‘Biographical Sketch of Mofes Mendelffihn. 
the irregularity of his epic; Milton’s 
diftra&ted family, thofe numerous paf= 
fages which elcaped erafure; and Shen- 
{tone his deficiency in excellence, through 
the languor and inattivity of his day. 
In this work, the intellectual powers 
of Mendelffohn followed the traces of 
Baumgarten and Wolff; for his genius 
was not yet emancipated from the bonds 
of authority. It was a great deal to have 
familiarifed his mind to their fyftems ; 
but ftill he wanted a great deal to form 
fyftems of his own. It was the ftyle, 
however, that indicated a new model 
was arifing. The German language was 
then ina neglected and unpolithed ftate ; 
and the lucidity, the precifion, and the 
elegance of the ityle of the Hebrew phi- 
lofopher, were exhibited to great ad- 
vantage. Mirabeau obferves, that Men- 
delffohn was a profound thinker, faga- 
cious and methodical, yet had not a very 
extenfive compafs of mind. It is cer- 
tainly true, that Mendelffohn eminently 
pofleffed a depth of thinking; and this 
may be -often incompatible with a vait 
fuperficies of mind, ~~ 
Mendelffohn now aflociated himfelf with 
Lefling, Abbt, Ramler, and Nicolai, in 
a literary journal, compofed in the form 
of letters on German literature. No re- 
view ever yet attained the celebrity of 
this one, compofed by Mendelffohn and 
his affociates. It forms an epocha in 
German literature. Lefs could not be 
expected from the philofophical Mendelf- 
fohn, the critical Leffing, the poetical 
Ramler, the energetic Abbt, and the 
ingenious Nicolai *. 

* Lessinc, who reflects fo much honour 
on German Belles Lettres, was for a long. 
time a mere compiler and tranflator for 
bookfellers. At length he gave freedom to 
his enthralled genius. 
many delightful pieces of literature and fa- 
bles; but the work which gives celebrity to » 
his name, is, *¢ Te Laocoon,” or, ¢¢ Objerva- 
tions on the Liits of Poetry and Painting.” He 
afterwards publifhed his “€ Dramaturgie,” 
which Mr. Pye, in his «< Commentary on Ari- 
Stotle, has largely quoted, and largely praifed. 
His dramatic pieces were highly efteemed in 
Germany ; he is the author of *¢ Emilia Ga- 
dotti, Nathan the Wife,” &c. He had all the 
infirmities of genius ; the inconveniences at- 
tending ftrong paffions; fond of play, ever 
reftlefs, ever defirous of variation of place ; 
it is faid he was never three years in one 
employment. He was a private tutor, a 
public profeffor, librarian to the Duke of 
Brunfwick, manager of a theatre, compiler, 
tranflator; at length a man of genius! He 
Was an enemy to religious fuper{titions ; and 
Monruty Mac. No, xxxiv. 
He has publithed- 
4t 
In 1764, Mendel ffohn obtained the prize 
of the Berlfi academy, for his “¢ Effay on | 
the Evidence of the Metaphyfical Science.” 
It was in 1767 that he publifhed his 
immortal ‘* Phedon, a Dialcgue on the Im- 
mortality of the Soul,” in the manner of 
that of Plato’s; but in which the argu- 
ments his Socrates delivers, are thofe of 
modern philofophy ; where reafon tri- 
umphs over the fancies of Plato. It is 
confidered as the moft curious difquifi- 
tion, on a topic fo abftract and fublime. 
It diffufed the celebrity of the Hebrew 
philofopher throughout literary Europe. 
Among the various verfions of this mo- 
del of logical dialogue, may be diftin- 
guifhed that of M. Junker, in French, 
publifhed in 17733 and an Englith one 
by C. Cullen, in 1789. 
After this eminent labour, our philo- 
fopher was fatisfied to be ufeful, and not 
celebrated. Amidit the daily occupations . 
of commerce, he ftill tole to his ftudies 5 
and, like our Milton, this great man con- 
defcended to compofe elementary books 
for the ufe of the youths of his neglected 
nation. To give elevation to the de- 
graded character of his people, was his 
cherifhed paffion. Mr. Dohm informs 
us, that one of his publications, * Ritual 
of the Fews,” was formed by the advice, 
and under the direétion of the chief rab- 
bin, Hirfchel Levi. The virtuous phi- 
lofopher fubmitted to an honeft prieft ; 
yet was Mendelflohn no advocate for fa- 
cerdotal ufurpations. 
His next great work, intitled, ‘* Feru- 
falem,” proves this affertion. It is a 
performance as fingular for its manner, 
as its merit ; applauded by philofophers, 
and denounced by bigots. It difturbed 
the quiet of its author. Its humanity 
alarmed thofe who had eneroached on the 
imprefcriptible rights of humanity. The 
compilers of the.** Nouveau Dictionnaire 
Fiflorique,”’ tells us, that ‘* it is replete 
with daring and condemnable propofi- 
tions.”” The powers of the hierarchy 

he was calumniated. At the clofe of his 
life, he was called the Great Lefling. 
RAMLER ts a German lyric poet. Tuo- 
MAs ABRT wasa moft promifing writer, who 
died prematurely. Shaftfbury was his fa- 
vourite author, and Tacitus his model. Ob- 
{curity was the literary blemifh of his noble 
and energetic ftyle. Nricorat is a learned 
bookfeller, and multifarious writer at Berlin. 
His «¢ Scbaldus Nothanker,” relifhed in Ger- 
many for prefenting pictures of their former 
manners, is, in our country, fufficiently pro- 
lix and Germanic, not to give pleafure to the 
reader of tufte. See Denina’s Pruffe Litteraire. ~ 
F are 
. 
Sn 
