CilAP. XX.] Poetry. 3 



to be formed. Aecordingly baron Haller is said 

 to have written his poem on Reason, Superstition, 

 and Infidelity, for the express purpose of proving 

 that the German language was capable of an ad- 

 vantageous application to moral and philosophical 

 poetry. It was before remarked, that Klopstock 

 was eminently successful in improving the versi- 

 fication of his native language. His Messiah, on 

 its first appearance, was seyerely criticised on ac- 

 count of the novel expressions and combinations 

 which it contained J but these innovations soon 

 gained credit, and were generally adopted ; and 

 the author may be said to have formed a new era 

 in German poetry. Gesner and Wieland carried 

 these improvements still further. Beside these, 

 the writings of Gellert, Lessing, Gleim, and se- 

 veral others, have contributed largely to enrich 

 and refme the versification of their country ; in- 

 somuch that the poetry of Germany, which, half 

 a century ago, was scarcely thought worthy of no- 

 tice, may be reckoned at the present day among 

 the most polished, harmonious, and spirited, in the 

 republic of letters. 



The poetry of Sweden received, during the same 

 period, improvements of a similai' nature. About 

 the middle of the century arose Pahlin, the father 

 of Swedish poetry. He attained high excellence 

 in the epic, tragic, and lyric departments of po- 

 etic composition, and contributed much towards 

 establishing the reign of taste in his country. To 

 him many successors have arisen, some of whom 

 have pursued with honourable success the same 

 track. Among these, the most conspicuous are 

 ipouiit de Creutz, count de Gyllenborg, madame 



