THÜMMEL, MORITZ AUGUST VON, a German writer of distinction, was the second son of a family of nineteen children, and was born at Schönfeld, near Leipzig, on the 27th of May 1738. After passing through the University of Leipzig, where he made many friends, and among others he was fortunate enough to secure the esteem of an old advocate, who left him at his death 24,000 dollars, he retired in 1783 to Sonneborn, where he continued to reside for the most part until his death, which took place at Coburg on the 26th of October 1817. The literary fame of Thümmel was established by his Wilhelmine, "a comic poem in prose," first published in 1764. It is considered a masterpiece of polished humour and playful satire. His greatest work, however, is the one entitled Reise in den Mittaglichen Provinzen von Frankreich (Travels in the Southern Provinces of France), in 10 vols., 1791-1805; which, like Sterne's Sentimental Journey, is more a web of fiction than of travels, and glitters all over with humorous pleasantry and satirical observation. A complete edition of his works has been published in 6 vols., and a biography by J. E. von Gruner in 1819.