Hoffmann, E.T.A.: The Elementary Spirit. v1 12 Jan 2019
 

E.T.A Hoffmann (1776-1822) was a Prussian artist, author, caricaturist, composer, lawyer, musical director, and musician. He wrote many short stories and novellas, though not all have been translated into English.

This translation of The Elementary Spirit is taken from Tales from the German, and translated by John Oxenford (1812-1877) for the Chapman and Hall 1844 edition.

The story is set in France soon after Waterloo, and deals with the interaction of an Irish officer and a French noblewoman who have links to the secret world, and a German officer who falls under their spells.