The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Matthisson, Friedrich von

MATTHISSON, Friedrich von, a German lyric poet, born near Magdeburg, Jan. 23, 1761, died near Dessau, March 12, 1831. Having developed considerable talents as a poet, and gained great popularity, he was patronized by various German princes, but retired from court life in 1824. His “Elegy in the Ruins of an Old Castle” is one of his finest lyrics. He edited selections from the lyric poets of Germany under the title of Lyrische Anthologie (20 vols., Zürich, 1803-'7). His Erinnerungen and Schriften were published at Zürich (5 vols., 1810-'16, and 8 vols., 1825-'31), and his posthumous works at Berlin (4 vols., 1832).