Small Catechism 第1章

Fourtalesare，itissaid，intendedbytheAuthortobeappropriatetotheFourSeasons:thestern，grave"Sintram"，towinter;thetearful，smiling，fresh"Undine"，toSpring;thetorriddesertsofthe"TwoCaptains"，tosummer;andthesunsetgoldof"AslaugasKnight"，toautumn.Ofthesetwoarebeforeus.

Theauthorofthesetales，aswellasofmanymore，wasFriedrich，BarondelaMotteFouque，oneoftheforemostoftheminstrelsortale-tellersoftherealmofspiritualchivalry--therealmwhitherArthursknightsdepartedwhenthey"tooktheSancgrealsholyquest，"--whenceSpensersRedCrossknightandhisfellowscameforthontheiradventures，andinwhichtheKnightoflaManchabelieved，andendeavouredtoexist.

LaMotteFouquederivedhisnameandhistitlefromtheFrenchHuguenotancestry，whohadfledontheRevocationoftheEdictofNantes.HisChristiannamewastakenfromhisgodfather，FredericktheGreat，ofwhomhisfatherwasafaithfulfriend，withoutcompromisinghisreligiousprinciplesandpractice.FriedrichwasbornatBrandenburgonFebruary12，1777，waseducatedbygoodparentsathome，servedinthePrussianarmythroughdisasterandsuccess，tookanenthusiasticpartintherisingofhiscountryagainstNapoleon，inditingasmanybattle-songsasKorner.Whenvictorywasachieved，hededicatedhisswordinthechurchofNeunhausenwherehisestatelay.Helivedthere，withhisbelovedwifeandhisimagination，tillhisdeathin1843.

AndallthetimelifewastohimapoetsdreaHelivedinacontinualglamourofspiritualromance，bathingeverything，fromtheolddeitiesoftheValhalladowntothechampionsofGermanliberation，inanidealglowofpurityandnobleness，earnestlyChristianthroughout，eveninhisdealingswithNorthernmythology，forhesawChristunconsciouslyshowninBaldur，andSataninLoki.

Thushelived，felt，andbelievedwhathewrote，andthoughhisdramasandpoemsdonotriseabovefairmediocrity，andthegreatnumberofhisprosestoriesareinjuredbyacertainmonotony，thecharmofthemisintheirelevationofsentimentandtheearnestfaithpervadingall.HisknightsmightbeSirGalahad--"Mystrengthisasthestrengthoften，Becausemyheartispure."Evilcomestothemassomethingtobeconquered，generallyasaformofmagicenchantment，andhis"wondrousfairmaidens"areworthyoftheYetthereisadventureenoughtoaffordmuchpleasure，andoftenwehaveatouchoftruegenius，whichhasgivenactualideastotheworld，andpreciousones.

Thisgeniusisespeciallytraceableinhistwomasterpieces，SintramandUndine.SintramwasinspiredbyAlbertDurersengravingofthe"KnightofDeath，"ofwhichwegiveapresentation.ItwassenttoFouquebyhisfriendEdwardHitzig，witharequestthathewouldcomposeaballadonit.Thedateoftheengravingis1513，andwequotethedescriptiongivenbythelateRev.R.St.JohnTyrwhitt，showinghowdifferentlyitmayberead.