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Leader (1850-1860), 31st July 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 747, THE GERMAN CLASSICS. The German Classics...

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      No. 436, July 31, 1858.J The Leader. 747

      No . 436 , July 31 , 1858 . j THE LEADER . 747

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      ¦ ¦ j ^ Hitontam

      - W Critics Are Not The Legislators, But...

      - w Critics are not the legislators , but the judges and police of literature . They do not make laws—they interpret and try to enforce them . —Edinburgh Review . ¦ «>

      The German Classics. The German Classics...

      THE GERMAN CLASSICS . The German Classics ,, from the Fourth to the Nineteenth Century . A German Reading-Book , arranged chronologically . By Max Miiller . Longman and Co . History oj German Literature . Based on the German work of "Vilmar . By Hev . Frederick Metcalfe . Longmau and Co . There Lave been many selections of German literature for the use of English students , but few of systematic treatment . The Reading-Book of Professor Miiller -will supply a decided want . As he points out in . the preface to his volume , the

      attention of Englishmen , has been confined almost exclusively to the literature of the last fifty years . Of the etymology and growth , of the German language they are almost totally ignorant . It is time that this neglect should be atoned for . It is not sufficient that English students should have a conversational acquaintance with German ; they should at least possess some information on the origin , and progress of the literature . The history of Mr . Metcalfe forms a companion volume to the Reading-Book of the Professor . "Whilst the labours of the latter are confined to a most judicious selection of extracts , which are chosen not simply for their literary

      excellence , but as a running commentary on the political and intellectual history of Germany , the work of Mr . Metcalfe supplies a connected account of the growth of the language and literature from the Gothic of Ulfilas down to the latest times . The basis of the work is the German , treatise of Vilmar ; but Mr . Metcalfe , instead of giving a mere translation of that treatise , which would be most unpalatable to English tastes , has rearranged the topics , and harmonised the style in accordance with English requirements . "We shall endeavour to give some account of the more interesting subjects which he treats in his volume .

      Vilmar divides the whole history into three periods : the oldest period , from the middle of the fourth century to the year li 50 ; the old period , from 1150 to 3624 ; and the new period , from 1624 to the death of Goethe . There are various subdivisions of these periods , which we need not , however , notice here . The oldest monuments of German literature now in existence are some fragments of a translation of the Bible into Gothic , by Bishop Ulfilas , who died in 388 . The parts preserved comprise the Gospels , the Epistles ol St . Paul , and some lines onlv of the

      Old Testament . This translation was highly prized by the Visigoths , and was in use as late as the ninth century , but was then lost . The Gospels were subsequently discovered in the sixteenth century in the abbey of Werden , and the Epistles in 1818 , in the monastery of Bobbio , in Lombardy . These manuscri p ts have been of most essential service in the study of the German language . From the death of Ulfilas to the commencement of the eighth century , there is a perfect void . Yet we know that the Germans were in possession of national songs . Julian the Apostate had himself heard them on the banks

      of the Rhine ; and Tacitus had previously noted the strains in honour of Tuisco and Mannus , and the song which commemorated the victory of Arminius over Varus . To tlie earlier part of this period may be referred tlic Heroic-Saga of Sigfricd the Dragon-slayer , and the Animal-Saga of Reynard the Fox , both of which , after passing from mouth to mouth through many gencrutions , have been worked into form by later poets . With the migration of the nations other heroes appear upon the scene—Dietrich of Berne ; Hildobrnnd and Hadubrand , the Burgundian kings ; Gunther , Gicsclhcr andGcrnot

      , , with their sister Kriemhild ; Attila , king of the Huns , who appears under the name of * j tzel ; Hettel , kingof the Frisians , and his dnughtcr Uudrun ; and many others . The lays which celebrated these heroes were sung in the balls of kings , and many wore committed to writing by the monks ; but in the course of time they were irrevocably lost . There are three other poems , belonging to the oldest period , of which one alone is in old nigh German , the second being preserved in Latin , and the third in Anglo-Saxon . The first relates now Hildebrand , the companion of Dietrich , returns « om the great contest with tho Huns , and finds

      the son , whom he had left an infant on his departure , grown up to man ' s estate . Hildebrand recognises his son , and seeks to deter him from the attack ; but in vain . " Dead is Hildebrand , my sire , the son of Heriband , " replies t"he youth . ; " sailors have told me so who came over the Wendelsee . " Hildebrand unwinds his golden armlets , the fairest and most coveted ornaments of a German warrior , and offers them to his son . But the stripling answers , defiantly , " With the lance must thy gifts be receive ! : swoxdpoint to- sword-point . Thou art a sly old Han , who

      seekest to entrap me to my ruin . " " Alas ! great God , cries Hildebrand , " woe is me ! Sixty summers and winters have I been a wanderer from home , and now shall my dear son hew me with his sword , or else I be his murderer . Tet craven were he , most craven of the men of Ostland , who should withhold tliee from the strife thou so lustest for . " Hereupon father and son first hurled their lances of ash , fixing them deeply the one into the other ' s shield . Then the shield-splitters rush on each other , hewing so fiercely with their brands that the linden-wood shields grow smaller and smaller at each stroke .

      The story is ., unfortunately , only a fragment , and here breaks off abruptly . The second poem , to which we referred as existing in a Latin translation , relates the history of Walther of Aquitairie , and his deadly contest with the King of the Burgundians in the passes of the Yosges . Ihe remaining poem , in Anglo-Saxon , describes the heroic deeds of Beovulf , King of the Jutes . All these poems were regulated by rhythm , and not by quantity . Their distinguishing characteristic was the alliterative system . It would not be easy to form , an opinion of this from the original of the " Hildebrandslied , " but some idea may be derived from the following verses of Pouque's " Thiodolf , " whichis constructed on the same model r—

      Weit im " Weinberg , Wohnen z wei Schwestern , Kiihn zwei Klingen Zwischen Klippen starrer . Wenn die Schwestern wohnen Wirtlich an eiuem Heerd , "VVenn die Klingen klirren Kraftig in einer Hand , & c . As Christianity was disseminated amongst the Germaiis , the old songs ¦ which celebrated heathen divinities fell under the censure of the ecclesiastical authorities . Gradually the spirit of the old poetry died away , and was replaced by a degenerate poetry

      on sacred subjects . Amongst the most remarkable products of the new inspiration , was the " Wessobrunner Gebet , " which begins in this fashion : — " This have I found to be the greatest human -wisdom : when the earth was not , nor the heavens above ; neither hills nor trees ; when the sun shone not , and the moon gave no light ; when there was no ocean , no end nor boundary , then was there an Almighty God . " Another poem , was the " Muspilli , " . in which , according to Mr .- Metcalfe , the sublimity of description stands second only to Holy Writ . There were also two poems constructed from tie materials contained in the Gospels , one of

      which was the " Heliand , " Saviour , and the other a Harmony , composed by Otfrid , a Benedictine monk , of Weissenburg , in Alsace . The second period of German literature took its rise with the Crusades . " It -was the manifestation of the old "Western heroic character , blended with , and sanctified by , the spirit of Christianity . " For fi \ e centuries the Germans had lived apart , retired within themselves . But with the Crusades a new life began . The French passing in glittering cavalcades along tho high roads of Germany revealed to them a new world : " Sweet love of home and irresistible' desire to roam , bitter regret at

      parting , and joyous wish to travel , sucli were the emotions that rent tlio youth of Germany , and which all the poems of the day do not fail to dwell upon . " The poetry of this epoch may bo divided into two classes—the national and tho art poetry . The former was principally manifested in an epic form . Its chief species was one in which there was no hero towering above the others . The cause of this was probably due to tho manner in which the epic was constructed . It , was a composition of various

      detached fragments in honour of different heroes . A second species was the epic which celebrated the exploits of a single hero , such as " Ecken Ausfart , " " Dietrich's Flucht zu dor Hunnen , " "Rabenschlacht , " and others . A third species comprised those poems which were supplementary to the genuine heroic songs . The various Sagas < ou which tho nnt ional lieroic poetry was based may be divided into distinct groups . 1 . The Lower Rhenish , or Frankish , of which Sigfricd is the hero . 2 . The Burgxmdian , in which tho principal characters are

      Gunther , Gernot , and Ghselher , with their sister Kriemhild , and Gunter ' s wife , Brunhild . 3 . The ? East Gothic , where the hero is Dietrich . 4 . The Hungarian ., which , celebrates Attila or EtzeL 5-The North German , or the Frisian-Danish-Norman , which describes the maritime life of northern Germany . Finally , the Lombaf die group , whose heroes are Rother , Otnit , Hugdietrich , and Wolfdietrich . The first four groups of Sagas were combined into the great national epic of the Niebelungenlied , which is too well known to English readers to require a lengthened description hi this place . But amongst the North Sea Sagas one of the most remarkable is the poem of Gudrtm , which fscomparatively little known , and of which we may give a sketch . Hagen , King of Ireland

      ^ had a daughter , Hilde . She was wooed and won by Hettel , a Frisian king . The offspring : of the marriage were two children , Ortwin and Gudrun . Two rivals , Hartmut , son of a Norman king , and Herwig , King of Seeland , are suitors for the hand of the daughter .. But Hartmut , by sur-Erise , carries off Gudrun , and is pursued by her : iends . In the battle which ensues , the Normansare victorious , and escape with their prize , whilst one generation of Frisians perishes in the terrible conflict . "When the next generation has risen , tomanhood s they undertake a fresh expedition to liberate GucLrun . This time they are successful , and a general reconciliation takes place , in which the long : feud between the Normans and Frisians is healect for ever .

      The Art-epic may be divided into different cyclesin a similar manner . One cycle will comprise the French Sagas of Charlemagne . Another the legendshx connexion with the ' " Heilige Graal . " * A third ,. the Celtic traditions in relation to King Arthur . A fourth , stories of antiquarian interest , such asthe Trojan war , and Alexander the Great . Lastly , should be mentioned the various legends of saints . It will be impossible to give a detailed description of the various forms of poetry which characterise this second period . But we must give a few * words to the Minnesingers . Minne is a word , which signifies " the silent longinff thought on the

      beloved one , sweet reminiscences of her whose namethe lover does not venture to pronounce . ' * The songs of the Minnesingers contrast strongly withv those of the Troubadours . In the former , " thetenderness and purity of woman ' s mind are touchingly painted . " "Woman , too , is " hopeful and unalterably true . " But in the poetry of the Troubadours , jealousy , inconstancy , doubt , all the passions , which can agitate the breast , form favourite topics of song . The one has been described to be essentially a feminine , the other a masculine style of poetry .

      With the fall of the House of Hohenstauffen , literature again begins to decline . The "Volkslied ,, or national song , still exists ; hut the expression of thought is principall y confined' to prose . By-andbye gomes the age of the Reformers , the pregnant wit of Hans Sachs , of Brandt , of Hiitten , and ,, above all , Luther ' s translation of the Bible , which , effected a transformation of the German language .. When the next epoch commences , we are on the threshold of a literature which is already familiar to * Englishmen , and which we need not here attempt to discuss .

      The Doctrine Of Sacrifice. Strictures On...

      THE DOCTRINE OF SACRIFICE . Strictures on Maurice * a Doctrine of Sacrifice . By Thomas Barker , M . A ., of Queen ' s College , Oxford , late Tutor of Codxington College , Barbadoea . J . H . and J . Parker . Tub publication before us consists of a series of " Strictures" upon some recent sermons of tho Rev . F . D . Maurice , on the true scriptural doctrine o £ sacrifice . Of the sermons , nineteen in number , eighteen are examined in . detail , and the statements contained in thorn compared , or rather contrasted , with the recorded events which , they profess to explain and illustrate . It is not the first time that Mr . Maurice has been

      brought to book . Out- readers may recollect the controversy that passed between him and Mr .. Jclf on the scriptural meaning of the word " eternal , " in which tie manner of argument , on both sides ^ was very similar to that now employed . Mr . Maurice's sermons profess to deduce from the Bible * number of moral lessona . These , though very true ,, perhaps , and very beautiful , might , for any connexion they may have with th « original , have been as well founded upon tho Yedas or tho Koran ; and the author Las been met , and fairly knocked dawn , by

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 31, 1858, page 747, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/ldr_31071858/page/19/