1832.] [ 707 ] 



MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



KLOSTERHEIM ; OR THE MASQUE. BY THE ENGLISH OPIUM EATER. BLACKWOOD, 

 EDINBURGH; AND CADELL, LONDON. 



THE scene of tins tale is laid in the thirty years' war, a period admirably adapted 

 for the romance writer ; since war in its most dreadful colours desolated the land, 

 superstition had gained a strong hold upon the minds of the people, and the most 

 extraordinary events daily occurred, of which a sufficient idea may be formed by a 

 perusal of the burning pages of Schiller. 



We hardly know how to give an analysis of Klosterheim with anything like 

 brevity and distinctness, since the events of the tale are so numerous, and succeed 

 each other so rapidly. The language in which it is written is very beautiful ; the 

 plot is deep-laid, in fact, it becomes intricate ; for the author so completely enwraps 

 his subject in mystery, that he finds considerable difficulties in its development. 



The Landgrave of X is master of Klosterheim, which he obtained by the 



murder of a relation ; and the chief interest of the tale arises from the numerous 

 plots that are formed against him ; and more particularly from the mysterious 

 agency of an unknown individual who calls himself the masque. This masque was 

 sometimes seen, but more generally revealed his purposes by his proclamations. 

 He enters houses whenever he pleases, neither doors nor bolts obstructing him ; 

 persons disappear, no one knowing in what manner ; in fact, the whole city is 

 panic-stricken. At a grand masqued ball given at the palace, this mighty indi- 

 vidual is at last revealed ; and as his description will serve to convey some idea of 

 the style of the work, we will extract it. 



' He had been leaning against a marble column, as if wrapped up in reverie, and care- 

 less of every thing about him. But when the dead silence announced that the ceremony 

 was closed, that he only remained to answer for himself, and upon palpable proof 

 evidence not to be gainsayed incapable of answering satisfactorily ; when in fact it was 

 beyond dispute that here was at length revealed, in bodily presence, before the eyes of 

 those whom he had so long haunted with terrors, the masque of Klosterheim it was 

 naturally expected that now at least he would shew alarm and trepidation ; that he would 

 "epare for defence, or address himself to instant flight. 



' Far otherwise ! Cooler than any other person beside in the saloon, he stood, like the 

 marble column against which he had been reclining, upright, massy, and imperturbable. 

 He was enveloped in a voluminous mantle, which at this moment, with a leisurely motion, 

 he suffered to fall at his feet, and displayed a figure in which the grace of an Antinous met 

 with the columnar strength of a Grecian Hercules, presenting, in its tout ensemble, the 

 majestic proportions of a Jupiter. He stood a breathing statue of gladiatorial beauty, 

 towering above all who were near him, and eclipsing the noblest specimens of the human 

 form which the martial assembly presented." 



LETTERS FROM THE NORTH OF EUROPE. BY C. P. ELLIOT, ESQ. COLBURN 

 AND BENTLEY, 1832. 



WITH certain letters of credit in his pocket-book, an inkhorn in his pouch, a ream 

 of paper in his portmanteau, and a calm determination to fill it before his return to 

 England, our author reaches Amsterdam on the 24th of June, 1830; and lo! about 

 the 31st of October in the same year, finds himself again in London, having, in 

 the space of four months, travelled over Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, 

 Finland, Russia, Prussia and Saxony ! And now a bulky volume is presented to 

 us, for no other reason that we can discover, except the laudable desire on Mr. 

 Elliot's part to pay his travelling expenses. 



We do not mean to say that Mr. Elliot's book is not readable ; but ere it stand 

 any chance of complete perusal, it will be necessary to find some one who has 

 never happened to meet with a single book of travels in the countries so hastily 

 visited by our author. But there is a class of readers who, either from a defect of 

 memory, or an earnest desire to authenticate the previous statements of others, are 

 never weary of volumes of this description. To such we especially recommend 

 this volume. 



