“Nothing,” you added, “can be clearer and more intelligible than this outline; and, if the work were even _literally_ rendered into English, it would present an excellent ‘knightly tale of the olden time,’ with a religio-historical moral. Let this be done, and there need be no doubt entertained of its success.” To these remarks I ventured to reply, that, to the best of my judgment, there was not one character in the romance, nor any part of the machinery, under which the author had not involved some abstruse and figurative meaning which ought to be explained. Gerda, for example, I alleged, was not a mere enchantress, introduced for the purpose of bringing about some strange adventures: on the contrary, she seemed to represent Superstition, whose horrid rites are contrasted with the mild and rational piety of the Druda. The Ring, too, I thought, might not only be intended to allegorize the delusions of the world, but also those of natural-magic, (_die natur-kenntnisse_,) and other profane sciences.--“Trouble yourself no farther with such inquiries and speculations,” you replied: “emblems and allegories are nuts hard enough to crack; let the readers break their teeth on them if they will.” With this homely metaphor our discourse ended; and your plan has accordingly been carried into effect. Instead of indulging my own feelings in a _remaniement_,--which would have been a new work founded on old materials,--I have merely translated the Baron’s words, (which need not preclude other German scholars from bringing forward the same story on a different plan); and, under the auspices of your name, which is at least as well known here as that of the Baron, it is not without some degree of confidence that I introduce these volumes to the public. I am, my dear sir, with great respect, &c. &c. THE TRANSLATOR. PREFACE BY THE BARON DE LA MOTTE FOUQUÉ. COURTEOUS READER!