[1] There are three German biographies of Heine, those of Strodtmann, Karpeles, and Proelss; a new edition of his works in six volumes, with a biography and notes by Dr. Elster, has lately been announced. Mr. Matthew Arnold, by his well-known essay and poem, has done much to stimulate English interest in Heine. A careful critical estimate by Mr. Charles Grant (_Contemporary_, Sept. 1880) may be mentioned with praise. [2] He lodged at 32, Craven Street, Strand. [3] "C'est le Bible, plus que tout autre livre," a distinguished French critic wrote lately, "qui a façonné le génie poétique de Heine, en lui donnant sa forme et sa couleur. Ses véritables maîtres, ses vrais inspirateurs sont les glorieux inconnus qui ont écrit l'Ecclesiaste et les Proverbes, le Cantique des cantiques, le livre de Job et ce chez d'oeuvre d'ironie discrète intitulé: le livre du prophète Jonas. Celui qui s'appelait un rossignol Allemand niché dans la perruque de Voltaire fut à la fois le moins évangélique des hommes et le plus vraiment biblique des poètes modernes." [4] He committed suicide.--ED. [5] Or in English. [6] Heine at this period was never tired of laughing at Göttingen, and here couples it with six particularly insignificant towns.--ED. [7] _Dumm_ in German means stupid. [8] In the French edition Heine rightly substituted "The Emperor Maximilian." [9] _i.e._ Ariosto.--ED. [10] Michel corresponds to John Bull.--ED. [11] This is a common error. Faust the printer is quite a distinct person.--ED. [12] It must be remembered that Heine visited England in 1827. [13] This is said to have been the response of Princess Borghese to a friend who asked her how she had felt when sitting as a model to Canova.--ED. [14] Heine only quotes the first part of the passage from the _Reisebilder_, which has here been given in full.--ED. [15] Heine here alludes to _Atta Troll_.--ED.