During his travels around England in 1826 – 1829, Pückler wrote numerous letters to his wife Lucie, telling her about his experiences. He described English society as he saw it, dissecting it with biting wit. The letters were eventually published under a pseudonym. Entitled “Briefe eines Verstorbenen”, (literally, “Letters of a Dead Man”, actually translated in 1832 as “The Travels of a German Prince in England”), the book was a worldwide success. Pückler wrote 9 more.
Pückler was a master at writing love letters. His writing was full of flattery, innuendo, erotica and frivolity, and each ingredient contributed to the overall effect. Today, an extraordinary mechanical device makes the skill available to everyone – the "Liebesbrief-o-mat," composer of love letters, Pückler style…
Pückler was a frequent guest and just as frequently a topic of discussion at the literary gatherings hosted by his friend Rahel Varnhagen. His success as an author was not universally acclaimed, however. Goethe rated him highly, while Heine envied him. Von Müller, on the other hand, hated him with a passion.
