Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-09-24

luton in the German language and German
literature he was the founder of the new
High German language.
The digni6ed and elevating spirit which
this religious reformer infused into the
already declining German literature had
an inyigoratinq and renovating effect.
Literature fell under the control OF science
and learning new schools, headed by such
poets as Martin Opiz, Dach, Harsdorfer
and Goedeke, were established. From that
time German literature took up again a
rapid fight. Thomas Murner, Sebastian
Brant, Hans Sachs and John Fishart had
already implanted their imperishable foot
prints upon the history of their country's
national literature. Alter them such mas
ter critics as Gottsched and Bodmer, snch
scientists and historians as Haller, Schlegel
and Mosheim and such satirical and lyri-
cal poets as Rabener, Liscow, Hagedorn,
Rost and Gellert grouped themselves
around the leaders of this literary reform,
which brought the German language and
the German nation backs to It's proper
genius.
The eighteenth century was marked by
the appearance of most of the greatest of
German poets. After Gottsched, Bodmer
and Gellert, Klopstock, lnminary among
German poets, produced his 'fMessia,"
one of the most brilliant monuments of
German poetic art. That Millions Para
disc Lost" was an incitement to Klopstock's
+" Messia" there can hardly be any doubt
The principal trait of character of this
poet was an excessively pious and Christian
feeling coupled with the genius of inspira-
tion. The next prominent figure is Les
sing. In contradiction to Klopstock's
mild, sentimental and religious disposition,
the spirit of Lessing was an avalanche OF
the sharpest and most animated critic.
Restless and scrutinizing, taking an active
part in the worlds affairs, he was the most
skeptic and aggressive character of his
time. Differing entirely from both was
Wieland, another of Germany's great
poets. Leaving the national, the antic
and the Christian element to fight out
their own battle, he turned to modern
French culture with its ighthearted and
polite refinement His charming and
graceful style rivaled with the best of
French poets.
These aphorisms are from Wieland
stPassions are not, as the stoics teach
US, diseases of the soul, but rather what
the winds are to ship which cannot per.
form long journey without their assist
ance. They increase its speed, but the
skipper must know how to bring them
under his control, otherwise he would be
in danger to lose his course or get ship
wrecked. To govern strong passions re-
quires great powers of the mind, but they
also tend to strengthen them"
Oppression and her two daughters,
luxury allied to the oppressors and misery
to the oppressed, are the real cause of
mans perdition. Man would become bet
ter if he were permitted to be happier"
"What weak thing our heart is 1t
is SO easily deceived, and yet with all its
weakness it is the source of our greatest
joys, of our best impulses and of our best
actions"
Another great writer and contemporary
of Wieland vas ]. G. Herder. His liberal
spirit, having been formed by an intimate
acquaintance with universal or worlds
literature, lost every vestige of narrow
minded national prejudice. Expressing
the broadest and most liberal views upon
any subject, he made use of a stirring and
elevating style of writing.