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but who seems to be somewhat undeservedly neglected, perhaps in consequence of the sharp criticism with which Carlyle has received him. Considering the comparatively small number of Britons who have devoted themselves with zeal and sincerity to this study, he deserves acknowledgment for seriously endeavouring to contribute to a better knowledge of the German and to give rise to imitations. Some of his own metrical versions are very good, even such in which he tried the classical metres, and make us forget deficiencies in his volumes that have been sufficiently censured by others.

But no other Briton ever exerted his powers so successfully for the introduction of the German element into the civilized life of England, nor did any other before him possess such fundamental, extended knowledge of our language, literature and public and social life, as the great critic and historian Thomas Carlyle. It is said Carlyle thinks in German, which may considered as sufficiently characteristic. In fact, among the eminent minds of Great Britain now taking an active share in the great work of promoting civilization there is not one whom we might compare with him in strongly- marked individuality, deep and extensive reading and that cosmopolitan direction of the mind which fits him so eminently, fully to enter into the spirit of our nation and to be a successful mediator. It is nearly impossible to give any one unacquainted with the works of this extraordinary genius an idea of the peculiar, brilliant and lively, independent and original spirit and singularly pregnant style, that fill us with admiration when perusing the pages of this distinguished master.

A translation of Goethe's Wilhelm Meister opened his career and was soon followed by a Life of Schiller. Then appeared in rapid succession his curions and important dissertations on the state of German literature, on Goethe and his works, on the life of Heyne, the professor of Göttingen, on Jean Paul, Luther, the Nibelungen Lied, again German Literature, of the 14th. and 15th. centuries and the reflexions on the death of Goethe and translation of the„Novelle“ by Goethe, lastly the sketch of Varnhagen van Ense, in all of which we cannot sufficiently admire the admirable skill with which he tries to do away with prejudices against the Germans so frequent before him among his country- men, the inexorable logic and sharp, ready wit with which he ridicules presumptuous ignorance, and above all the intimate acquaintance which he displays with the speculations of our great metaphysicians Kant, Fichte, Schelling and Hegel and all branches of German poetry from the earliest ages down to the latest period. The happiest amalgamation of this stern, logical spirit with the German was aloue able to produce such results. Such works, as for instance, the„Sartus Resartus“ in which he illustrates in a wonderful manner the transcendentalism of Fichte, and his Frederic II. called the Great, stand unrivalled by any example in the whole range of English literature.

It is evident that the mind of such a man as Carlyle could not but influence greatly the opinions and the taste of his contemporaries; in fact, not only in philosophy and history, but also in poetical criticism and poetry itself he left his foot prints.

By such labours, assisted by the progress which criticism and the studies of classical and modern philology have meanwhile made in Germany, and lastly by the lively intercourse continually increasing between the two nations, the interest of our neighbours, in spite of numerous still existing prejudices, has been mightily stirred in all manifestations of civilized life, particularly in our letterdom and is observeable, if not distinctly in individual cases, in the general flow of the public mind which is decidedly in this direction. This is perhaps more the case in, Scotland than in England; for the mental life of the country of Buchanan, Robertson, Macintosh, Scott, Burns, Sir Wm Hamilton,

Brougham and Beattie has at all times offered more points of comparison to our own than that of 2*