1822.) 
phia heard unpersuaded, when she 
looked benignly at me. In shert, nei- 
ther of us doubted the rectitude of my 
system ; but Sophia expressed a wish, 
probably because she thought my de- 
livery too lyrical, that I would. put 
down my ideas in writing.. As soon 
as [left her, I was at my desk, and 
endeavoured to versify my theory.” 
The fruits of this enthusiastic stroll 
were the lines entitled, “the Nature 
of Things,” which form a conspicuous 
part of Wieland’s first publication. 
Sophia was now returning to her 
friends; term drew nigh; and the Pla- 
tonic lovers separated.» Wieland pro- 
ceeded in 1751 to the college at Tu- 
bingen, a cheap, not a celebrated 
university ; and the professors attract- 
ing but feebly his attention, he shut 
himself up in his room, and wrote 
verses. While a student there, in 
1752, he printed his earliest volume of 
poems, which are chiefly didactic, and 
contain, beside ‘“ the Nature of 
Things,” an “ Anti-Ovid,” the “ Moral 
Epistles,” and some ‘“ Sacred Storics.” 
At Tubingen, Wieland also began 
an epic poem in Ossianic prose, enti- 
tled ‘“‘ Arminius, or Germany freed,” 
which has been translated into Eng- 
lish. He sent the manuscript first 
five cantos of this poem, anonymously, 
to Bodmer, the editor of an eminent 
Swiss review, soliciting the critical 
opinion of this literary patriarch, who 
thought well of the specimen, and 
printed acomplimentary acknowledg- 
ment to his unknown correspondent. 
Wieland now named himself; and 
Bodmer invited the young yvenius to 
pass the vacation at his house near 
Zurich, He complied with the propo- 
sal in October 1752. The dwelling of 
Bodmer was adapted for a temple of 
the Muses; situate at the foot of a hill 
between the town and the country, it 
was retired without being lonely; a 
vineyard, bounded at top by fig-trees, 
rose at the back of the garden; the 
Uto glittered in front, and a magnifi- 
cent landscape of city, lake, and 
mountain, embosomed the modest re- 
sidence. 
‘To Wieland was assigned an apart- 
ment which Klopstock, already known 
to fame, had occupied the summer 
before. Within view or walk were to 
be seen traces or ruins of the dwel- 
lings of Owe, Warte, Husen, and other 
poets of the Swabian period, who had 
founded the romantic literature of 
Germany ; and whose manuscript re- 
The German Student, No. XXV. 
StL 
mains, collected and preserved by the 
care of Rudiger Maness of Zurich, 
were now about to be edited by Bod- 
mer. And here, in this congenial 
spot, his mind took that bent for chi- 
valrots romance, which has deter- 
mined the character of the greater 
part of his poetry. : 
Visits to and from the literary men 
of the neighbourhood varied the do- 
mestic circle, of which Gesner, the 
author of the Idyls, often formed a 
part; but Breitinger, a canon of Zu- 
rich, was the one of Bodmer’s friends 
who showed the most attention to 
Wieland, and has accordingly been 
named by him in a dedication. 
Bodmer, who had lost 2 wife and 
children, was glad of an habitual com- 
panion; and he could employ the Ia- 
bour of. Wieland profitably in critical 
animadversion, and in contributions to 
periodic publications. Insensibly this 
stay was prolonged, and arranged on 
a footing of mutual advantage. Wie- 
land, quite in his element, and de- 
lighted with his. new independence, 
dropped .the project of returning to 
college, devoted himself wholly to the 
cares of authorship, and managed an 
extensive literary correspondence,— 
which included the conspicuous names 
of Haller, Gleim, Hagedorn, Gellert, 
Klopstock, and Sulzer. 
An agreeable specimen of his ro- 
mantic poetry will be the introduc- 
tion to. a fabliau, entitled “Giron le 
Courteois.” 
Arthur, before his hall at Cramulot, 
Begirt with thirty knights, was holding court, 
Under a dase of velvet, fring’d with gold. 
Between him, and her Lancelot, the queen 
Guenara sat. Twelve maidens, couth to give 
The sweetest meed of love to whoso earns it, 
Stood bashfully the royal dame beside ; . 
And round about, on the tall brauchy oaks, 
Hung glittering in the sun-shine shields and spears, 
While thirty lads held in the shade hard by 
As many horses, well caparisou’d. 
When lo! from forth the forest a black knight 
Alone came riding. He drew near, alighted 
On his right knee, made to the queen obeisance, 
Then rose, and stood before King Arthur, taller 
By head and shoulders than the other knights. 
He bowed, and said, vig, wilt thou grant a boon, 
Such as one knight may of another ask.” 
The king with wonder look’d upon the stranger, 
And all with wonder view’d his stately form, 
And heard his speech, and silently awaited 
What boon he was to sue for. Arthur spake: 
“Sir knight, make known thy wish; 1 grant thy 
prayer.” 
The stranger bowed a second time, and said, 
“To you, puissant sir, and to these knights 
Beside you, let it not unwelcome prove, 
In honour of all lovely wives and maids, 
As well as to make known, whether the prize 
Of knighthood appertains to the new knights, 
Or to the old, with me, one after the other, 
Here in the open green to try a joust.” 
King Arthur, and bis band of thirty knights, 
Fellows of the Round Table all of them, 
Were not the men to let a boon like this 
Ge asked a second time. Instead of answer, 
Toward the trees whereon their lances leaned, 
And 
