Lectures on the history of literature, ancient and modern

Front matter

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LECTURES

Preface

The influence, exerted by the brothers Augustus WiU liam, and Frederick Von Schlegel, affords one of the most remarkable examples on record of the power of intelligent criticism to determine the character of subsequent literature. This influence was by no means confined to their own country, Germany. In first opening the eyes of the English to the real character of Shakspeare, and the true grounds of his preeminence, Augustus Schlegel taught that nation a freer style of composition, a wider range of art, while Frederick, through the translation of his lectures, instructed them in the value of much that was national and excellent, though previously neglected, in their own literature. In France their influence was still more sensibly felt in the demolition of the national prejudices, in favour of the antique, and the founding of what is called the romantic school of dramatic composition. Ma4ame de" Stael herself was not more instrumental in giving its liberal character to recent French literature, than were her friends the Schlegels.

The occasion of Frederick Schlegel's writing his " Lectures on the History of Literature" is hinted in the follow ing brief note prefixed to the first edition of the translation.

" The following Lectures were delivered at Vienna in the winter of 1812. They were published by their author by way of furnishing German readers with a clue to the lv PREFACE.

general scope and tenor of those opinions which he had before expressed in a variety of Historical and Critical Essays. It is believed that none of Frederick Schlegel's writings have ever before been translated into English ; but the name' of his brother, Augustus William Schlegel, who has been his coadjutor in the conduct of almost all his works, is now as much respected, both in France and England as it has long been in Germany."

The character of the lectures favours this theory of the translator respecting the author's intention. By means of a masterly coup d'ail over the whole field of ancient and modern literature, he is enabled to point out and characterize what he considers to be really original and valuable, and to throw into the shade all that had not contributed to the progress of intellect. By examining the outlines of every nation's literary character, he detects what is essential and enduring and thus fortifies his favourite hypothesis respecting the elements — the only real basis of a genuine national literature. At the sair.e time, by tracing the progress of philosophy, and pointing out its influence, he inculcates his peculiar views respecting this important element of literature. The earnest and searching spirit which he has carried into all his inquiries, and the boldness and candour with which he always declares their results, render it still more probable that these lectures were intended as a sort of confession of literary faith — a summary of the theoretical views to which a life, spent in laborious and diversified study had conducted the writer. Such a work is well fitted to be a text-book of our higher schools in the History of Literature ; because it winnows the wheat from the chafT and presents only the former as the mental food of the student. What is original and influential in the whole literature of the world is brought forward into the foreground and presented to the young stu-

PREFACE. v

dent's view in a strong light, while the great mass of feebleness and mediocrity is thrown into the shade or characterized by a few decisive strokes of the great master's pencil. By using this work as a text-book, experience has shown that the student finds ample exercise for the faculties of attention and reflection j that his taste becomes chastened and elevated ; and that he acquires a strong desire for investi gating the history of literature, and the conditions of success in all the fine arts. Inquiries, to which he was previously indifferent, acquire an interest for him. He reads and speculates, not only with reference to SchlegePs opinions ; but also with reference to theories of his own, which he has been led to form ; and what is perhaps more important than all the rest, he is induced seriously to reflect on the duty which every scholar owes to the literature of his country. The questions, which have been prepared for examining students in this work, are those which were actually usee by the writer in giving instruction to several successive classes ; and they were found to be very beneficial in facilitating the understanding of the text by the students, as well as economising the time of the teacher. They embrace the leading ideas of Schlegel ; but an infinity of other questions might easily be raised with reference to the text, if time should be afforded for such an exercise during the hours of recitation.

Philadelphia, Feb 7, 1844