first sight his irregular
features produced a strange impression; but before long the pallor of his
face, deeply marked by smallpox, the infinite gentleness of his eyes, and
the elegant framework of his long and flowing black hair, which grew in
an admirable curve around a broad, high forehead, attracted towards him
that emotion of sad sympathy to which we yield without inquiring its
reason or dreaming of resistance. Though it was still early, he seemed
already to have come some distance, for his boots were covered with dust;
but no doubt he was nearing his destination, for, letting his cap drop,
and hooking into his belt his long pipe, that inseparable companion of
the German Borsch, he drew from his pocket a little note-book, and wrote
in it with a pencil: "Left Wanheim at five in the morning, came in sight
of Mannheim at a quarter-past nine." Then putting his note-book back
into his pocket, he stood motionless for a moment, his lips moving as
though in mental prayer, picked up his hat, and walked on again with a
firm step towards Mannheim.

This young Student was Karl-Ludwig Sand, who was coming from Jena, by way
of Frankfort aid Darmstadt, in order to assassinate Kotzebue.

Now, as we are about to set before our readers one of those terrible
actions for the true appreciation of which the conscience is the sole
judge, they must allow us to make them fully acquainted with him whom
kings regarded as an assassin, judges as a fanatic, and the youth of
Germany as a hero. Charles Louis Sand was born on the 5th of October,
1795, at Wonsiedel, in the Fichtel Wald; he was the youngest son of
Godfrey Christopher Sand, first president and councillor of justice to
the King of Prussia, and of Dorothea Jane Wilheltmina Schapf, his wife.
Besides two elder brothers, George, who entered upon a commercial career
at St, Gall, and Fritz, who was an advocate in the Berlin court of
appeal, he had an elder sister named Caroline, and a younger sister
called Julia.

While still in the cradle he had been attacked by smallpox of the most
malignant type. The virus having spread through all his body, laid bare
his ribs, and almost ate away his skull. For several months he lay
between life and death; but life at last gained the upper hand. He
remained weak and sickly, however, up to his seventh year, at which time
a brain fever attacked him; and again put his life in danger. As a
compensation, however, this fever, when it left him, seeme