of whose works (we may observe in a
parenthesis) makes a poor figure in its Greek dress, and had better be
retranslated as quickly as possible into its original Teutsch.

It is curious to see the sort of society that Bettina moves
in--crown-princes, and prince-bishops, and ambassadors-extraordinary--and
all treating her with the greatest regard. There must have been something
very taking in the bright black eyes and rosy lips of the correspondent of
Goethe, and friend, apparently, of all the German magnificoes; for she
uses them with very little ceremony, and holds her head as high among them
as if she knew there was more in it than was contained under all their
crowns and mitres. But it was not with the magnates of the land alone that
she was on such terms. The literary potentates were equally pleased with
her attention. If a rising artist wants encouragement, he applies to
Bettina. Sculptors, painters, musicians, all lay their claims before her;
and we find her constantly using her influence on their behalf with the
literary dictator of Weimar. If a scholar or philosopher is sick, she sits
at his bedside; and in the midst of all the playfulness, wildness,
eccentricity, (and perhaps affectation,) we meet with in the letters, we
see enough of right spirit and good heart to counterbalance them all; and
such a malicious little minx! and such a despiser of prudery, and
contemner of humbug in all its branches! It is delightful to reflect on
the torment she must have been to all the silly stiff-backed old maids
within reach of tongue and eye. And therefore--and for many reasons
besides--we maintain that Bettina, from fifteen to seventeen, is an
exquisite creature, fiery and impassioned as Juliet, and witty as Beatrix.
We will also maintain till our dying day, that neither her Romeo nor
Benedict was near sixty years old.

The information given by the Frau Rath about her son has already been
incorporated in the thousand and one memoirs and recollections supplied by
the love and admiration of his friends;--we will therefore not follow
Bettina in her record of his boyish days, as gathered from his mother and
reported to himself, further than to remark, that vanity seems from the
very first to have been his prevailing characteristic--even to so low a
pitch as the "sumptuousness of apparel." Think of a little snob in the
Lawnmarket--son of a baillie--dressing himself two or three times
a-day--once plainly--once half-and-half--and