Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 10.djvu/548

Rh Tliirty Years‘ 'ar. Tleligiriiis lyrics. Lit -i ‘r_v SU.ICtl(.-:.. 530 It is sigiii.":c".nt of the siege of literary culture reached by I C. L!'Il‘.‘.‘ n y that she enjoyed the barbarous productions of this scribbling prince while English audiences were appreciating “ llanilet ” and “Othello.” Y. The I’u-{oil of De«.'a_I/.——Tlie period at which we have now arrived is in many respects the most dismal in German history. From 1618 to 1648 the country was desolated by the Thirty Years’ 'ar, a struggle which—as Gustavus Adolphus, its greatest hero, deelared—absorbed into itself all the other wars of Europe. It completed the dis- integration of Germany, blurred every great national memory, fastened upon the people hundreds of petty despotisms, reduced the population by more than half, caused a whole generation to grow up in ignorance, accus- tmied all classes to an almost incredible brutality of manners, and put an end to the material prosperity which had been steadily growing during the 16th century. It is not surprising that pure literature drooped and nearly died out during the time which followed this tremendous war, for the conditions of pure literature were almost wholly wanting. Had a man of high genius arisen, the buds of his fancy must have faded for lack of light and air. The only species of literature for which the conditions were favourable was the religious lyric. Under the pressure of grinding care, with no hope that a better day would dawn for them in this world, meditative and gentle spirits devoted their thoughts to another life; and many of them linked themselves to the truest poets of the pre- vious century by giving musical voice to their spiritual fears and joys. Their prevailing tone in regard to “ things seen”- is one of profound melancholy; but all the brighter are the strange lights from the invisible which break through the gloom. The greatest of these writers is Paul Gerhardt (1606-75), many of whose hyniiis—such as 0 Ilaupt coll Blut mul Wumlen, 0 Well! sic/L /tier dein L€ben— penetrate to the essence of Christianity as the religion of humility, of sacriﬁce, and of sorrow. He had worthy associates among the Protestants in Johann I-list (1607-67), Joachim Neander (1610-88), and Louise Henriette of Brandenburg, wife of the Great Elector (1627-67). Some of the wiser Jesuits also attempted the lyrical expression of religious feeling; and one of them, Friedrich von Spec (1592-1635), fell little short of the best among his Lutheran rivals. Spee was a man of admirable moral as well as literary qualities. Asked by the elector of Mainz how it happened that at the age of forty his hair was white, he answered, “ It is because I have accompanied to the stake so many women accused of witchcraft, not one of whom was guilty.” The standard of pure speech set up by Luther in his translation of the Bible had not been maintained by later writers. The innumerable dialects of Germany are an almost inexhaustible fountain for the renewal of the youth of her literary language; but when the literary language was less ﬁxed than it is now, they were also a temptation to barbarism. In addition to the evils of excessive provin- ciality, the written speech had suffered fron1 a too generous importation of Latin, Spanish, and French words. In the early years of the 17th century the prevailing laxitysuggested to an enlightened prince, Louis of Anhalt-Kiitheii, that it would be desirable to introduce into Germany institutions resembling the Italian academies. Accordingly, in 1617, the “Fruehtbringeiide Gesellschaft” (“The Fruit-bearing Society”) was established,-—a union which took the form of an order, with a palm tree for its emblem, and the words “ Alles zu Nutzen” (“Everything for use”) for its motto. It immediately became fashionable for members of the highest classes of central Germany to belong to this society; and at a somewhat later time other societies were GERMANY [l.ITER.-'1‘Ul‘.E. started in imitation of it. Of these the most famous was the “Order of the l’egiiitzsch'zifer” (“ Shepherds of the River Pegnitz") in l'ureinberg, which to some extent took the place of the school of meisters'zinger on which honour had been reflected by Hans Sachs. These societies were associated with much pedantic folly, and from none of them proceeded any great work of genius ; but they did good service by at least protesting against un- lawful forms of speech. One of the earliest writers who worked in their spirit was Weekherlin (1584-1651), who, ‘.u-k- being associated with the German embassy in London, l““'““- became intimately acquainted with some of the many forms in which the English genius then revealed itself. He wrote a number of odes, idylls, and sonnets, with an evident desire to give them a careful artistic ﬁnish. alexaiidrines into German poetry,—a measure totally un-"I suited to the national spirit, but which for more than a century was in general use. The fame of Weckherliii was soon overshadowed by that of Martin Opitz (1597-1639). 01'“?- The beginnings of modern Gerin-an poetry are often dated from the publication of his critical book, Die (lc’l(le'L']t6 Poeterei, which appeared in 162-1, and enjoyed an astonisli- ing popularity. It became a sort of secular Bible to the “1“ruit-bearing Society,” of which Opitz was a member, and was regarded by several generations of verse-inakers as an almost infallible guide. In regard to merely outward forms, it deserved its reputation, for Opitz was the first German writer who attempted sharply to distinguish the different species of poetry, to bring together some of the external laws which govern them, and to insist with emphasis that purity of style is essential to high literary effect. He altogether missed the fact, however, that poetry must be the expression of an emotional life; it became in his exposition a mere liaiidiciaft, for excellence in which industry and familiarity with good models are alone necessary. The result is seen in his own lyrical and didactic poems, which are laudably correct in language and in metre, but are hardly once lighted up by the fire of iii- tense feeling. Opitz was born in Silesia 5 and from this circumstance the writers who shared his tendency or came iin-.ler his inﬂuence are known as the ﬁrst Silesian school. By far the most distinguished member of this so—called school was Paul Fleming (1609-40), the only secular German poet of In-:1 the 17th century of whom it can be conﬁdently said 1"l“'”l that he was endowed with true genius. ' He did not live long enough to reveal his full capacity ; he confined him- self to short rapid ﬂights, and all his lyrics are contained in a moderately sized volume, G'eistlz'c/ze zuul ll}/tliv.-/u Puemata. This single volume, however, comprises enough to secure for him an enduring place in literature. He moves freely over the whole range of lyrical poetry, but his charm is at once strongest and most delicate in his love verses, which sometimes recall the gaiety of Herrick, although a touch of seiitiiiieiitalisni distinguishes the Ger- man writcr from the more worldly Englishman. A fine spirit of manliness is the note of Fleming’s sonnets ; and in several hymns he almost equals the religious depth of Gerhardt. Even in its artistic qualities his best work is higher than anything achieved by Opitz; in its power of awakening permanent human sympathies it stands alone in its era. Another writer of the ﬁrst Silesian school was Andreas Gi-ypl Gryphius (1616-64), who sought to create a drama in accordance with the laws laid down by Opitz. He was the ﬁrst German dramatist who divided his tragedies—of which he wrote ﬁve—into ﬁve acts 3 but his characters are roughly conceived, and he produces his effects rather by violence and bombast than by the gradual evolution of a definite plan. To l7il'.~.t him belongs the doubtful honour of having iiiti'otliieeLl5”"-"l"