ards him; he
was misunderstood; he was tormented with _ennui_, and looked with
contempt (partly amused and partly bitter) upon the childish follies
and fopperies, the trifling and dandling with serious feelings and
affections, of the folks amongst whom he lived, who spent their time in
"hunting after flies and _bonmots_." During these months, however, and
during the course of the two years he spent in Silesia, he penetrated
deeper into the secret constitution of his own nature than he ever did
before or after: we find him confessing to his hot passionate
disposition and his quickness to take offence, and making mention of
the change that had taken place in him since the days of his early
friendship with Hippel--he was become hypochondriacal, dissatisfied
with himself, ready to kick against destiny, and prone to assume a
defiant attitude towards her and to blame her and call her to account
for her treatment of him; then again he was melancholy and sad and
sentimental, using in his letters expressions built up after Jean
Paul's style, and indulging in gushing protestations of unalterable
friendship. But then this was the age of exaggerated friendships. His
humour and joviality did not, however, altogether desert him; he made
himself a welcome guest of an evening, and carried out amusing pranks
with his merry cousins.

In the spring of 1797 Hoffmann accompanied his uncle on a journey to
Koenigsberg, where he again saw the young girl he loved, but only to
open up again all the anguish of the wounds that had never yet fully
healed. On his return to Glogau things continued much as they were
previous to his visit to his native town.

Of his two favourite arts, painting seems to have occupied him more
than music just at this period. Probably this was due to the influence
of the painter Molinari, whose acquaintance he made before he had been
six months in Glogau; and besides this man, whom he styles a "child of
misfortune" like himself, he also enjoyed the society of Holbein,
dramatic poet and actor; of Julius von Voss, a well-known writer; and
of the Countess Lichtenau, formerly favourite of Frederick William II.
of Prussia, but at that time a sort of prisoner in the garrison at
Glogau.[6] The serious study of law he also prosecuted most
assiduously, and to such good purpose that in June, 1798, he was
able to surmount successfully his second or "referendary" examination.
But for this earnest and persevering labour there was a