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    GERMAN LITERATURE. 335

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    -E> A Short Time Since We Had Occasion T...

    sex ; for the thoughts , feelings , and peculiar tenets of the Stillen im Lande" soon began to exercise an influence upon society at

    large , which , was none the less important because it was , in a measureunperceived .

    In the , next chapter , Herr Freytag has to deal with the second transformation period , which succeeded to the formalism and

    exaggeration of sentiment , into which the temporary revival of religious feeling soon degeneratedwhen the intellectual element of the

    Oerman character asserted , its power , and the magic of the _pojoular literature began to be felt . Herr Freytag has not been able to

    devote much space to the investigation of the various philosophical systems of Leibnitz and of Christian Wolffthough he is eloquent

    , upon the influence of the latter on the spirit of his times . In depth and clearness of styleas well as in the scope of his learning ,

    Heuchlin ( the philosopher , of the age of the Reformation ) surpassed even the versatile and fantastic Leibnitz . Standing first amid the

    ranks of the Humanists , his profound knowledge of the Hebrew language gave him a power in the controversies of his day , beyond

    that of Erasmus and More . Jacob Bohmen , ( or Bohme , as he is sometimes called , ) the shoemaker of Gorlitz , was yet more

    remarkable for the originality of his genius . He was one of those whoamidst much apparent obscurity of styleand while exposed to

    the contemp , t of ill-judging contemporaries , "were , destined to anticipate the thoughts of future generations , and to discover new truths ,

    which others yet unborn should recognise . The influence of Leibnitz upon the opinions of his countrymen was less important than it

    might otherwise have been , from his abjuring his native tongue , and preferring to write in Latin or French . The miscellaneous

    nature of his studies was also injurious to his power and condensation as a thinker . Christian Wolff , though less gifted than , Leibnitz ,

    had the advantage of being more thoroughly imbued with the spirit of his timesand less discursive in his choice of studies . Pie opposed

    the pietists with , a vigour and determination which roused them to deadly hostilityand succeeded for a time in establishing one

    universal school , of dogmatic teaching . But the doctrines of Wolff were destined to be overthrown by

    the destructive wit of Voltaire , and the ruin of his system was commenced from the day when the Prince Frederick William declared

    liimself on the side of the Frenchman . Herr Freytag has chosen Dr . John Semler as the representative

    man of the latter part of the eighteenth century . A curious story has been told of the credulity of this grave and learned Professor of

    Theology , who , in his youth , had been dazzled by stories of alchemy and accounts of the efficacy of the philosopher's stone . While

    developing the virtue of a favourite medicine , which had been sold to him by aquackunder the title of the " Salt of Life" Semler

    bethought him , , he , would try whether a medicine which , had the

    power of transforming a diseased body into one perfectly healthy ,

    German Literature. 335

    GERMAN _LITERATURE . 335

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Jan. 1, 1863, page 335, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01011863/page/47/