1827.] Biographical Sketch of Mile, bontag. 261) 



" Below, my dear fellow," rejoined Wicke, in a melting tone, " for I under- 

 stand there is a supply of fresh oysters just arrived. Alas! how sweet a thing 

 is love !" 



Thus sentimentalizing did he and his companion descend into the supper- 

 room, which was unusually full doubtless on account of the necessity felt by 

 so many young bucks of of recruiting their shaken nerves and spirits by the help 

 of a little eau-de-vie. 



All the 'tables were soon entirely occupied; next our two friends, to the 

 right, sat a rather elderly French Abbe',* whose head, to the infinite consolation 

 of Hemmstoff, was even more scantily strewn with locks than his own. Accord- 

 ing to the prevailing character of the French ministers, this was a jovial, free- 

 thinking man, by no means dead to the joys of this life in consequence of his 

 monastic education, but who loved his wine, his oysters, and his music nor 

 did the third article of the Lutheran Catechism seem to be either unknown or 

 unpleasant to him, as appeared by the ecstacy into which the young songstress 

 had thrown him. " Ah, mon Dieul qu'elle est belle!" exclaimed he: "here, 

 garfon, a bottle of champaign ! to the health of Henrietta." 



To the right of the Abbe was placed a tall thin figure, in a blue coat, with an 

 Order of the Cross in his button-hole. This man's grey though well-dressed hair 

 formed a singular contrast to his red, and at the same time wrinkled, face: the 

 latter quality whereof shewed that the owner had exceeded his sixtieth year, 

 notwithstanding he was desirous of passing muster as a dandy of nve-and-twenty.f 

 He wore a double lorgnette constantly round his neck had an opera-glass in 

 his hand and his cravat was tortured into the elaborate tie of an Englishman, 

 who wishes on his visit to the continent to be thought of the first water. He 

 was styled by some members of the company Lieutenant-Colonel; and to aid his 

 assumption of a consequential air, he minced and muttered his words as if he 

 thought it beneath him to give any body or any thing an intelligible answer. 

 It is true, he was not long put to much expense, even of this sort of conversation : 

 for the seat beside him was taken by the manager of the theatre, t an intelligent 

 and agreeable man, to whom were addressed, as a matter of course, all questions 

 relating to the charmer of the evening. 



There was, however, present a young man of very interesting exterior, who 

 was seated at the bottom of the table, and who, wrapped in utter silence, still 

 paid attention, as he sipped his wine, to the discourse of the individuals sur- 

 rounding him. He could not be a native of the capital, or indeed a resident 

 there of any long standing, as neither of the guests already mentioned (who 

 piqued themselves upon knowing every body, who was any body) were acquainted 

 with his name or rank, although his whole air and aspect betokened a person of 

 consideration. 



The discourse naturally turned on the opera; and all coincided in voting 

 Henrietta's abilities to be pre-eminent, although each differed from the other as 

 to her chief qualifications. Hence, the uproar began almost to resemble that of 

 Babel (for the parties seemed to think that the strength of the argument lay in 

 vociferation) when it was suddenly checked by the manager rising, and politely 

 calling upon the young stranger to favour the company with his opinion. 



" Most willingly/' was the reply : * although I fear I stand but an indifferent 

 chance in the society of so many enlightened connoisseurs. In my estimation, 

 the debutante is endowed with irresistible grace, and with a voice at once melo- 

 dious and full of sentiment ; her execution, also, is blameless : but she evinces 

 little taste in the selection of her operas, and still less in that of the theatre whereat 

 she performs (here our friend the manager was all attention), which is well known 

 to have no higher ambition than that of money -getting, however it be com- 

 passed.|| In this point Signora Henrietta must certainly be held to have squared 

 her views with those of the sordid multitude in no very worthy manner." 



* M. B. , now in England. f The Chevalier Von Treikow. J Von Holter. 

 || The " Konigstadter Theater" is a sort of minor theatre of Berlin, situate in one of 

 the fauxbourgs of the capital. It is limited to the performance of second-rate pieces, or 



