* Professor Vischer, was that of a true and unswerving defender 'of constitutional right, and through all his public career he proved himself as exemplary a specimen of patriotic integrity as can be cited, even sacrificing to his sense of patriotic duty the congenial post to which he had aspired for years. He was no orator, in the ordinary sense of the word, yet few were better listened to, or carried more personal weight in debating. His mind was thoroughly practical, his matter simple, his argument clear; there was no fluency of speech, no peculiar roundness of period; but his being known to speak only when he had something to say made men feel that when he spoke, he deserved attention. We may close our summary of Uhland's political career by stating that in the year 1848, he took a leading part in the proceedings of the Frankfort parliament, having been deputed as representative of Würtemberg to that assembly. Jahn's account of his speech in the Riding School at Tübingen, on the breaking out of the revolutionary ferment, is spirited and striking :— "When the Western tornado't broke forth, it was resolved to hold a meeting at *The circumstance here referred to is worthy of narration. The chair of German Literature in the University of Tübingen had never been filled up, and Uhland, having vainly sought it some years earlier, was appointed in the year 1830. He was received with the most gratifying welcome, and found himself in a post hardly less fitted to his ernment. Tübingen on the 2d of March, in order to intrust the demands of the people to a deputation who should lay them before the govwillingly cleared for the occasion by the auThe spacious riding-school, unthorities, was rapidly filled by citizens and students. The gallery served as a platform, on which, amongst others, Uhland was invited to ascend. He undertook the drawingup of a trenchant address, which declared the grand error of all German rule to lie in lar free action, and of popular representation.' the absence of the popular element, of popuThe first words of his speech were uttered in a low, hesitating, and scarcely audible voice; but gradually warming with his subject, a sort of inspiration lifted him out of all his natural diffidence, his figure seemed to dilate, his eye to flash, each separate sentence came a definite idea, cach idea expressed in the forth short and sharp, each phrase containing most fitting terms; and so he spoke till an hour had passed. The unpretending simplicity of his address, his extraordinary earnestness, the quickly following powerful strokes of his weighty argument, produced an indescribable impression; involuntarily, as he ended, the whole assembly bared their heads, and, as if by general impulse, sung his own well-known lines, beginning 'Wenn heut ein Geist herniederstiege,' It was an hour of noble triumph for the champion of intellectual liberty.' He took no part in the later meetings; but, the popular demands being promptly granted, tastes than his qualifications were to it. It was necessary for a professor, if returned to the house was chosen as one of the seventeen Vertrauof representatives, to obtain leave of absence from ensmänner, and sent to Frankfort, on his own his post to attend the sittings of parliament. In the year 1833, Uhland was returned for the second express stipulation, unfettered by any instructime by the town of Stuttgart; he thereupon ap- tions whatever. He sat as deputy for Tübinplied, as a matter of course, for renewed leave of gen in the National Assembly, voted in the absence. It might be imagined that a government minority on the question of the exclusion of which had left a professor's chair for many years unoccupied would have seen no difficulty in acced- Austria, and on that of the hereditary empire, ing to his request; but Uhland was in opposition, and refrained from voting on the proposition nay, was as good as a whole opposition in himself, for placing the King of Prussia on the impevices were "indispensable to the University." Uh-rial throne, a measure brought forward on land felt his independence compromised, and sent the 28th of March, 1849. When the greater in his resignation as professor, which the same gov-portion of the deputies, finding the purpose ernment immediately accepted, to use their own words, of their session frustrated, withdrew from the "with great satisfaction." This step Goethe presumed and the government declared that his valuable ser to blame: he said, "Stuttgart might find another assembly, Uhland, not feeling himself justified representative, long before Tübingen could find an- in quitting his post, drew up the " Address other professor like Uhland." But it was not left for Uhland to consider whether he made a better deputy to the German People," of the 26th of May, or professor; the question to be determined was upholding the rights and duties of the assemthis, whether for the sake of retaining any appoint-bly, and accompanied the remnant of the parliament to Stuttgart, though individually opposed to its removal. ment he should submit to so discreditable a coercion. We think few men of independent mind would have hesitated, when treated as he was, to do as he did; and, in fact, it is hard to think that Goethe could ever seriously have given it as his opinion that such submission was Uhland's higher duty. †The French Revolution of 1848. From that period of disappointment Uhland took no active part in politics, but lived retired in his picturesque house at Tübingen, devoted to the last to his philological studies and investigations. how completely we have the character of German students depicted, in the mere manIt is now time, before closing our article ner of their address, as well as in the naturalwith some anecdotes characteristic of the ness of their turning in for" beer and wine" man, that we should say a few words on the at the end of their little excursion" across subject of his literary doings and merits. We the Rhine!" Have we not the very swagger have already endeavored, in passing, to touch of the callow, slender-legged youngsters, the upon some of the leading peculiarities of his creak of the Kanonen-stiefel, the jingle of the poetic style, which may be summed up in a spur, the comical cock of the embroidered few words. Romantic without sentimental- muffin-cap? And in the very start which ity, terse without ruggedness, simple without the hostess's answer gives, have we not also silliness, his poetry was the essential reflex before us the exact picture of the quiet, faof his own noble, upright, full-hearted, and miliar German housewife, who knows the modest nature. We greatly doubt that he measure of her noisy guests, and treats them ever considered himself pre-eminently a great as the boys they are; who speaks no cringpoet; but may be sure that he felt his poetic ing word, and runs no eager errand; and aims were always good, and his poetic execu- seems to take her sorrow as she takes their tion always above the average. The very tumult, as a thing concerning which the fewsimplicity and spotlessness of his life has been est words are best? Take again such a lyric made a sort of literary reproach to him; and as, "Der gute Kamerad : " have we not bethe fact, that as a man, and a Christian man, fore us in those three stanzas as real a piche kept himself unspotted from the world" ture as any that our eyes have ever seen of a has been adduced, even by his admirers, as a pair of comrades, as they march, as they fight, reason why he failed more or less in his dra- as they part? How the soldier's philosophy matic works, which, however beautiful in "every bullet has its billet," is indicated isolated passages, certainly want sustained in the abrupt exclamation, almost as the ball interest and concentration; better a thousand is in its flight-" Gilt's mir, oder gilt es dir!" times, however, that a poet's dramas should What a reality in the action described? The prove uninteresting, than that their excel- dying comrade at his feet holds out his hand lence should spring from their author's worth- for a last grasp of his friend's, but the friend lessness. And in this respect Uhland presents is loading his musket : a marked and useful contrast to the lackadaisical, sentimental, Weltschmerz school, the poets of which trade on their own pretended misery, and, cunningly enough, suggest that their poems must be touching and true in proportion as the authors set themselves forth as peculiarly skilled in bitterness of heart and badness of life. Healthy, sober, frank, and honest, the utterances of Uhland's muse commend themselves to all who value, instead of sneering at, such attributes; and at least no false feeling is excited by their perusal. An admirable comparison between the two schools, or rather between Heine and Uhland as their respective representatives, is given by Professor Vischer, in the spirited allegory with which his essay concludes. 1 "Kann dir die Hand nicht geben. Bleib 'du im ew'gen Leben Again, in the "Schifflein," how exactly he An extraordinary excellence in Uhland's pieces is their remarkable truthfulness of construction. Whatever the character be "Hart stöszt es auf dem Strande, which he portrays, whatever the period deMan trennt sich in die Lande," scribed, whatever the circumstances related, and the passengers,-strangers once, but stranthere is always a striking appropriateness. gers no more,-exclaim, as they each take In "The Hostess's Daughter," for instance, their different path, "When, brothers, when Shall we together sail again?' These are really the most random instances of one of Uhland's chief and prominent merits; for whether he present to our minds the prince or the peasant, the knight or the serf, the citizen or the soldier,-whether his scene be laid in camp or castle, in cottage or in hall, -whether his period be that of Holmgang or crusade, legend or history, there is where and always a fitness and accuracy, which, while they prove the talent of the poet, prove also the industry of the student, and display the advantage, to any poetic mind, of many-sided learning and careful storing of various information. every We have left ourselves but little space in which to touch upon an interesting part of Uhland's writings, namely, his essays on ancient poetry. That on the "Old French Epic Poetry" for the first time established the distinction which should be made between the "Chansons de geste," meant for singing, and the "Contes," only intended for recitation. His monograph on "Walther von der Vogelweide," published in 1822, is original and valuable in the highest degree; and, according to Jahn, (no mean authority), “inaugurated the study of the individual element in ancient German poetry "-in plainer words, led to a more careful study of the influence of individual poets on the literature of their day. His Sagenforschungen," published in 1836, contains the result of his studies, and the opinions to which they led him on the subject of the whole Scandinavian myth of Thor, which he interprets altogether in a physical sense. A second volume was to have appeared on the subject of Odin, and is said to have been actually in the printer's hands, but to have been withdrawn by its author for the purpose of further corrections. It is to be hoped that it may still appear amongst the collected works. 66 age, the person and character of the poet whose works we have been considering. In stature he was not above the middle height; nor at first sight was there anything to indicate the presence of a bardic instinct. His hair, blond in youth, and snow-white in curled round a head whose most striking feature was a fine expansive forehead, which early baldness made still more remarkable. Prominent brows, shading expressive blue eyes, contributed, with a straight-cut, close-set mouth, to give an air of singular firmness and decision to the whole countenance; while the very gait and bearing of the man impressed a beholder with the idea of immovable firmness and decision, an idea which closer acquaintance never failed to confirm. His physical constitution was sound and vigorous, as his physical frame was lithe and wiry; and till his last illness he retained an activity almost marvellous at his advanced age. He was accustomed year by year to making journeys of pleasure or research (or rather of both united, since research formed his pleasure) to places which his studies made specially interesting to himself. No distance was too great, no fatigue too formidable for him to undertake, if with the prospect of elucidating some moot point of inquiry, or illustrating some historical or philological subject. Throughout his life he was a striking example of determined perseverance. Uhland has been often called-by just the class of people who have the least right, with the greatest readiness, to pronounce opinions on eminent personalities-cold, unimpressionable, almost repellent, in manner. On the mere lion-hunter, disturbing a man of study solely for the gratification of an impertinent curiosity, he may have produced such an impression many a time-for such a class was his abhorrence; and he was not the man to look pleasant when he felt bored; but among those whom he knew and valued, he was different creature; his taciturnity, often increased by natural diffidence, would melt away when fully at his ease, and he could appear in his more natural character as the mirthful, genial companion, ready and able to please and to be pleased in that sort of intellectual sociality which is the scholar's Eden upon earth. His "Schattenlied (written as a sort of charter-song for the little club of kindred spirits which used to meet in StuttIt remains for us to add a few words as to gart at the sign of the Shadow) shows how, What he himself, however, regarded as his chief philological and antiquarian work was his Collection of Old High and Low German Volkslieder,” the first volume of which, containing the text of the pieces, appeared in the years 1844 and 1845. It is much to be desired that the second volume, containing the fruits of his mature and comprehensive critical research on so interesting a subject, may also be given to the world. watchmaker, an error which the poet never attempted to correct. He so detested anything like public notice as persistently to refuse sitting for his portrait, and an artist having once visited him for the purpose of taking a likeness by stealth, found his endeavor frustrated by his host turning his back to him while continuing the conversation, on which they had entered. It is not difficult to understand, and indeed to excuse, while entering in the happiest sense into the spirit of hearty enjoyment, he could interweave noble and kindly thoughts with his merry verses as harmoniously as they were interwoven with his genial nature. To such a man the little supper we are about to record, must have been a real treat. When all Germany was congratulating him by telegraph, by addresses, by complimentary verses and serenades, on the completion of his seventy-fifth year, a letter came to hand bear-one most unromantic act of which he was ing a Northern post-mark, but without signature. The writer, a lady, stated, that on the Festival of the Assumption, while on her way to mass, on a most lovely morning, the thought of his beautiful lines in "The Pilgrim " "Blieb der goldne Himmel offen Als empor die Heil'ge fuhr? Blüht noch auf den Rosenwolken Ihres Fusses lichte Spur?" etc. "Remains the golden heaven unclosed As when on high the Virgin sped? Glows still upon each roseate cloud The vestige of her gentle tread?" etc. had so come home to her heart that she could not refrain from writing her thanks as a tribute to his birthday, and sending him a present but that from her distance she had no other way of accomplishing her wish than by enclosing him a piece of gold, which she hoped he would expend on a bottle (or two, if possible) of first-rate wine, and drink it for her sake. A good bottle of wine was never wanting in Uhland's house, and his excellent wife proposed to give the money to the poor. Twice as much, if you like," he said, "but that especial ducat is my own, and it shall go as it was meant to go." And so it did; and, as he himself declared, gave him as much pleasure as many a higher compliment. An anecdote of his remarkable modesty may be quoted. When just coming into public notice as a writer, he happened to be at Carlsruhe, when a gentleman sent in his card with a request to see him; the stranger entered, and after exchanging a few commonplaces, withdrew with the apology that "he had mistaken him for the poet Uhland," and was allowed to depart without a word of explanation. Much the same sort of thing once happened to him on a steamboat, when a phrenologist, having examined his head, pronounced him beyond all question to be a guilty. Having been once caught in passing through a town, and presented with a laurel crown, he hung it up on the first tree he passed after recommencing his journey. But, after all, such a fate is but a question of time with all such embarrassing gifts; probably Horace did much as Uhland with the "... doctarum hederæ præmia frontium," though it seemed to give him rank with the high Olympians. This modesty of Uhland's was at times united with singular delicacy and consideration, of which the following may afford example. Having heard that the so-called Klingenberg Chronicle had been discovered in the library at St. Gallen, he hastened thither to inspect it, in the hope of finding there some reference to the legends of William Tell, a subject he was then investigating; he returned home, stating that the MS. contained nothing on the subject. "Did you read it?" asked his friend Pfeiffer. he replied, " as the person from whom I inquired did not offer it me for perusal, I thought it possible he might be thinking of writing something on the same subject, and did not like to ask." "No," A man in the truest sense single-minded, he was firm as rock and honest as gold; a lover of truth and justice, whom no self-interest could mislead, and no corruption contaminate, he held fast the affection of many, and gained the full respect of all. Unassuming and modest at all times, he shrank from personal prominence, while fearing the notice or the censure of no man in the discharge of public duty; high-hearted and noble in purpose, pure in thought, and honest in act, he was a firm friend and a gallant enemy, a hater of falsehood, an upholder of right. As a lad, exposed to the temptations of a city like Paris, the old porteress of his lodgings could exclaim, "Happy the mother of so virtuous a son! He as an old man, when the grave, they were written; but our object has been closed over him, his country echoed with wit- We have not entered in our article at any length on the criticism of Uhland's works; the greater part of them are so well known as to need but little remark; we may perhaps have helped some readers to a better comprehension of part of his productions, in indicating the circumstances under which * See in the fourth stanza of the "Wandering," a powerful and well-deserved sarcasm on poetic egotism : "Ich schritt zum Sängerwalde, Da sucht' ich Lebenshauch; Und pfluckt' am Lorbeerstrauch; Auf eines Volkes Schmerz, Sein gross, zerrissen Herz." As the season for out-of-door exercise ap- classes from the humble; there marquis, millionproached, a sprightly writer in the London Socie-naire, merchant, shopkeeper, and courier mingle ty describes the freedom of Parisian promenades as as naturally, and sometimes as agreeably, as the contrasted with those of England, and refers partic- ingredients of a salad. Socially and personally, ularly to one "radical difference between the rides, every Englishman is a human island; every drives, and promenades of London and of Paris. Frenchman is only a portion of a continent. The Here, true British Brahmins that we are, we pre-writer, referring to scenes often witnessed in French serve our caste even out of doors; there, both the world and the people choose the same spots for air and recreation. Here, the upper classes keep aloof from the middle classes, and the middle THIRD SERIES. LIVING AGE. VOL. XXVI. 1234 public squares and gardens, says, "Nowhere can be found a pleasanter picture than a family group of that lively people so erroneously suffered to hold domestic ties in disregard.” |