Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan Source:http://www.archive.org/details/banishedtrfroml00haufgoog
2. Numbering of chapters is in error starting with chapterXIII.The Chapter number XIII. is duplicated; therefore all numbersafter XIII. are short by one.
The Editor feels that he stands very much in the same positionas theman who plies at the door of the exhibition of some historical pictureor panorama, and who is ready to assure his visitors that theexhibition is quite worthy their notice, and that they will neitherlose their time nor their money in inspecting it. Although, in thisinstance, he really has no other merit than that of being trumpeter tothe show, yet he can in honesty assert, that, what he has been calledupon to read he sincerely approves, and maintains that the translatorof this work merits the approbation and patronage of the public forhaving brought to its notice, and adapted to its reading, a story fullof historical interest, of graphic incidents, of good moral tendency,and true in the illustration of the national manners of Germany in thesixteenth century.
J. M.
London, March 25, 1839.
The tale of The Banished has been taken from a Germanwork;1butthough considerable freedom has been used in the translation from theoriginal text; the subject matter has been closely followed. It appearsfrom the preface of M. Hauff, the author of this work, that his aimwas to give an account of an event which took place in his own country,together with a faithful description of the national manners andcustoms of the period of which he treats; and being written at the timewhen the author of Waverley was as yet only known as the "GreatUnknown," it would seem that M. Hauff, impelled by the fascination ofhis writings, has adopted him as his model, as may be seen from thefollowing extract from his introductory chapter: "Thanks to the happypencil of the renowned novelist, who has painted in such lively coloursthe green banks of the Tweed, the Highlands of Scotland, old England'smerry day, and the romantic poverty of Wales, all classes among us readhis admirable works with avidity, rendered into our language infaithful translations, and realizing to our minds historical eventswhich happened some six or seven hundred years back. Such is the effectproduced by these writings, that we shall be as well, if not better,acquainted with the histories of those countries than if we hadinvestigated them ourselves with the most learned research. The GreatUnknown--having opened the stores of his chronicles, and brought inreview before our wondering eyes image after image, in almost endlesssuccession--has, by the power of his magic, taught us that we arelikely to become better versed in the details of Scotland's historythan our own; and by its means also has made us feel less intimate withthe religious and secular transactions our own country in past ages,than with those