these drawings can scarcely
fail to rivet the reader's attention, and the very lite
and spirit of the legend is resuscitated by them.
We are told that the original work, which appeared.
in 1846, obtained for Kaulbach a lusting reputa-
tion. It has been republished in many editions,
and from one of these the present -English version
is taken, which will afford much gratification to all
lovers of the humorous in • literature, and the
graphic and satirical in art.

The Drawing Room Portrait Gallery. Vol. 2.

199, Strand.
The second volume of this elegant portrait gal-
lery has lately been offered to the public. As its
purchasers arc aware, it consists of a collection of
the portraits issued with the Illustrated News of
the World, elegantly bound, with suitable memoirs.
The portraits are engraved on steel, and are prin-
cipally taken from potographs by Mayall. They
are mostly faithful likenesses and good engravings,
and are certainly marvels for cheat Hess. The list
of contents incluch-s some very distinguished names
in all the branches of social eminence. We find,
among others, Lords Brougham, Macaulay, and
Carlisle ; Baron Brunnow, Sir John Pakington, Sir
Hugh Cairns, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Bright, John
Gibson, the late Mr. Brunel, John Gough, the
temperance preacher; and Samuel Phelps, the
actor. Paul Murphy, the celebrated American
chess player, also finds a place ; while feminine
celebrities are represented by Madame Clara No-
velle and Madlle. Titiens. When we add that there
are portraits of four English Bishops, Cardinal
Wiseman, and Dr. Cumming, it will be perceived
that this portrait gallery is as comprehensh e in its
character as it is good in quality and moderate in
price.

A. Murray Dunlop, Esq., M.P.
The Earl of Elgin.
TV. Adam, Esq., M.P.
Sir J. Matjeribanks, Bart.
D. Robertson,. Esq., M.P.
Lord Loughborough.
E. Baxter, Esq., 2LP.
The Right lion. J. Monerief, M.P.
Lithographs. Schenk, Edinburgh.

These lithographs show us a series of vivid and
life-like portraits, drawn on a large scale with
vigour and ability. Those of Mr. Baxter, M.P. for
Montrose, and Mr. Murray Dunlop, M.P. for
Greenock, are from photographs by Mr. John
Watkins, of Parliament-street; on stone, by C.
Schacker. All the others are delineated by Otto
Leyde—that of Lord Elgin being from life. They
are vivid and forcible likenesses, readily realising
the individuality of their subject. We understand
that portraits of Schiller, Goethe, Humboldt, and
other celebrities are to follow those already pub-
lished.