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    Life and Writings of Herder o 830

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    : Account Of Herder's Life And Writings.

    meal- Many of his brethren viewed him with a kind of suspicion ^ which only a nearer knowledge of his character could remove . la the Consistory be was opposed by his colleagues , in ail his attempts to improve the state of the schools aad churches in his diocese , as a rash and enthusiastic innovator ; and , as Genera ! Superintendent , he had to hear and decide upon the endless complaints of pastors and school masters 9 without being able immediately to relieve them 9 acdl with no encouragement but his determination to perform his d ^ tiy faithfully . To these annoyances was added the weight of pecuniary embarrassments * which his too improvident character and the necessary expenses of an increasing family caused him to feel very severely during the first years of his residence at Weimar . In these difficulties Wieland shewed himself a real friend . Some years after this , 1788 , Herder experienced a most substantial proof of the estimation in which he was held , by receiving from an unknown hand , which neither he nor his family were ever able to identify , a valuable present of two thousand Rhenish guilders . 'Anndst these conflicting events , and under frequent and severe

    attacks of sickness , he still prosecuted his literary labours . In 1778 and 1779 , he published the first and second parts of his translation of National Songs , a task which had amused and solaced his hours of leisure at Biickeburg , and which . * equally with his larger works , indicated his deep and tender sympathy with every expression of human character and passion * These were followed by Maranatha 3 the Book of the Corning of the Lord , " a work on the Revelation of St » John ; and , having twice already gained the

    prize offered by the Berlin Academy , he now obtained this honour for the third time , by his essay 6 t On : the Influence of Government on the Sciences , and of the Sciences on Government ; " and 9 about the same time , he received a similar distinction from the Bavarian Academy , and that of Munach 9 for his two essays , one " On the Influence of Poetry on Nations , " and the other * " On the Influence of Polite Learning on the Higher Sciences . " In 1780-81 , he published , in two volumes , his " Letters on the Study of Theology . " Of the spirit of this work we may form some idea , from the

    following anecdote told by George Miiller , who travelled on foot from Gottingen to Weimar , on purpose to see Herder , and to consult him about his theological studies : ' * He received me , " says Miiller , " with the greatest kindness ; and , when I had asked him several questions about my studies ^ a pleasant smile came over his countenance , and he recommended to my perusal a book which contained these memorable words , The best study for a divine is the study of the Bible $ and the best commentary on this holy book is human nature . ' It was the first part of his 6 Letters on the Study of Theology . '" In 1782-83 , came out the first aod second parts of his " Spirit of Hebrew Poetry , " a work which has been considered to breathe more of the spirit of Herder than of the Hebrews . The first part of his 64 Ideas on the Philosophy of the History of the Human Race" appeared in

    1784 ; a work which had engaged him at Biickeburg , and to which we have already referred * Literature did not , however ,, engage his whole attention at Weimar * More practical objects occupied his thoughts and interested his ever-active philanthropy . About the year 1788 , several enlightened German Princes associated themselves with ahe most distinguished literati of the day s , fof the purpose of promoting the social improvement and developing the national spirit , of Germany . This truly patriotic design had beea chiefly promoted by Charles Frederic , the Margrave of Baden , with whom Herder had frequently discussed these interesting topics during his residence at

    Life And Writings Of Herder O 830

    Life and Writings of Herder o 830

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1830, page 839, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_02121830/page/39/