LAMOTTE -FOUQUE, FRIEDRICH-HEINRICH-KARL, FREI HERR DE, was born at Brandenburg on February 12,1777. The family had been driven from France by the revocation of the edict of Nantee. Ilia grandfather had entered the military service of Prussia, in which he attained a high rank and the friendship of King Frederick, who was the godfather of his grandson. He entered, in 1796, into the Prussian military service, from which, after taking an active service during the war for the liberation of Germany, he was forced to retire in conse quence of ill-health, with the rank of major. He afterwards resided at Berlin, at Halle, and upon hie estate of Nennbausen, near Rathedow. He had early devoted himself to literary pursuits, and came before the public at first under the assumed name of Pellegrin. Under this appellation he published a translation of the Numantia ' of Cer vantes, some poems in tho Spanish style, the novel of Alwin," Die Hieterie des edeln Bitters Galmy und einer schfinen Herzogin aus Bretagne' (` The Ilistory of the noble knight Galmy and a beautiful duchess from Brittany and some dramas. The old northern mytho logy however, and the early German poets, had a stronger attraction for him : he quitted the imitative school, and with wonderful genius and fertility produced a succession of poems and tales of great origin ality and power. His first work, published under his own name in 1809, was the poem of 'Sigurd der Schlangentodter,' distinguished by its vigorous fancy and its chivalric feeling. In 1813 he gave to the world his beautiful tale of Undine,' which has been translated into almost every European language, and is remarkable for the originality of its construction, the tenderness and delicacy of its feeling, and the ease and lucidity of its style. In 1814 appeared the romantic heroic poem of Corona ; ' in 1815 'Dio Fahrten Thiodolfs,"Der Zauberring,' and Sangers Liebe.' He had also produced two national dramas, 'Alboiu der Longobardenkfinig,' and Eginhard und Emma.' In 1818-19
he published in four volumes the 'Altsachsinchen Bildersaal; ' and in 1821 the historical epic of 'Bertrand du Guesclin,' in 3 vols., and 'Der Verfolgte.' Der Singerkrieg auf der Wartburg' was published in 1828. From this time he was silent for a considerable period, and a change came over his mind. He had hitherto belonged to the romantic school; devotional feelings, chivalry and gallantry, formed the elementary principles of his fictions, and though in some his poetic forms appear forced and capricious, they are uniformly pervaded by a delightful fertility of fancy and a peculiarly vivid poetic feeling. He now seems to have abandoned his old medimval taste, become moro earnestly pious and conservative, and far more of a mannerist and graver in his style. This is first seen in his poems of 'Die Welt reiche,' published in 1835.40, and in his &Hung fiir den deutschen Adel' (' Tidings for the German Nobility '), issued in 1840-41. In 1841 he published a selection of his works in twelve volumes. He also wrote a memoir of his grandfather (Lebenabeschreibung Heinrich August de Lamotte-Fouqn6), published at Berlin in 1824. He died at Berlin on January 23, 1843. The novel Abfall und Busse, oder der Seelenspiegel ' (' Apostacy and Repentance, or the Looking-glass of the Soul '), was published after his death, in 1844.
LamorrE-Fouquk, HARDLINE, FREDIERRIN DE, the first wife of the preceding, was born at Nenohausen in 1773, and died there on July 21, 1831. She was a prolific writer, and several of her novels, her letters on the object and direction of female education, and on the Grecian mythology, are still held in considerable estimation. Some of her narrative poems show a deep insight into the human heart, and particularly as it relates to the female character. Her letters and smaller essays were collected and published in 1833, under the title of ' Der Schreibtisch, oder alto und neue Zeit.'