THE

LITERATURE OF GERMANY,

FROM ITS EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE

PRESENT TIME,

HISTORICALLY DEVELOPED.

BY

FRANZ L. J. THIMM.

EDITED BY

WILLIAM HENRY FARN.

LONDON:

D. NUTT, 158, FLEET STREET.

BERLIN: A. ASHER & Co.

DUBLIN, MILLIKEN; EDINBURGH, C. SMITH.

SEINEN INNIGSTGELIEBTEN ELTERN

DAHEIM,

WIDMET

DIESE ARBEIT

AUS DANKBARKEIT UND HERZLICHER TREUE

FRANZ THIMM.

LONDON IM JANUAR.

PREFACE.

THE present work is designed to exhibit a succinct view of the whole body of German Literature.

This is effected by a series of biographical notices of the German authors, from the earliest period downward-separated into their respective classes, and by a general chronological arrangement, intended to mark the progress of the national mind in each department of letters, and to be used as references by the inquiring reader.

This volume being, in fact, a commentary upon those German writers, who have figured in the literary history of their country, indicates, in every instance, those works of an author, which are the most worthy of attention for their artistic worth or moral excellence; it thus presents, at a glance, those principal efforts, whether of imagination or of severer thought, that have won repute or popularity.

Every accredited authority has been consulted; and wherever a bibliographical precedent was necessary to substantiate an assertion, or to point out to the student a desirable book of reference, a note, indicative thereof, has been supplied. No notice, however, has been taken of those writers, whose claims to be chronicled repose only upon doubtful foundations, and whose compositions have long since fallen into disuse.