~ 
Retro/ped? of German Literature... Belles Lettres. 
our times, frequently has been made an 
pbjeét of romantic fiction ; nainely, the fe- 
cret influence of priefts on political events. 
However, the confequence and harmony 
which he contrived to give, as well to the 
individual parts as to the whole of his tales, 
added to the true piéture which he ex- 
hibits of the cuoms of the country which 
he has feleéted for the fcene of action, ren- 
der his performance much fuperior to thofe 
of his predeceffors, and afford it a degree 
of novelty which derives additional charms 
by fimplicity and dignity of di€tion. 
** Begebenheiten des Ritters Wolfram 
von Veldigk,”’ &c. &c. von der FRAUv- 
VON WALLENRODT. 1798. pp. 234. 
Adventures of Sir Wolfram Veldigk, 
contributing to exhibit the [ntrigues of 
the Monks of former Times. Lady 
Wallenrodt, the auchorefs of this novel, 
who lives at Berlin, by publithing it, has 
not added fo much to the literary fame of 
her fex as fhe feems to think, the horrors 
which fhe calls to her aid, to intereft the 
imagination of her readers, militating too 
much againft probability and good tafte, 
to be able to contribute any thing to com- 
penfate for the deficiency of her ftyle, and 
the tedioufnefs which the hacknied fub- 
jet of her romance creates. ~ 
“ Ludwig Wildau,” &c. 1798, pp. 
116. 8vo. Lewis Wildau, or Repentance 
reconciles. A tedious ftory of a young 
man, who is feduced at the univerfity, 
repents of his follies, and at laft returns 
reformed into the arms of his father. 
‘© Lidie von Schénheide,” &e. &c. 
2798; pp. 1603 8vo. Lydia of Schon- 
heide, a Tale, &c. &c. The editor of 
this tale juftly believes. that no one can - 
read Lydia’s melancholy fate without 
being deeply affe€ted, although it fhould 
not -poffefs the advantage of being found- 
ed on faéts. Lydia, a charming young 
lady, living at Vienna, is feparated from 
her lover by the jealoufy and cabals of 
her aunt, fold to a defpicable man, and 
elopes from the houfe of her relation. A 
gentleman, whom fhe knows, meets with 
‘her by a very improbable accident, and 
"Roman-catholic faith. 
carries her to the houfe of a bigotted, 
though honeft, widow of a tradefman. 
Lydia, being informed that her lover had 
turned monk, intimates to her landlady 
that fhe was inclined to renounce the 
proteftant religion, and to embrace the 
The pious old 
woman, heing rejoiced at having an op- 
portunity of faving a loft ficep, informs 
‘the confeffor of the emprefs Maria The- 
.refia of Lydia’s intention. 
AT. 
Wonks are 
. E : @ 3- . 
immediately tent to Lydia, who, -how- 
of 
1083 
ever, is fo much difgufted with the con- 
dué of the holy fathers, after the very 
firft converfation, as to change her mind 
fuddenly. The monks grow furious, and 
confpire againft her, in the prefence of a 
young ecclefiaftic, who happens to be her 
lover. The latter, being now convinced 
of Lydia’s unfhaken conftancy, elopes 
from the monattery, to fly to his miftrefs 5) 
but is difcovered, and- faves himfelf. The 
monks obtain from the emprefs an order 
for confining Lydia in the houle of cor- 
rection. Her friend, who in the mean 
fe \ 5 4 
while was occupied to fave her lover, dif-- 
covers and faves her alfo; but too late, 
her ‘fufferings have difordered her intel- 
leéts. She dies, and her lover thoots him- 
felf. Lhe ftory is fple, and well told. 
The ftyle 1s correét ; and this rare merit 
entitles the author to continue to inftruét 
and to amufe the public. 
«© Antonie von Warnftein,’ 
RIANNE EHRMANN. 1798. pp. 3523 
8vo. Antonia Warnftein, being the fe- 
cond Volume of Amalhia’s leifure Hours, 
é&c. Mrs. Ehrmann has obtained a kind 
of celebrity, in Germany, by her literary 
endeavours to cultivate the mind of the 
fernale fex. But, notwithftanding this, we 
cannot recommend the prefent publica- 
tion, the ftyle of which ts in many places 
extremely bombaftic, and in others un- 
i] 
von Ma- 
‘commonly low. 
© Original Novellen, erzahit, von K. 
G.B.” 1798. pp. 2323 8vo. Original 
Novels. The novels which are contained 
in this volume are given under the fubfe- 
quent titles: 7. Ferdinand and Emilie ; 
2. Walton; 3. The Twenty -fifth Birth- 
day; 4. The Criticifm: ‘The’ three ‘firt 
novels are fo uninterefting and deftirute of 
good tafte, that we think it impoffible 
they could be the produétion of the fame 
author who’ compoied the fourth, which 
abounds’ in interefting fcenes, is written 
in a chafte ityle, and contains a rich vein 
of wit and gay humour. 
*« Aveutta du Port,” &c. &c. 1798. pp. 
2243 8vo. Augufta du Port,orthe Hiftory 
of an unfortunate Woman, &c. ‘The au- 
thor of this interefting tale, who informs us 
that ke is a clergyman, compofed it from 
the letters, mernorandums, and the oral 
accounts, of a fick ynknown lady, who 
ledged in a little miferable ale-houfe, and 
fent for him to pray with her. The feene 
opens on the banks of the Rhine, in the 
yeat 1744, during the war, exhibiting 
the fufferings of Augufta du Port, the 
wife of a Profiian officer and her family. 
The minute defcription of the places 
which were the theatres of her diftreffes, 
EZ 2 and 
‘ 
Eee 
