1806. ] 
have been then Joft in the {cholar, or the 
{cholar in the poet: for Klop{tock was 
not the man to divide his attention and 
his powers : whatever he commenced he 
purived with all the ardour and vigour he 
poflefied. 
The good genius of Germany railed up 
in a right feafon the great Bernttorff, 
whofe capacious mind traced in the very 
coinmencement of Klopftock’s work the 
future glory of the poet. The three firft 
cantos had been prefented to him at Paris, 
where he refided as Danith ambaflador. 
Klopfel, who was the private chaplain to 
the Doke of Gotha, made him acquainted 
with thele cantos, and the circumftanecs 
of the author. Bernftorff immediately 
took the refolution of recommending 
Klopftock by letter to the then minifter 
Schulin at Copenhagen, previous to his 
own return, and of afterwards taking bim 
directly under his immediate patronage, 
Upen his reaching Copenhagen himl-if, 
Beinttorff mentioned Klopock to his 
friend the Head-Marfhall Moltke, who 
was then in high favour with Frederic V. 
Upon this the two minifters invited Klop. 
ftock to their capital, with the promife of 
fuch a penfion as fhould fet hi» above all 
the exigencies of life, and enable him to 
devote himielf folely to the fublime infpi- 
rations of his Mufe. What could better 
entitle Frederic to the grand ode in which 
the poet dedicated to him the Meiiah ? 
Klopftock tet off in the {pring of the 
year 1751 for Denmatk. He took the 
road to Copenhagen by Saxony and Qued-’ 
linburg, where he faw his relations ; by 
Brunfwick, where he vifited fome of his 
academical friends ; and by Hamburg, 
where he enjoyed the company of Hage- 
dorn, and formed the agreeable acquatn- . 
tance of the famous Cidii, (by her proper 
name Margaret Moller,) an intelleétual 
gul, and a great admirr of his Meffiah. 
This acquaintance foon affumed a ‘enderer 
caft on both fides, that terminated in the 
warmelt aff-&tion, of which his odes afford 
us many excellent memorials. . 
At Copenhagen Klopttock met with the 
moft cordial reception from Bernttorff. 
He there livei a very fecluted tranquil 
life, never obtruding his pretence at Court, 
but dedicating his time entirely to his po- 
em. During his reiidence here hé ap-: 
pears to have enlivened his mind by 
Young’s and Richardfon’s writings. 
With the former he even kept up a corre- 
fpondence, and addreffed an ode to him, 
expreffive of his very high efteem and 
warm regard. The lively interchange of 
Jetters that paff-d uninterruptedly every 
polt-day between his beloved Margaiet 
MONTHLY Mac., No. 143. 
Memoirs of Klopftock, the German Poet. 
425 
and himfelf knit the bonds of affection 
even clofer, and rendered both more eager 
for their ultimate union. 
Domeftic circumftances, however, com- 
pelled the young people to make a tems 
porary facrifice of their prefent happinefs 
to future comfort. Klopftock paficd the 
winter im Copenhagen. In the fummer 
he attended the Court with Moltke into 
the country to Friedenburg. His friend 
often introduced: him to the King, who 
efteemed the poet fo much, that he never 
failed giving bim unequivocal proofs of 
the little impreffion which bisenemies (the 
natural attendants on court-faveur,) had 
made on his mind. In the year 1752 
Queen Louifa died, and. her death was 
commemorated by a dignified ode of Klop- 
fiock, well fuited to the melancholy oc. 
cafion, The King undertaking a journey 
the {ammer foilowing to Hoifiein, Klop. 
{tock prefited by the opportunity to return 
to the obje& of his affection in Hamburg, 
and confecrated this happy interval of the 
whole fummer to love and the Mules. 
This period may be regarded as the moft 
fertile and blooming featon for the poetic- 
fpirit of our bard, who, while innaling the 
breath of love in the prelence of his mif 
trefs, fanned the already vivid flame that 
had been kindled at the altar of tie Mules. 
To this frame of mind we are indebted 
for his captivating fongs to Cidli, under 
the title of his Meta, and his beft lyric 
pieces. His matrimonial alliance with 
her was however till deferred. He was 
obliged to leave her once more, and return* 
with the King ta Copenhagen, The 
whole following year, 1753, he continued, 
in Denmark, feparated from her. In the 
fummer of the year 1754 he travelled 
again to Hamburg, where his Margaret 
at length, on the 1oth of June, became 
his wife. But he enjoved for a fhort time 
only the true blifs of connubial affection. 
She was f{natched from him in the moft 
interefting m.ment of offering him a 
pledge of their love*. The pofthumous, 
works which Klopftock publifhed of his 
wife in the year 1759, are the moit 
faithful portrait of her charmingly fulcep- 
tible heart, and evince in the moft flriking 
manner the rare and pure fervour with 
which fhe was devoted to him. Her me- 
mory was facred and indelible to the pose 
till the latett period of his exittence. 
He- often wandered to her grave, in the 
village of Ottenfen, near Hamburg, which 
he had fixed on as the {pot where his own 
remains might in future refit by her fide. 
To the year 1771 Klopftock made 
* See her beautiful Letters in the Life and - 
Correfpondence of Richardion, 
3.1 Copenhagea 
