Schwabe, Gellert, Rabener, Gärtner, Kästner, Kramer, Adolf Schlegel, the forerunners of the great coming literary era, men, who, with Arnold Schmidt, Ebert, Gieseke, Hagedorn, Gleim, Zachariä, now deposited many a mental treasure in the celebrated 'Bremer Beiträge,' a critical periodical, founded in the year 1742. At last the turning point in our literature had arrived. The clouds began to break, the light reappeared, and that light was KLOPSTOCK.

ALPHABETICAL LIST

OF WRITERS FROM THE REFORMATION TO KLOPSTOCK.

ABRAHAM A SANCTA CLARA, 1642-1709, who rejoiced originally in the more prosaic name of Ulrich Megerle, entered at an early age the Order of St. Augustine, and became ultimately courtpreacher of Emperor Leopold I. His literary fame is chiefly connected with his great didactic work, in four volumes, Judas the Arch-rogue.' 'Judas der Erzschelm, für ehrliche Leut, oder eigentlicher Entwurf und Lebensbeschreibung des ischariotschen Bösewicht.' This work, like most of his writings, without possessing any æsthetic merit, for Sancta Clara's language is invariably very uncouth, and even coarse, evinces, however, on the part of the writer a keen spirit of observation, and a singular talent for graphic description. The translator of the following specimen of Sancta Clara's style is unknown.

Fish great, and fish small,
Lords, lackeys, and all,
Each looked at the preacher
Like a reasonable creature.
At God's word

They Anthony heard.

The sermon now ended,
Each turned and descended,
The pikes went on stealing,
The eels went on eeling.

Much delighted were they,
But preferred the old way.

The crabs are backsliders,
The stock-fish thick-siders,
The carps are sharp-set,
All the sermon forget,
Much delighted were they
But preferred the old way.

ANONYMOUS.

His poems,

ABSCHATZ (HANS ASSMANN VON), 1646-1699. published after his death under the title of 'Poetische Uebersetzungen und Gedichte,' contain sacred and worldly subjects, and a number of translations: among the latter, one of Guarini's 'Pastor Fido.' Abschatz was a friend and contemporary of Lohenstein, and also mentally related to him. His productions, however, are more free from the pompous verbosity which characterised the writings of that school.

ANDRAE (JOHANN VALENTIN), 1586-1654. This erudite theologian wrote principally in Latin, on subjects of a polemical character. His language is vigorous, hearty, and sarcastic; and, in reading his writings, we are struck with the freedom and independence of thought at an age so proverbial for its spirit of intolerance. Among his German works, we mention, ‘Christlich Gemäl' (1612), and Geistliche Kurzweil' (1619).

ARNDT (JOHANN), 1555-1621. If ever there existed a man, whose memory should be blessed by posterity, Arndt was that man; for his whole life was devoted to the holy task of comforting the afflicted during the dreadful scourge of the Thirty Years' War. His sermons, breathing the spirit of peace and resignation, were balm for the sufferers of that period. His most celebrated work is 'Die vier Bücher vom wahren Christenthum (1605-1609), and a collection of sermons, called 'Paradiesgärtlein,' a good seed scattered broadcast over the German soil.

ARNOLD (GOTTFRIED), 1666—1714. His principal work-' Unparteiische Kirchen-und Ketzerhistorien,' is distinguished both for form and matter; his numerous sacred hymns, strongly imbued with the mystic element, show him also to possess poetical genius. BODMER (JOHANn Jacob), 1698—1783, was born in the village of Greifenberg, near Zürich. After having acquired a profound knowledge of the classical writers of antiquity, whose spirit he was anxious to infuse into the German language, then so much neglected, he devoted himself with ardour to the study of English and French literature, evincing his appreciation of the former by translating Milton's "Paradise Lost" into German. For a consider

able time he was engaged in a literary controversy with his contemporary Gottsched, who, although possessing a greater theoretical knowledge of our grammar, was inferior to him in taste, tact, and poetical genius. Among Bodmer's critical writings, his 'Discurse der Mahler' and 'Kritische Briefe' exercised a refining influence on our language. Die Nochaïde,' twelve canticles written in German hexameters, is considered his best poem; it is full of spirit and vigour, but rather deficient in purity of style and harmony. He continued his literary labours to a very advanced age, and died in the year 1783.

THE DELUGE.

(From the Noachide).

Now on the shoreless sea, intermixed with the corses of sinners,
Floated the bodies of saints, by the side of the beasts of the forests.
All that the food-bearing earth had enabled to live on its surface,
Death from one zone to another pursued with all-conquering fury.
O, how the face of the country was changed, how deformed the creation!
Where but recently Spring in his garment of flowers was straying,
Listening the nightingale's song from the dew-sprent bower of roses,
Hidden, he wears the dark prisoner's dress, which the flood overcast him.
Sulphurous vapours ascend from the deep; and volcanic eruptions
Scatter the ores of the mines with poisonous hisses to heaven.

W. TAYLOR.

BÖHME (JACOB), 1575-1624, proved that learning is not always necessarily required to gain literary fame; for Böhme was by trade a respectable shoemaker, who could read and write tolerably well, and who, in constantly directing his mind to religious subjects, had worked himself up to a high degree of exaltation. Among

6

his writings, we mention 'Aurora,' or 'Morgenröthe im Aufgang (1612); Psychologia Vera,' or 'Vierzig Fragen von der Seelen Urstand' (1618); Mysterium Magnum,' or ' Erklärung des ersten Buches Moses.'

BROCKES (BARTHOLD HEINRICH), 1680-1747. Without possessing intuitive poetical genius, Brockes' exertions in furtherance of metrical improvements, made at a time of great literary dearth, should not be overlooked. Being aware of his own deficiency in creative power and poetical imagination, he did not disdain to draw his inspiration from foreign sources, but treated his subject in too pedantic a strain. He established his fame by his didactic poem, 'Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott.' Among his translations from Italian, French, and English authors, we mention those made of Pope's Essay on Man,' and Thomson's Seasons.'

CANITZ (FRIEDRICH RUDOLF VON), 1654-1699. Though warmly attached to Opitz, the founder of the Silesian School, Canitz condemns, in one of his epigrams, the verbosity of style which characterised the writings of many of its members.

Durch Opitz's stillen Bach gehn wir mit trocknen Füssen,

Wo sieht man Hofmann's Brunn' und Lohnstein's Ströme fliessen?

Canitz, always anxious in his travels to cultivate the acquaintance of men of refinement, highly appreciated the masterpieces of French literature, endeavouring, at the same time, to infuse into the German language the lucidity of Boileau's style. His poems, among which the Trauerode,' written in memory of his wife, ranks highest, is more remarkable for polish and purity of sentiment, than depth. Published only after his death, they have unquestionably exercised a beneficial influence on our language.

CRAMER (JOH. ANDREAS), 1723-1788. Distinguished as a lyric poet, and one of the reformers of our language at a time when it was much neglected. The style of his writings, chiefly of a solemn character, is terse, vigorous, and harmonious. His best odes are those addressed to David, Luther, and Melanchthon; he also published a collection of sermons, gave a metrical version of the Psalms, and gained much praise by his translation of Bossuet's 'Histoire Universelle.'

DACH (SIMON), 1605-1659. A writer of devotional poetry; his most celebrated hymns are, 'Ich bin ja Herr in deiner Macht,' and 'O, wie selig seid ihr doch, ihr Frommen.?'

FLEMMING (PAUL), 1609-1640. One of the worthy contemporaries and imitators of Opitz. His poems, perhaps inferior in harmony to those of his prototype, are full of tenderness, and betray on the part of the author a thorough knowledge of man, and a keen spirit of observation. The Merseburg edition of his poems of the year 1685, is considered the best.

GÄRTNER (KARL CHRISTIAN), 1712-1791. Principal contributor to a periodical called 'Die Bremer Beiträge,' founded in the year 1742, in opposition to the partisans of Gottsched. His critical productions evince much acuteness and learning.

GELLERT (CHRISTIAN FÜRCHTEGOTT), 1715-1769. His writings, among which his fables occupy the most prominent place, are distinguished for correctness of expression and depth of feeling; though the style, compared with that of our modern writers, appears somewhat antiquated. Gellert was a popular poet in the true sense of the word; and in order to show how much his writings, and principally his fables, were relished by the public, we mention the following fact. One fine morning, a sturdy Saxon peasant drives up to Gellert's door, in order to offer to him his homage, represented in the shape of a cartload of fir-wood. 'I 'have come, Sir,' said our kind-hearted countryman, ' to make you accept this wood as a small token of my gratitude: for I can assure you, sir, that your fables have amused me and my wife Grete amazingly.' This proof of genuine and spontaneous kind

ness caused Gellert greater pleasure than all the honours he might have received from a higher source, and indemnified him for the unjust attacks of his numerous critics. His fables, although not possessing intrinsic literary merit, have always enjoyed a certain privileged unassailability, respected even by the greatest and acutest critics, such as Göthe and Lessing. This is partly owing to the essentially popular character of his writings, but principally to the great respect and veneration in which he was held among his countrymen. Among his other literary productions, we mention the 'Consolations for Valetudinarians,' his' didactic poems,' and a novel of much merit, called 'The Swedish Countess.' His dramatic works are of a subordinate character. His fame as a writer being chiefly identified with his fables, I have added the following, which will convey to the reader the character of Gellert's style.

Am Hofe gross, gross in der Stadt zu wer-
den;

Zu beiden macht man sich durch Zeit und
Fleiss geschickt.

Dies sind die Mittel grosser Seelen,

THE YOUTH AND THE OLD MAN.

'How shall I manage to rise in the world?'
Once asked a youth of an old man.
The means, he said, in order to obtain
fame

Are two or three in number, as far as I
recollect.

Be brave. Many a man has risen
Because he was determined in danger,
An enemy of repose and of pleasure,
And only thirsting for honour.

Be wise, my son, the most humble upon
earth

Has often, by intelligence and skill got

on so as

To become great, in town and at court;
By time and industry both may be

effected.

These are the means of superior minds;

Doch sind sie SCHWER; ich will dir's nicht But they are difficult, I willingly admit.'

verhehlen.

Ich habe LEICHTERE gehofft.'

Gut, 'sprach der Greis, 'wollt ihr ein leichtres wählen;

So seyd ein NARR; auch Narren steigen oft.

'I expected an easier mode.'

'Well,' said the old man, if you want to choose something easier,

Be a fool, for fools often rise very high.'

GERHARDT (PAUL), 1606–1676. One of the most fertile writers of hymns, published under the name of Geistliche Lieder;' they are exquisite for elegance of style, depth, and truly poetical feeling. Among them we mention 'Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld,' Ich singe dir mit Herz und Mund,' 'O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden,' 'Nun ruhen alle Wälder,'' Befiehl du deine Wege.'

My heavy eyes are closing,
When I lie deep reposing,

EVENING HYMN.

O soul and body where are ye?

To helpless sleep I yield them,
Oh let Thy mercy shield them,
Thou sleepless eye, their guardian be!

K