fmann went with high hopes of being able to realise the
dreams of his life; but his fond expectations were doomed to the
bitterest disappointment. His post he barely retained two months. The
theatre circumstances were on an exact par with those described in
_Wilhelm Meister_ (_videatur_ the name Melina, &c.). Hoffmann's style
of directing gave offence to the Bamberg public on the very first
evening; Count von Soden had placed the management of the theatre in
the hands of a certain Cuno, whose affairs were so embarrassed that he
never, or only seldom, paid his officials, and finally became insolvent
in February, 1809. The disappointed director, embittered against the
public by his failure to recommend himself to them, supported himself
and his wife by composing the incidental music for the various pieces
given at the theatre, at a small monthly salary (of which he received
but little), and by giving music lessons in many of the best families
of the town. But the war approaching that district of Germany caused
many of these families to leave the place; and Hoffmann began to be in
embarrassed circumstances. Then he wrote an extremely droll letter to
Rochlitz, the editor of the _Musicalische Zeitung_ at Leipsic, was
taken on as a contributor, and continued to work for this magazine all
the time he was in Bamberg--producing mostly reviews and criticisms of
musical works, and writing fugitive pieces of musical interest. He also
composed several pieces of music of various descriptions independently
of those which he wrote for the theatre. Nor was his brush idle, for he
received several commissions for large family pictures. Thus things
went on until the summer of 1809, when a brighter cloud dawned upon him
for a time. One fine summer evening he made the acquaintance of Kunz, a
bookseller, publisher, and wine-dealer, at the pleasure-resort of Bug
(close to Bamberg) in a characteristic manner. Kunz, an honest, jovial,
good-natured giant, not lacking humour and gifted with a remarkable
talent for mimicry and imitation, became little Hoffmann's fast
friend--nay, his only real friend--during the whole of the time the
latter remained in Bamberg. They were almost inseparable, associated
in all amusements and diversions: they spent many long winter evenings
together in pouring out their hearts and experiences to each other in
mutual confidences, and many long summer evenings at the "Rose," where
according to German custom a throng of vi