the
same title. No one who has read this can suppose it was written by Tieck.
The Catholic-romantic school, of which he was the most distinguished
member, furnishes the chief objects of the author's ridicule. Novalis,
Goerres, and F. Schlegel are the most prominent; but at p. 128. is an
absurd sonnet "an Tieck."

The _Comoedia Divina_ is a very clever and somewhat profane satire, such as
Voltaire might have written had he been a German of the nineteenth century.
It opens with Jupiter complaining to Mercury of ennui (_eine langweilige
Existenz_), and that he is not what he was when young. Mercury advises a
trip to Leipzig fair, where he may get good medical advice for his gout,
and certainly will see something new. They go, and hear various dealers
sing the catalogues of their goods. The lines quoted by M. M. E. are sung
by a young man with a puppet-show and barrel-organ to the burden:

"Orgelum Orgelei,
Dudeldum Dudeldei."

He exhibits things taken from the physics of Oken, the metaphysics of
Schelling, and the aesthetics of Goerres. The whole of the song is good;
and I quote one stanza as showing a sound appreciation of the current
metaphysicians:

"Die Intelligenz construirt sich in der Zeit
Als Object, und erkennt sich, und das ist gescheidt,
Denn aus diesen und andern Constructuren
Entstehen Lehrbuecher und Professuren."

They visit the garret of Herr Novalis Octavianus Hornwunder, a maker of
books to order upon every subject: they learn the mysteries of the
manufacture. The scene is clever, but much of the wit is unappreciable as
directed against productions which have not survived. Jupiter, in
compassion to Hornwunder, changes him to a goose, immediately after which a
bookseller enters, and, mistaking the gods for authors, makes them an offer
of six dollars and twelve groschen the octavo volume, besides something for
the kitchen. Jupiter, enraged, changes him to a fox, which forthwith eats
the goose "feathers and all."

They then go to see the play of the Fall of Man (_Der Suendenfall_). The
subject is treated after the manner of Hans Sachs, but with this
difference, that the simple-minded old Nuremberger saw nothing incongruous
in making Cain and Abel say their catechism, and Cain go away from the
examination to fight with the low boys in the street; whereas the author of
_Der Suendenfall_ is advisedly irreverent. Another proof, if one were
wanted, that he was not Tieck.

_Die Ungoettliche Com