3 C HA R’A 
. 
A few fupercilious critics have re- 
_ proached his poetry with occafional 
 obfcurities ; and accufe him of hav- 
ing introduced a new language 
_ affectedly averfe to the common 
modes of diction. Cold criticifm 
may cenfure; but twenty-two fuc- 
ceflive editions of his German 
poems, and the tranflation of them 
“into the principal languages of 
Europe, prove, that they potlefs the 
' great aim of poetry, that of pleafing 
_ and interefting the reader. And it 
~ may be remarked with truth, that 
» although Haller’s ftupendous la- 
 bours in erudition and icience ren- 
_ der his poetical talents of inferior 
account; yet that if he had confined 
by himfelf to poetry, that alone would 
have immortalized his name. 
But it is time to follow Haller to 
his native city, where he returned, 
7 in 1729, expecting from his coun- 
_trymeu that refpect and patronage, 
» tie had fo liberally received abroad. 
)* Ge had, however, the mortification 
Pio experience that negleét, and even 
® envy, to which every man of genius 
® is expofed iti his own country, and 
E Which he feems to have augmented 
© by his fatirical compofitions. 
») Hecontinued three years without 
PPhaving the intereft to procure any 
} ae employment; and, though 
ne prevailed on government to efta- 
at blith an anatomical theatre, and gave 
) lectures gratis; yet he did not fuc- 
)) ceed in obtaining the place of phy- 
3 fician to the hofpital, which he much 
) defired. He alfo folicited a pro- 
WP felforthip, and was again repulfed, 
” He feems to have fenfibly felt thefe 
_ difappointments, and expreiled his 
-, impatience ‘and indignation in his 
 fatirical poems. Inftead, however, 
~ of damping his activity or abating 
"the ardour of his genius, he re- 
_ doubled his application and fervices 
ey EF ARUSS 5 
in order to force himfelf into public 
Watice,” to. 
His literary reputation began 
now to {pread itfelf by various bo- 
tanical, anatomical, and medical 
publications, and by a collection of 
poems, which firft made its appear- 
ance in 1732. , 
At length, in 1736, he received, 
unfolicited on his part, the offer of 
the profefforfhip of phyfic, botany, 
and furgery, in the univerfity of 
Gottingen, newly eftablifhed by 
George the Second. - Notwith- 
fianding, however, all the advan- 
- tages and honours which accompa- 
nied this offer, he, for fome time, 
hefitated whether ‘he fhould accept 
it. He had, in 1731, efpoufed\a 
young lady of good. family, whofe 
“great beauty and accomplifhments 
were rendered {till more endearing 
by her affectionate fubferviency to 
his manner of life. She had brought 
him three children; and thefe’ ties 
attached him more ftrongly to hiss 
native place, where his merits had 
procured him many fincere fliends ; 
and the air of which he confidered 
as in fome refpeét neceflary for the 
continuance of his health. On'the 
contrary, the honour of being in- 
vited by fo great a monarch, the 
dignity of the eftablifhment to which 
he was called, and the confideration 
of having a more ample theatre for 
the improvement ‘of his knowledge, 
induced him to remove to Got- 
tingen. 
During feventeen years, in which 
he refided at Gottingen, where. his 
abilities expanded in proportion as 
his opportunities of acquiring know- 
ledge increafed; he obtained ‘frdm 
government the eftablifhment of a 
botanical garden, which he fuper- 
intended, of an anatomical theatre, 
a fchool for midwifery, and a col- 
B43 lege 
; 
