[74] The Germans do not say original sin, but hereditary sin (Erbsünde).—Erbadel (hereditary nobility) being formed exactly in the same manner, there is a sort of jeu de mots, which the words in use here will not represent.—Transl.
[75] For the curious in Austrian philosophy and philology, I subjoin the original of the above, which loses, unhappily, its zest in plain English, as it would in good German.—Transl.
“Nix is halt dümmer,” sagte er, “als sich um de Zukunft gräme! Schaun’s, als i hierher kam, war’s grade Sommer, und die Season schon vorbei. Nu hatt’ en Andrer sich gegrämt, grad in so schlechter Zeit herkommen zu seyn; aber i dacht, ‘s wird sich schon hinziehen, und richtig, ‘s hat sich bis zum November hingezogen! Unterdessen hat mich der Esterhazy ufs Land genemmen, wo i mich gar herrlich amüsirt hab, und nu is noch a Monat schlecht, dann wird’s wieder full, die Bälle und die Routs gehn an, und i kann’s nie mehr besser wünschen! Wär’ i nu nich a rechter Narr gewesen, mi zu gräme ohne Noth? hab i ni recht? Man muss in der Welt grad wie ne H—— leben und nimmer zuviel an die Zukunft denken.”
[76] ‘Ihren Kindern den heiligen Christ bescheerte.’ The presents which it is the universal custom in Germany to make to children on a Christmas eve, are given in the name of the infant;—the Christkindchen so dear to all German children.—Transl.
[77] Befreiungskrieg. The war against Napoleon is commonly known by that name in Germany.—Transl.
[78] A parforce jagd is, in one word, a hunt; for jagd, like chasse, includes shooting and other field-sports; but, as will be seen, I could not leave out the parforce without destroying the sentence.—Transl.
[79] This refers to the ancient fable of Reinecke Fuchs.—Transl.
[80] The Germans say, “Sand in die Augen streuen,” to scatter sand (not dust) in the eyes. Here, as in so many other cases, difference of idiom destroys a ‘jeu de mots.’—Transl.
[81] Adelaide, Princess Carolath, born Countess von Pappenheim; daughter of the Noble Lady to whom these letters are addressed, by the Bavarian General-of-division Count von Pappenheim, and mentioned in a former part of the work under the name of Emily.—Transl.
[82] A learned antiquarian once told me that the old painters generally painted on a ground of chalk, and used preparations for fixing their colours, whence they are so permanent, fresh, and brilliant. Strange that people don’t give themselves the trouble to try this experiment!