torian of Switzerland, one of the classical historiographers of Germany (1752-1809); Georg Forster, the teacher and friend of Alexander von Humboldt, an admirable writer; the publicist Friedrich Karl von Moser; the educator Basedow, and afterward Pestalozzi; Campe, the writer of books for children; Nicolai, the friend of Lessing and author of the satirical novel Sebaldus Nothanker; Adelung, the philologist; Böttiger, the antiquary; Sturz, the biographer; Reimarus, Jerusalem, Spalding, Michaelis, Rosenmüller, and Ernesti, in theology; Eichhorn in theology and universal and literary history; Blumenbach, Bloch, Herschel, Euler, Vega, and many other eminent writers in various branches of learning and science, belong to this period.—A peculiar and powerful writer, who stood quite alone in his idiosyncrasies, was Jean Paul Friedrich Richter (1763-1825). He puzzles the reader by his inability to assort his thoughts, which he pours out with the reckless naïveté of a childlike soul; but the obscurity is lighted up by flashes of humor and brilliant gems of thought and feeling. The influence of this genial philosopher was great, especially upon the women of Germany. Novalis (Von Hardenberg, 1772-1801) was another strangely constituted writer, who uttered himself in poetic sighs rather than in vigorous words; but amid his morbid sentiments are scattered thoughts of such wisdom and spiritual insight that his poems and prose writings, although few and fragmentary, gave him a place among the classical authors of his country. He is regarded as the head of the so-called romantic school, which draws its inspiration from the fabulous, mediæval and chivalric eras of literature and history. Among the most brilliant masters of this school was August Wilhelm von Schlegel (1767-1845), the author of an antique tragedy, Ion, and of romances and elegies, but chiefly distinguished for his admirable metrical translation of Shakespeare, his critical and æsthetic writings, his lectures on the drama and its literature, and his labors connected with Indian literature and the Sanskrit language. His brother Friedrich von Schlegel (1772-1829) was also engaged in the study of Hindoo literature; but his specialty was the history of ancient and modern literature and the philosophy of history. The most original representative of this school was Ludwig Tieck (1773-1853), whose poetical dramatization and collection of ancient fairy and popular tales reflect the romance of mediæval poesy with beauty and genius, but with a mystic feeling bordering almost on superstition. The writings of Tieck's friend Wackenroder (1772-'98) were the first to enlist the sympathies of the German artists for the æsthetic principles of the romantic school. La Motte Fouqué (1777-1843), of the same school, stands alone in German literature by his remarkable delineations of fairy lore, as for instance in his tale of Undine. Chamisso (1781-1838), the author of Peter Schlemihl and of many fine lyrics, Tiedge (1752-1841), the author of the philosophical poem Urania, the Aristophanic Platen (1796-1835), and the mystic religious poems of Werner, all belong to this romantic school; and with but few exceptions, as for instance the patriotic and spirited poet Seume (1763-1810), most writings of this period are tinged with a morbid passion for romantic and sentimental views of life. This epoch comprises the lyrical poets Schenkendorf (1783-1817), Stägemann (1763-1840), Kosegarten (1758-1818), Baggesen the Dane (1764-1826), Matthisson (1761-1831), Mahlmann (1771-1826), Salis (1762-1834), and Eichendorff (1788-1857), several of whom belong to the romantic school. Among novelists and tale writers are Achim von Arnim (1784-1831) and Clemens Brentano (1777-1842), the compilers of a series of celebrated popular songs (Des Knaben Wunderhorn), and Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (1776-1822), the author of many wild, fantastic tales and legends (Elixir des Teufels, Kater Murr, &c.), which cap the climax of the supernaturalistic element of the romantic school. Among favorite novelists of this period are J. T. Hermes (1738-1821); Hippel (1741-'96), the indiscreet friend and disciple of Kant; Musäus (1735-'87), the author of a collection of Volksmärchen or popular fairy tales; Lafontaine (1759-1831), a type of the most sentimental novelists; Blumauer, J. G. Müller, and Thümmel (1738-1817), the author of a novel in imitation of Sterne's “Sentimental Journey;” Jung-Stilling (1740-1817), the inspired tailor in whose naïve and original autobiography Goethe, Schiller, and Herder took so much interest; Knigge (1752-'96), the author of the Reise nach Braunschweig; and Immermann (1796-1840), the author of the famous story of Münchhausen. Ghost stories were for a time made popular by Schiller's Geisterseher, and to this department of literature Jung-Stilling also contributed. Associated with the romantic school, in the earlier part of her literary career, was Bettina von Arnim (1785-1859), celebrated by her correspondence with Goethe. Rahel, the wife of Varnhagen von Ense (1771-1833), was a literary woman of much greater talent and originality of thought. Among other distinguished authoresses are Auguste von Paalzow, Ida von Hahn-Hahn, Amalie Schoppe, Johanna Schopenhauer, Friederike Brun, and many others. Talvj (Mrs. Robinson) contributed to diffuse a knowledge of Servian popular songs and of Slavic literature generally, and won great distinction in this and other spheres of literature.—The efforts of Klopstock, Herder, and other authors to revive the popularity of the early German poetry, as well as the sentiment of nationality which was roused at the beginning of this century by the aggressive policy of Napoleon I., contributed to give a powerful impulse to the researches into the ancient German literature, which was to some extent fostered by Jahn's spirited work on Deutsches Volksthum. Von der Hagen, by his
