Who's the monster?

Thanks to Ethan we now have a full translation of the 1857 article in Die Gartenlaube. Turns out "ein menschenungeheuer" means a human monster. Ouch. The author (who is not named) sees in Julia evidence that "nature in her wonderful moods and opinions occasionally gives way to misconceptions and caricatures . . .  monsters so horrid we could never imagine them. "

He (I assume) goes on: "For several years the different parts of the world have sent us their peculiar racial phenomena. Negros and mulattos, Kafirs and Khoikhoi, and as a curiosity strange deformed beings with their grotesque ugliness from the Aztecs."

"From this perspective comes the appearance of a female creature, called Julia Pastrana . . . such a repulsive misbirth . . . I would have wished that the police forces would have foreseen the problems earlier and would have allowed for a farther viewing of the monster." (Here, I think he refers to a play that appeared briefly on the German stage. In it, Julia plays a fiance. She wears a veil over her face until the very end. It was evidently quite bawdy, and the vice squad shut it down. Bondeson claims there was concern that her appearance might cause women to miscarry.)

When the author paid Julia a visit, she greeted him "with friendly handshakes." She agreed to pose for a picture. They spoke in English of her successful tours of America and England. "she carried herself with confidence and understanding when it concerned upcoming topics." She told him about the proposals of marriage she received in England, which he declared humbug. He observed that Lent "did not want to be discinclined to a marriage partnership which assured him of a retirement fun in the monstrosity of his spouse."  Of course, the author attributes "such monstrosities" as " 'Miss Julia' " (in a snide little gesture he puts her name in quotes) to  "the thick racial mixing" that takes place in distant parts of the world.

But there is something to be gained from this cruel piece. He explained that Julia was unable to read and write. Or, rather, "she is still in the initial stages of the area of this cultural blessing."

This puts the advertisements for her appearances in a new light. I had assumed she and Lent  wrote them together.Perhaps Lent is the sole author? His language is so - so cherishing.  I imagine him chewing on his pencil and wondering how to describe her, "Altogether Miss Julia is the most singular, curious, and pleasing specimen of humanity in the world."  This from a man who couldn't possibly love her?