62

"AND AS HE PRAYED MICHAEL DECREASED MORE AND MORE IN
SIZE, FALLING TO THE GROUND" 68

"LOOK ONCE MORE AROUND, PETER MUNK!" 72

INTRODUCTION

LOUIS ADELBERT VON CHAMISSO

In 1813 Europe was busy watching the career of the Corsican
Giant--which was nearing its end. Having reached the summit of power,
and put his foot on the neck of Europe, Napoleon was suddenly hurled
down from his dizzy height. And yet in the midst of stirring events and
the din of arms, people found time to pay attention to important
literary productions. A curious book, "The Strange Narrative of Peter
Schlemihl," by Louis Adelbert von Chamisso, which made its first
appearance in Germany in 1813, aroused an ever increasing interest, in
spite of the distraction of the public mind, until the name of the
author became world-famous.

Chamisso was by birth a Frenchman, having been born at the castle of
Bon-Court in Champagne, on January 27, 1781.[1] On the outbreak of the
French Revolution our author left France with his parents; and in 1795
we find them in Bayreuth, which then belonged to the King of Prussia,
the Margrave of Anspach having sold the town to his Prussian Majesty in
1791. Chamisso's parents at last came to Berlin, and young Adelbert was
appointed page to Queen Louise. This famous queen, wife of Frederic
William II. and mother of Frederic William III., took a lively interest
in the young page and decided to complete his somewhat neglected
education. A commission in the army was secured for him, he was made
ensign and soon afterwards lieutenant. Napoleon having in the meantime
become First Consul, he recalled the French emigrants, and Chamisso's
parents availed themselves of the permission and returned to their
home, but they nevertheless advised their son to remain in Prussian
service. Adelbert obeyed them, although he felt far from happy in
Berlin. The service of page did not please him, and his correspondence
is full of passages revealing the melancholy state of his mind. The
court atmosphere was stifling him, and his poverty caused him a great
deal of humiliation. We see him, at that time, as a young man of a
serious and independent disposition, a dreamer and a sceptic, timid and
naive, dissatisfied with his position as page and as soldier, unhappy
in his exile, his misery and his solitude!