Page:Knight's Quarterly Magazine series 1 volume 3 (August–November 1824).djvu/153

 From this sketch of the internal political state of the Provençals, and their intercourse with the people of the East, we shall pass to a review of their manners and social institutions, and of the great public events which influenced their literature; and then proceed to an examination of their poetry, and of the causes of its rapid decline.





[The following Tale is translated from the German of Schulze, a living author of great popularity, not known at all under that name, but under the nom-de-guerre of Frederic Laun. A judicious selection (well translated) from the immense body of his novels, would have a triple claim on public attention: first, as reflecting in a lively way the general aspect of German manners in the domestic life of the middle ranks: secondly, as pretty faithful evidences of the state of German taste amongst the most numerous class of readers; no writer, except Kotzebue perhaps, having dedicated his exertions with more success to the single purpose of meeting the popular taste, and adapting himself to the immediate demands of the market: thirdly, as possessing considerable intrinsic merit in the lighter department of comic tales. On this point, for our sakes as well as to guard the reader against disappointment from seeking for more than was designed, we shall say all that needs to be said in one sentence; they have just that merit, and they pretend to that merit, neither more nor less, which we look for in a clever dramatic after-piece;—the very slightest basis of fable; a few lively or laughable situations; a playful style; and an airy, sketchy mode of catching those common-places in manners or in character which are best suited to a ludicrous display. The novels of Laun are mines of what is called Fun, which in its way is no bad thing. To apply any more elaborate criticism to them, would be “to break a fly upon the wheel.”]

Town-Council were sitting, and in gloomy silence; alternately they looked at each other, and at the official order (that morning received), which reduced their perquisites and salaries by one half. At length the chief burgomaster rose, turned the mace-bearer out of the room, and bolted the door. That worthy man, however, was not so to be baffled: old experience in acoustics had taught him where to apply his ear with most advantage in cases of the present emergency; and as the debate soon rose from a humming of gentle dissent to the stormy pitch of downright