Index talk:The Twelve Nights (1831).djvu

Author's pen names

The author gives the initials "A. I. R. M. / S. R. F. D. L. L. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c." in the "Epistle Dedicatory", and signs themself "Diabolus Typicus" on p. 177. "Diabolus Typicus" was also used by the author or editor of the article "Sketches of Society: Politics in the Literary Gazette!" in the Literary Gazette and Journal of Belles Lettres (13 November 1830). They seem to have signed contributions to The Lady's Magazine as "W. B.", including an article that is headed "by Scriblerus Secundus" – apparently a pseudonym of Henry Fielding (1707–1754), but also the author of Torrenwald (1824). --Yodin^T 23:39, 4 January 2024 (UTC)

Source texts and first publications

According to the Preface:

• "Most of the following sketches have already appeared, at various intervals, in the periodicals of the day."
• "The periodical literature of our neighbours, the French, has furnished me with the ground-work and the materials of most of my sketches."

This seems to imply that not all of the chapters have been published before, and also leaves open the possibility that some might not be translations.

• "The Eve of Walpurgis"
  • Translation of Heinrich Zschokke's "Die Walpurgisnacht" (perhaps via a French translation?)
  • This translation first published as "The Eve of Walpurgis", in The London University Magazine (1830), part 1 signed "V.", part 2 signed "H." (1830) (external scan)
• "A Tale of Truth"
  • First published as "A Tale of Truth" in The Lady's Magazine (1830), signed "W. B." (external scan)
  • I haven't been able to find any potential source texts, but it does seem like it could well be a translation
• "Remarkable Vision of Charles XI. of Sweden"
  • Translation of Prosper Mérimée's "Vision de Charles XI" in Revue de Paris (1829)
  • This translation first published as "Remarkable Vision of Charles XI. of Sweden", in Fraser's Magazine (1830) (external scan)
• "The Chest"
  • Translation of Marie-Henri Beyle's "Le Coffre et le Revenant"
  • This translation first published as "The Chest: A Spanish Adventure" in The Lady's Magazine (1830) (external scan)
    • There are some cryptic footnotes to this translation by the editor of the Lady's Magazine, about the ending of the story being lost/rewritten
• "The Corsican Bandit"
  • Translation of "R... w... S... t... H."'s "La Folle de Bastilica" in Revue des deux mondes (1829) (external scan)
  • This translation first published as "The Corsican Bandit" in the Monthly Magazine (1830) (external scan)
• "The Handkerchief"
  • First published as "The Handkerchief" in The Lady's Magazine (1830), signed "W. B." (external scan)
  • I haven't been able to find any potential source texts, but it does seem like it could well be a translation
• "Tales of the Dead"
  • I haven't been able to find any other copies of this, so it might be original to this book. The references to English works might be a substitution from source language cultural references, but might also be an indication that this is not a translation
  • Though it's one continuous chapter without separate headers, there are three stories; any/all of these could be a translation or retelling from a different source
• "My First Affair"
  • Translation of Prosper Mérimée's "L’Enlèvement de la redoute" in Revue de Paris (1829) (external scan)
  • This translation possibly first published in The United Service Journal (1830) (external scan)
• "The Privateer"
  • I can't find any sources from before 1831, but the following stories seem to be related to it:
    • "Pirate grand d’Espangne", signed Victor Charlier (external scan)
    • "Ein Abenteuer an den Inseln des grünen Vorgebirgs"(external scan)
• "Toniotto"
  • Translation of Prosper Mérimée's "Mateo Falcone" in Revue de Paris (1829) (external scan)
  • A footnote states that this is a translation of a story from Revue de Paris (May 1829), which itself seems to have been borrowed from a story called "Corsican Father" in the Family Magazine for October (perhaps 1828?). I haven't been able to find a scan of this magazine online.
• "The Crossway of the Four Brothers"
  • Seems to be a translation of Samuel-Henri Berthoud's "L’Archet du Sabbat", though the earliest copy of this I can find is 1831 (external scan)
  • This translation first published as "The Crossway of the Four Brothers" in The Lady's Magazine (1830), signed "W. B." (external scan)
• "The Button-Holder"
  • Possibly first published in The Lady's Magazine (1830), signed "W. B." (external scan)
  • I can't find any possible sources in other languages. As this is called "A Sketch from Life", it might be original, and not a translation.

--Yodin^T 10:10, 3 January 2024 (UTC)