[ 268 ] [SEPT 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MADEMOISELLE 8ONTAG ; 



INTERSPERSED WITH CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTES OF THE LEADING FASHIONABLES 



OF BERLIN. 



Here be truths." 



{The little work from which this sketch is extracted" Henriette die Schone San- 

 gerinn," or, Henfiette the beautiful Songstress has excited so much attention at Leipsic 

 (where it was published) and at Berlin, that we rhink an abridgement of it may not be 

 wbotiy unacceptable to our readers. It is said, that the fair lady to whom it refers, and 

 of whom so many strange reports have been circulated, is at length actually engaged, and 

 to make her del-fit next season at the Italian Opera House in England.] 



THE Opera was over! Still, however, the tumultuous applause uplifted in 

 honour of the fair debutante who had that evening made her first obeisance 

 before the audience of Berlin, reverberated through the house, and seemed as 

 if it would have no end. A thousand clapping hands, and a corresponding num- 

 ber of roaring voices, were employed in bearing testimony to the merits of 

 Henrietta,* and in demanding her momentary re-appearance, to receive the 

 homage of the spectators. At length the curtain again rolled up, and the beauty 

 came forward in all the graceful loveliness whereby she had previously enchanted 

 her auditory. 



In comparison to the noise which now arose, the former might be regarded 

 almost as the silence of the dead ! Every one present, in fact, seemed to abandon 

 himself to the most extravagant marks of rapture ; the young songstress, alone, 

 was unable to give vent to her emotions, and was obliged to retire with silent 

 obeisances ; her eyes, however, were eloquent, demonstrating, by their animated 

 lustre, the gratification she experienced. 



But the amount of Henrietta's gratification appeared trivial beside that mani- 

 fested by the glances and exclamations of the gentlemen in the house. A regu- 

 lar epidemic seemed to have seized them (although of no very disastrous nature) 

 and to have included every class and every age within its range of attack. Even 

 old Field Marshal Von Rauwitsch/f- upon whose head, worn grey during numer- 

 ous campaigns, scarcely a few straggling hairs were to be counted even he 

 appeared, in his old age, to have been wounded by Love's dart, against which he 

 perhaps imagined himself completely armed. 



If, however, these right noble warriors were fascinated by the syren, he was 

 more than matched by a couple of royal counsellors Messrs. Hemmstoff and 

 Wicke,J who had become close friends in consequence of a congeniality of 

 sentiment in matters relating to the fine arts and the drama. The latter, his 

 eye fixed on the fallen curtain, broke out with an ejaculation " Oh, friend ! 

 what is life without love ? I now understand the delicate lines of the poet." 



" True, very true!" interposed Hemmstoff) vainly endeavouring to pass, in 

 the true exquisite style, his fingers through the remnant of that luxurious crop of 

 hair which the scythe of Time had cut down "very truly does the poet say- 

 but I feel confoundedly hungry. Shall we sup at the Restaurateur or where ?" 



* Mademoiselle Sontug.' t Marshal Von Bniuchilsb, Governor of Berlin. 



Gormnstoff and Wilke. 



