Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/409

 9* s. viii. NOV. is, loci.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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these words Casanova was dead. In the absence of any directions to the contrary, all his papers passed into the hands of Count Waldstein. With very few exceptions they may still be found at the chateau of Dux, where Casanova left them.

The Leipzig publishing house of Brockhaus having, in January, 1821, acquired the copy- right of Casanova's 'Histoire de ma Vie,' determined to publish selected portions of that work in the German language. Herr Wilhelm von Schiitz, who had some literary reputation, was chosen as editor, with direc- tions to translate as much of it as could be published without offending the moral sense of the public. The exact title and form of this first edition, which was issued between 1822 and 1828, ran thus :

"Aus den Memoiren des Venetianers Jacob Casanova de Seingalt, oder sein Leben, wie er es zu Dux in Bohmen niederschrieb. Nach dem Original-manuscript bearbeitet von Wilhelm Schiitz. 12 volumes. F. A. Brockhaus, Leipzig, 1822."

These twelve volumes appeared separately at intervals, each volume being heralded by a long introduction from the pen of Herr Schiitz. Meanwhile Brockhaus, as a good man of business, prepared his fellow-country- men to receive the work favourably by in- serting in 'Urania' a sort of Annual Register, of which his firm were the publishers an article under the following heading :

" Austellungen aus den Reisen und Abentheuern yon Jean-Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, nach dem in franzosischer Sprache geschriebenen Original- manuscript bearbeitet von F. W. von Schiitz. )?

The first volume, which appeared nearly a quarter of a century after Casanova's death, and eight years after the death of his friend the Prince de Ligne (who would have resented both mutilation and translation), caused a profound sensation in the literary circles of Germany. A proof of its success lay in the fact that it found admirers and detractors, who vied with each other in proclaiming their views. Herr Schiitz did not sleep on a bed of roses, and his pen was busy splutter- ing detractors in the preface of each succeed- ing volume. Although Herren Brockhaus, with a fear of the censor before their eyes, had taken care to suppress every passage in the original which could offend decorum, this wise precaution gave dire offence to a large section of the reading public. Letters pro- testing against any suppression of Casanova's text flooded the editor's letter-box. A dis- tinguished professor at the University of Halle openly expressed his contempt for prudery. In a letter to Herr Fried rich Brockhaus he says :

" I do not concur with you in the matter of suppressing certain passages in the memoirs of Casanova not even in the first edition. In my opinion a dead set should be made against the im- potence and the bigotry of the present day. We require an Aristophanes to cure that folly. He would soon give a death-blow to this enervating dotage this canting morality."

How Casanova and the Prince de Ligne would have loved that fearless professor ! In 1828 the final volume of this worthless mutilated edition appeared, and the ex- periment was not repeated.

RICHARD EDGCUMBE. (To be continued.)

GAZETTED FOR REFUSING AN HONOUR. My attention has been called to the follow- ing :

MAJOR KARRI DAVIES AND THE COMPANIONSHIP

OF THE BATH. (From the London Gazette.)

War Office, Aug. 2, 1901.

The King has been graciously pleased to accept the resignation by Major Karri Davies, Imperial Light Horse, of the Companionship of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, that officer having expressed a wish that he might be permitted to serve His Majesty without any reward.

It will be interesting to know of any other instances in which honourable mention has been made of those who desired to be per- mitted to serve their country " without any reward." R. B. MARSTON.

INDEX TO THE 'DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY.' It would be a great boon to many a student if the index to this splendid work were issued in a separate form. To those who, like myself, are not within imme- diate reach of the volumes it would often prove most useful to be able at once to learn if the person inquired after is or is not in- cluded within their pages, and not in- frequently would save much labour in re- search. If a line or so, helping still further to distinguish the individual, could be added to the bare name and dates, the index would be still more acceptable. W. D. PINK.

Lowton, Newton-le- Willows.

[Such an index is announced by Messrs. Smith & Elder as in preparation.]

THE PRINCE OF WALES. The title of Prince of Wales, which has been in abeyance since the death of our beloved Queen, was renewed by the following notice in a " London Gazette Extraordinary " issued on Saturday morning, the 9th of November, being the King's birth- day :

" Whitehall, November 9, 1901. The King has been pleased to order letters patent to be passed