Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-17

because pest OF Whlchlt appeared
is therefore the production 20 whi refer tn
noblest exponent of medieval literature and around whic
our observations relative to this nriod in history mos
naturally cluster The Germans hive greatly
mated its historical value and eer-rated its terar,
excellence. +. Schlege propoed in the German
Museum, leading literary periodical of the Fatherland
TO introduce the Nibeungen Lied Is textbook in al
German gymnasa, schools, in order as h.
said give poetic background toierman history;
it is only he thinks by the stud of such poems that
catch the poetic element Of TIL oden times which
is completely lost and suppressed he tedious
yes Of the Latin chronclers. Thetrle Of their
undue admiration of NibelungenL and of the poetry
in the Heden5c, is to be found w fancy, in the fact
that apart from these collections 4, Germans have
national ballads and these in their Gc text bear about
the relation to the German lansage Of the present
day the AngoSaxon of Caedmons etrcal Paraphrase
or of Layamons Brut bears to modernnglish. The Ger
mans strictly speaking had no ballad until Burger domes
tcated this species of poetca comsition among them,
and thus won the of father othe German ballad
Percy's 'Reiques," says GermaHertic and scholar,
were his model from which he repSduced many pieces
and by which he tested his own" qland and Ruckert
and we may add Schiller, have asoacknowledged their
obligations the English Bishops hrivalled collection
Thus it would seem that, even in r ballad literature
in all else except her meaphysd Germany owes the
present elevated position she occupan the literary world
to the cultivation she has bestowedA that of foreign
nation whose treasures it b confessed she has
appropriated with skill nd success. To en-
poy illustration that of TIE subject as Sgurd
in the Scandinavian legend is represented to have learned
the manynoed language Of the brs and the secrets of
after he had banqueted thu heart he had pluck
ed from the Fafnp thu Germans by critically
dissectng the vast body oeregn literature and extract
ing from it the heart of il best productions have infused
more than native vigo into the offspring of their
onal genius and acaued that "many sided" diversity
of conception which car exist only in poyglottic
Considerations apP the Nature and Tendency OIL
Free Institution by FREDERICK GRIMKE. Gin
cnnati, Ell w Derby & Co.; New York, A. S.
Barnes & Co. I 1s4S.
work in political philosophy of the first class from
American mind the highest order is certainly entitled
to warm welcome from American civilians and scholars
Such work w have in the the title of which we
have placed at tie head of this article 1t has been be-
fore the public now for than three years and,
though in an eminent degree wanted supply acknow
lodged defciencyn our elementary political literature
has as yet receivd but small share of the consideration
to which its merits so signay entte it, Perhaps this is
not particularly rmarkabe considering the absence of all
in the presentation of the work. and the char
lcerisc pf the author in leaving his production
however excellent to make its way to the position in
which ngmauring public sentiment shall finally fix it.
The author, Judge GRINKE South Caronian by birth,
,as within the last thirty years. at various periods
Dyed the highest judicial honrs of his adopted State,
Ohio y and, whether the bench of theConmon Pleas
Supreme Court has acquired enviable reputation
or intellectual power and for the choicest eruditon,
whether professional scholastic These within the last
len dozen years have been brought to bear particu
arly upon the great walk of political philosophy and the
production before the result 1t in every way
honor American literature and invaluable addition
to the political library of the age.
The very valuable volumes Of Brougham and De
Tocqueville have within few years past done much in
similar way The work before us however is inferior TO
neither of these in particular and in respects
superior to both, especially in its compass as
comprehensive treatise upon the character and tendency
of free institutions Broughams Political Philosophy
IS III fact but little than history OF the Govern
ments which from time to time have existed in the world
sort of second edition of John Adamss Defence of
the American Constitution De Toeapey ra,hsr ,ss
treatise; the off hand expression Of quick and acute
observer; exact and discriminating thinker with
veous powers of generalization and extraordinary clear
ness OF perception and statement The work before us is
the careful and utterance of long years
Of devoted study by mind of faculties Of analysis
and combination guided in its through the broad
est fields of philosophical inquiry by patience that
falters and by spirit Of truthfuness which is
drawn aside by any hostile or opposing influence.
The purpose of this brief notice is not TO review the
work. but to invite the public attention to it, not much
account Of the author however strongly the sentiment
Of justice might invoke the nations gratitude for
tery exposition Of the neutrality-suspicious. of its po
tica system account of the work itself which, at
the same time that it exhibits these principles in their
finest theorec FORMS gives in every page valuable
lesson for present in the practical workings Of
Government. The work, in our judgment should be in
the library Of every wenformed American citizen and
a textbook in every American university G.