New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-17
- 9''ll7 49,
NEW PUBLICATIONS
LIFE OF LEASING.

The uos'tion of Leasing in German literature rem
hers hiyo the subject Of peculiar interest among those
who ava AT heart q soundintelectua ealtme IN TINS
eow try
Lftbe Anglo Saxon mind is distinguished from the
ure ancestral Teutonic by according the supremacy
10 reason over imagination, by its preference OF lac
20 theory by its love Of clear and accurate statement
yather than OF subtle and ingenious dlsqulsi'io'',
Leasing is to he classed among the thinkers Oh
English descent rather than among the specuiati'o
areniuses of Germany, 10 whom the current uao',on
assigns " the empire of the air" He was man Oh
hearty. robust, almost athletic temperament S'nsu
aarv imnot;ent ofaffectGtioD and pretense; ueNoeu
20 the nnrsuit of truth as his master passion; WIN W
rrcLless love Of innovation, keenly eXahlIHe t,o
hass OF received opinions: apply g " =. Cool cfnse
vi t go IN; OH as 10 amount 10 positive brli,
haney land what is perhaps sun neo III S,Iscb ON
rare with an habitnal business ~ i " tbe nroduc
nhed him to weigh as in jcWeed balance tuo PlIe
80 ~ al a0d literature Although some or ms
sIramas are rectOned among the hlGhest -
aionsin the German language ne was nl!!hy -,
thnn a poet and world himself never admit BIS cla,ul
20 the latter title. Nor was he any more Di ii
of systems, or lover oil ianc,o direction
Fr,eS his NOV NV was reflective rather thal sponHE
moons Tho conscious product OF his ntclleot lt'b
fhsn IN impassioed giisl Of song An e,theSt sV" ~
.l al 49, ,,s the peeuliar function of his life. lie
Was 80 pare and siugc-hearied ~ ms IosI'ig ~; w
mental freedom, that no IegaUeu c% tbap The
Nestigate ti," SsaSsion From the bottom 81 my
heart he saws " hate al who wish to ioHha sec's
N h not error itself that makes the misfortune vi
snen but sectaTlan error, OF even o'allsi u"'''
were il possible Tor the truth TO form sect
We are thankful to Professor Evans for presenting
30 our countryncg the biography ~ such hi'h lu ~
Handsome q form His work is a highly honorable
contribution to American letters from the hoole
young University which owes 80 hluch OF IL IcpIrI
N1ion 10 his genial and accomplished scholarship Inc
.srignal author devoted more than twenty years "
earnest and enthusiastic study 10 the preparation ol
4he biography which, for IFS thor0ughnesS lHclgS,
and ann,ati ION is countfd one OF the best PRODUCTIONS
an that department OF composition ol Wh'n 't' lI'"
Bare Of Germany can boast Inc lla!is.a!lUn no
pbeen made with melligent consciehJiOuSHeSS'
Without any mechanical servity 10 the letter OF INC
original it has transferred rs spultlut0 compact anu
MIN golrs English IL betsNs marks oi h; STE ana
consc0uent cIudity, The frequent bane OF Arercan
franslatDIs but has been performed uuuei the mn
pulse OF high standard ~ literary WOIN'I,'sl'ip'
he magnetism OF the author, Is often the case
has not left his impress on the production ny the use
of foreign iGiOns, or too close an adherence 10 me
original phrase0uey We can safely predict 10 our
.scaders that the perusal of the volumes wh Slve
s7tlheu fresh sympathy with manwhose name mas
so great extent. been the subject OF vague assoca
sAaOn rather than oi positive knowledge ana VII
throw new light the fortunes OF the great Dattie
y kOr freedom and truth IN the Lass century.
Leasing was born in the little German city of
"a Ramenz in the wear 1923 IL the eldest son IL
worthy LRheran pastor in that place. Both on his
Fathers and his mothers side he was descended from
theological and ecclesiastical family: His early
education WAS in keeping with the religious charac.
Ger Of HIS ancestry. Tie taught to pray as soon
from his father in the Bible and catechsm The FIRST
poetry which he knew was the hymns used IN Family
worship, great numbers of which he learned by heart
His taste for reading formed at an early age
, 1ie found his fayOrite pastlne III turning over the
ieaves of books In his Fifth year his parents made
hun SIT for his povlrcit 10 q painter who wished 10
gepresent him rs holding cage, with bird IN IT.
"NO said the boy, ''Sou must paint me with "a
great great Pile Of books. or had rather not be
eatated at ALL"
Prom his father be inherited the vvacity which
Belongs TO vigorous physical health. contempt Tor
she mere luXnrics of wealth, an austere sense or
right and an aversion TO the h1Yohty IN moral ana
Religious concerns which then infected the spirit OF
Abe age both in Franco and Germany. lie mblbed
also from the same source love OF accuracy III SCI
entfc pursuits and SENSE Of the importance OF the
Z smallest fact in historical research
While yet a schOOlbOy, Losing gave indications OF
Mia fure career The germ If his early Thought pre-
Figured the entire form of his subsequent activity
He was sooG t IsnEeH lor t I%1 Hf c n,
pursued his studies Contrary to tie Ireyahn2 sys-
teto, he valued the classics not as preparation foT
theology or as a guide 10 Latin composition but rs
&C. an important revelation of human character aud
progress His fayorite authors were those who treated
Ahe pregnant themes of man and hte. Even M ms
5eciusiOD from the world, he strongly drawn to
She study Of mis- kind.
At the age Of seventeen he entered the University
of Leipsic at that time the most celebrated Of
: learning in Germany Here his chief attention was
gwen to polite literature and the dramatic art He
acquired a passionate fondness fOr the theatcr,
although il did not weaken his devotion to philolOgy.
nnder the guidance of such admirable teachers as
Ernesti and his colleagues From them he learned to
that insight into the sense and spirit OF classical
literature which is of incomPaTably more import
knce than the requirement of the purcst Latin style.
Hitherto Leasing had been almost entirely devoted
80 the study of hooks, with but little experience of
aetua life. He retained the freshness Of noble ma
ture but had only the slightest knowledge Of the
world. The impression produced by Leipslc on the
young scholar was almost oyerpoworing. FI0o the
1onsstic secnsOn of school lac Suddenly brought
Into a society where the whole world could be- seen
IL miniature JelpGC Paris a small scale.
which impaired pecuiiar culture To is inlalitants
Tho. emf fhss and. %I..ff.
telesfs which had then hegcu 10 agitate the tinF-
ing world especially Ia GeSmalW AT first,
l.essing hardly yentured away from ms hooks,
aud kept himself aloOf from the gay company
with which he was surrounded. But he, soon found
out that though books might make him learned. they
would never make him a man. His manners were
lneuivated he was ignorant OF social customs, and
The victim of rustic hashfulucSs lie resolved 10
Improve his department, NJ whatever cost lie
learned To dance 10 fence and to ride The thCaicr
became the place OF his constant His passion
FOR the stage at this time almost reached infauaton
lie devoted his last penny Orgain admttanCe to the
theater. lie would have eaten day bread rather than
lose the play His pleasure in il was 50 great that
everything that came into his head tOOkte shape 0l
acomedy. lie became so conscious OF talent for
dramatic poetry that he thought OF going upon
THE stage, and began course OF study preparatory
q tor the profession of an actor celebrated German
3 tragedian used to say that he had received from
fessng not only the best directions foc ti,, compre-
hension' OF dtleult parts hui even iustIuc-
lion IN eclamatlOn and gesticulation Nor
did the chains OF some ii the fascinati"c
. young actresses fail 10 make ali impression
on his heart. IL he sometimes joined in q wild
arOlc he never fell into dissOlute and coarse ,,x-
- esses. Still his conduct not such as 10 gain the
approval Of bis strait-laeed pareuts. They wished
. gof the that their leading the life
~ ri orderly scholar. They greatly shocked by
che report that he not only wrote comedies but
about a. appear ia of them the public stage.
~ this time there was bitter prejudice against the
theatrical profession in Germany. The clergy de
bounced u non the pulpit Pi0uS souls looked upon
y az an determination. Actors were denied the priy-
sege on Christian burial Ii is not sfrauee that Les
klngs iaihef should rem0strate With him on his
iect on the University Studies and his freauentiug