HERDER'S CONCEPTION OF THE FOLKSONG AND HIS 
 INTRODUCTION OF PERCY'S RELIQUES OF 
 ANCIENT ENGLISH POETRY 
 
 BY 
 
 IDA MARIE STAEHLE 
 
 THESIS 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS 
 
 IN 
 
 GERMAN 
 
 COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 1922 
 

 
 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
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 https://archive.org/detaiis/herdersconceptioOOstae 
 
HEKDER'S CONCEPTION OF THE FOLKSONG 
 MD HIS INTRODUCTION 
 
 OF PERCY’S RELIQ.UES OF ANCIENT EI'JGLISH POETRY 
 
 Ida M. Staehle 
 
 
 (/ 
 
 Gerraan 30B 
 
 University of Illinois 
 hli^y 1922 
 

HERDER’S COJJCEPTION OF THE FOLFCSONG 
 AlTD HIS IITTRODXTIOH 
 
 OF PERCY’S RELIOUES OF AITCIMT ENGLISH POETRY 
 
 Literary critics of the 18th cent-ury recognized in the folk- 
 song— the naive poetic expression of a peoples' elemental feeling- 
 one of the most important contributions to the annals of human his- 
 tory. In Gennany its significance had been lost sight of for some 
 time; it remained for Johann Gottfried Herder to revive the interest 
 in it. He stimulated the desire among the literary men of his time 
 and country for a collection of the existing reianants of songs that 
 cannot die because they contain the immortal heritage of the nation. 
 He himself had been inspired by the old Englisli and Scotch songs and 
 hoped by bringing them to the German people tlirough translation, to 
 again turn their taste to the appreciation of the forcefxil, serious 
 ballad. 
 
 The eighteenth century "Romanze” before Herder had a decided 
 tendency toward the humorous and satirical. This was noticeable in 
 the burlesques of Schiebeler, Lowen and other German contemporary 
 lyric poets, as well as in the "Leyerlieder” of K. F. Schmidt that 
 appeared in 1780. Even as late as 1794 Sulzer in his ’’Theory of 
 Fine Arts” claiiried that the ballad belonged to the comical type of 
 literature. Nevertheless, as early as 1767, M. Christian Schmidt of 
 Giessen in his well-known ’’Additions to the Theory of Poetry” remarks 
 that to qualify the ballad as necessarily funny was a fast disappear- 
 ing prejudice. The contributions of Goethe, Bigger, Wieland, Voss, 
 

 
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 Clatidius, Kosegartsn, von Miller, Hang and other poets of the last 
 half of the eighteenth centnry, all tending toward more serious ex- 
 pression, helped to bring about a decided, thongh necessarily grad-ual, 
 change in the ballad, replacing the light and often common "Bankel- 
 sange” by songs of deep feeling and elemental force. The source of 
 inspiration, ho'.rever, was not found on national soil; it had its 
 origin chiefly in the closely related literature of another land- 
 in the ballads of the British isles. 
 
 But the man who more than any other felt the national importance 
 of lyric expression was Johann Gottfried Herder, As a young man, seek- 
 ing for tlie origin of poetry, he thought to have found it in tl:e song 
 and the ode; pondering \5>on the nature of the ode he found himself 
 lost in the inquiry about the first beginnings of the art of poetry. 
 
 The data he gained from the study of the life of Homer, from Hebrew 
 poetry, from Dani^ history and IvlacP)herson’ s Fingal, harmonized with 
 his conception of the nature of all poetry: "poetry, the mother 
 tongue of mankind; the mother tongue of all poets— the song," This 
 was for him the key to all poetry. Had he been able to follow it to 
 its utmost consequences, it would have been sure to have become tloe 
 most important service for the revival of the poetic spirit in Gemnany. 
 But, serving him as an inspiration to further activity, it did much to 
 guide the German ballad back into the right course from 'v^hich it had 
 deviated. 
 
 Herder thought to perceive in MacPherson's "Ossian" notes of 
 nature and of the heart similar to Homer and Shakespeare, and to 
 
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 verses in the folksongs of various nations. It matters little that 
 he and others mistook the work of the Scotch poet IvlacPherson for the 
 songs of Fingal*s son who had lived in the third centiory. IvIacPharson, 
 making use of old Irish songs, of Scotch verses and legends, and 
 thro\7ing the mystic veil of antiquity about the verses of the legendary 
 Scotch hard, had revived for the people of his own time and for pos- 
 terity, the naivety, th sentiment, the force that had originally 
 created them. What had been expressed centuries before, voicing in 
 simple vX)rds the most vital interests of life, again touched the 
 human heart. Harder recognized that the poetry of Ossian, full of 
 sentiment and musical quality, was destined to release and to re- 
 awaken the neglected appreciation of poetry based upon true emotion. 
 With the notes of this poet — ’’notes of dignity, of innocence, of the 
 activities and blissfulness of hurrian existence” as Herder called them, 
 he succeeded in directing the attention of his contemporaries to that 
 which is truly simple— the artless production of the creative poetic 
 spirit of a people. Firmly believing in the authenticity of Ossian, 
 and placing him on a par with Homer and Slaakespeare as a representa- 
 tive of the highest poetic genius he upheld him in all critical 
 literary discussion, regretting only that so much of the beauty of 
 the great bard should have been lost by Denis’ inadequate translations 
 into German haxameter. Not that he did not fully appreciate the 
 hexameter of Klopfstock, but that he, more fully than anyone else, 
 realized the great difference between the two. He felt that the poems 
 of Ossian, songs of the people--songs of an uneducated people not yet 
 

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 iTOaned away from adlierence to sense impressions — songs tliat had 
 continued to he sung hy strength of tribal tradition, had undergone 
 a change in this beautiful epic form. Tliat, even thou^ the mean- 
 ing had remained undisturbed, the tone, the color upon which the 
 beauty of the poem depends so much had been altered. 
 
 Herder aimed to prove that poetry and lack of culture are not 
 contrasts, sajung that for him a wild people is one that is alive 
 and unrestrained in action; the wilder it is the livelier must be 
 its songs, if it possesses such; consequently the more lyrically in- 
 clined. Upon the vital quality of the song, the living presence of 
 the pictures, the coherence of its contents, the symmetry of the words 
 and syllables, the rhythm of the melody depend the marvellous power 
 and continuance of these songs through the centi-ries. He saw a pro- 
 nounced similarity between the rhythm of the songs of Ossian and 
 those of the itoerican Indians vshich also depend on movement, melody 
 and pantomime. He was conscious of the dramatic element in the old 
 songs and pointed out the energy of their action— "Springe und Wurfe" 
 as he called them—proving these statements by examples as well as 
 by psychological explanation. He found their source in the youthful 
 imagination as yet unweakened by abstractions. 
 
 A part of a dialogue between mother and son, translated by 
 Herder from the old Scotch song "Edward, Edward" is here quoted. 
 
 Could anything have been depicted in more gruesome touches in a popu- 
 lar song? 
 
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 1, "Dein Schwert, wie ist?s von Blut so roth? 
 Edward^ Edward,* 
 
 Dein Schwert wie istfe von Bint so roth 
 Und gehst so tratjrig da,’ - 0,' 
 
 Ich hab geschlagen raeinen Geier todt; 
 Mutter, Matter,’ 
 
 Ich hab geschlagen meinen Geier todt, 
 Und das, das geht mir nah,' - OJ 
 
 2. Dein's Geiers Bltit ist nicht so roth,* 
 
 Edward, Edward,* 
 
 Dein's Geiers Blut ist nicht so roth. 
 Mein Sohn bekenn mir fray I - 0,' 
 
 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 
 
 3. Ich hab geschlagen meinen Vater todt 
 
 Mutter, Ivfutter,' 
 
 * ♦ ♦ ♦ 
 
 4. Und was soli Deine Mutter thim? 
 
 Edward, Edivard,* 
 
 Und was soil Deine Mutter thun? 
 
 Mein Sohn das sage mir,’ - 0,' 
 
 Der Fluch der Holle soil auf Dir ruhn. 
 Mutter, Mutter,' 
 
 Der Fluch der Holle soil auf Euch riahn, 
 Denn ihr, ihr rietheta mir.’ - 0.* 
 
 Songs of xvild peoples occupy themselves with objects, actions, 
 circumstances — with a living world. Youth sees the phenomena of 
 this vrorld as directly and truly as they really are; the contrast 
 that exists between the youthful and the modem, between nature poet- 
 ry and the poetry of artificiality was clear to Herder, He believed 
 that the poets of antiquity possessed the assurance and firmness of 
 expression peculiar to the unspoilt children of nature, coupled with 
 dignity, harmony and beauty. He likened Homer's rhapsodies and the 
 songs of Ossian to "impromptus", lamenting that gradually this gift 
 

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 ■became v;eaker tintil finally developing art extinguishes natxire and 
 leaves weakness and artificiality in its place— ”Die Dicht Kunst, 
 die st'urmendste^ sicherste Tochter der menschlichen Seele^ ward die 
 ungewisseste, lahmste, wankenste. ” 
 
 In the essay entitled ”Ossian tind die Lieder alter ’^olker" 
 Herder expressed in detail the views indicated a"bove and also touches 
 tgjon the G-erman Volkslied, thus giving the q.uestion a practical turn, 
 A love song, an old German fahle, and a childsong are quoted — "Bas 
 Roslein auf der Haiden." 
 
 Aus der mundlichen Sage: 
 
 Es saii ein Ena'be^ain Roslein stehn, 
 
 Rdslein auf der Haiden: 
 
 Sah, es war so frisch \3nd schon, 
 
 Und "blieh stehn es auzusehn, 
 
 Und stand in siissen Freuden: 
 
 Roslein, Roslein, Roslein roth, 
 
 Roslein auf der Haiden,' 
 
 Ber Kna'be sprach: ich hreche dich, 
 
 Roslein auf der Haiden.' 
 
 Roslein sprach: ich steche dich, 
 
 Bass du e\vig derikst an mich, 
 
 Bass ich’s nicht will leiden 
 
 Ro'slein, Ro’slein, Roslein roth, 
 
 Roslein a^jf der Haiden. 
 
 Boch der wilde Eha'be "brach 
 Bas Roslein auf der Haiden; 
 
 Ro’slein wehrte sich und stach, 
 
 Aber er vergass darnach 
 Beim Genuss das Leiden. 
 
 Roslein, Roslein, Rdslein roth, 
 
 Roslein auf der Haiden. 
 
 Herder appealed to the German poets to follow the example of Percy 
 in England, assitring them that Germany also liad its "Volkslieder, 
 
 Pro venzial- lieder, Bauernlieder" in the untaught rounds of the 
 country folk of all its provinces. The question was only vtiO would 
 

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-7- 
 
 collect tlierfi. Eowever, not to collect simply to see them collected,' 
 Herder closes the essay with an expression of sorrow over the common 
 style to which the German hallad had "been redtaced, in the place of 
 the earlier dignified rendering of the noble and sacred form. He 
 wanted the German lyric art to rettrn to the former treatment of 
 simple siabjects, so that it might be freed from the often oppressive 
 ornamentation that had recently become the rnle: 
 
 "Irre ich mich, Oder ist's wahr, dass die schoensten lyrischen 
 Stncke, die wir schoh jetzt haben -und langst gehabt haben, schon mit 
 diesen mannlichen, starken, festen deutschen Ton -(ijer einkommen Oder 
 sich ihm nahem? — Was ware nicht also von der A-ufweckung mehrere 
 solcher zu hoffen,'" 
 
 In 1765 Haspe, in a criticism of "Percy's relics of ancient 
 English poetry" that had jnst appeared, calls the editor "einen ?=!Iann 
 von grossem Geschmack, nicht weniger Einsicht in die Kritik, -und 
 einem nnermiiilichem Eleisse in der Entdeck-ung der alten poetischen 
 Geschichte seines Vaterlandes. " He praises the Eeli^^as a collec- 
 tion of songs that depict nature in its truest colors; songs that are 
 sure to please, even though they may appear strange at times. Raspe 
 also expressed the wish that a German art critic, equal to the English- 
 man in application, may be found, so that a collection of German folk- 
 songs might be forthcoming. Thus, the existence of the material be- 
 ing certain, the gain to Geruian poetry ^/vooald be imraeas'urable. Raspe 
 also calls attention to Percy's "treatise of the English stage", a 
 document of value to art critics because it proves that the "rules" 
 of the mysteries, the moralities, masks, histories, comedies and 
 

 
 
 
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 tragedies coexisted mth and were equivalent to the French "rules” 
 of the drama. Haspe, to prove this point, q-'X)tes from Percy some 
 hallads as examples, such as in Number I: Chevy Chase, Sir Canline, 
 King Estmere, Child of Elle, Launcelot, Alcanzor and Zaida; in Number 
 II: Rosamond, Pasquil, The battle of Agincourt, etc.; in Number III; 
 Glosgerion, The Lady turned serving man. Child Waters, George Barnwell, 
 
 I. Sir Cauline 
 
 In Ireland, ferr over the sea 
 There dwelled a bornye kinge. 
 
 And with him a young and cornelye Knighte, 
 
 Men call him Sir Cauline. 
 
 The Kinge had a ladye to his daughter. 
 
 In fashion she hath no peere; 
 
 And princely wight es that ladye wooed 
 To be tlaeyr wedded feere. * * ♦ 
 
 II. Fair Rosamond 
 
 When as King Henry ruled the land 
 The second of that name. 
 
 Besides the Q.ueene, he dearly lovde 
 A fair and comely dame. 
 
 Most peerlesse was her beautye founds. 
 Her favour, and her face; 
 
 A sweeter creat\ire in this worlds 
 Could never prince embrace. * ♦ * 
 
 III. Lady turned serving-man 
 
 You beauteous ladye s, great and small, 
 
 I write unto you one and all. 
 
 Whereby that you may understand 
 What I have suffered in the land. 
 
 I was by birth a lady fairs 
 An ancient barons only heire. 
 
 And when my good old father died. 
 
 Then I became a young Kni^itefe bride. * ♦ 
 

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 The significance of Easpe’s favorable comment is heightened 
 by the fact tiiat he added as models two translations from the Eeliqties: 
 '•Fair Rosamond” am ”The Shepherd's Resolution". Even though these 
 free translations were anything but a success^ failing as they did to 
 convey the beauty of the originals, they nevertheless called the 
 attention of the German public to this epoch-making literary event, 
 so that subsequently the English text of "Fair Rosamond" served as 
 a model for Herder's ballad of the same name, the only one chosen by 
 him out of the entire collection. 
 
 Die schone Rosemunde 
 
 Ewst harrscht' ein Koenig, in der Zahl 
 Heinrich der zweit' er hiess 
 Der liebte, nebst der Koeniginn, 
 
 Ein Fraulein hold und suss. 
 
 Ihres gl«ichen war auf Erden nicht 
 An Liebreiz und Gestalt; 
 
 Kein susser Kind war auf der Welt 
 In eines Mann's Gewalt. * * * 
 
 Raspe deserves credit also for recognizing that the serious ballad was 
 destined to be more than an innovation of the burlesque; that it would 
 ultimately cai:ise its disappearance. It was his sincere desire that 
 his countrymen should learn to appreciate the true dignity and the 
 real nature of the ballad from this collection of short songs that to 
 him were equal to those of Ariosto and Tasso, hoping that they would 
 choose these for models rather than the "Mordsgeschichten" and "Rankel- 
 sange". Tliere was indeed good reason to wish for a collection of 
 German Hero- songs in order to prove that German forebears of chivalric 
 

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10 - 
 
 times were not behind their neighbonrs in the art of poetry any more 
 than in other things. In his ballad "Eermin "und Gtaiilde'', a story 
 of chivalry, Raspe proceeded to show '*hat coiild be done in this way. 
 
 It was the first attempt to introdijce into romantic poetry the 
 serious, noble elements of feeling. Unfort-ijnately Raspe ’s poetic 
 talent was not equal to his critical insight—; he could therefore 
 not hope to su^iply the perfect model so sorely needed. Fully aware 
 of his own shortcomings he appealed to Herder to continue in his 
 search after old songs, so that old Gernian traditions as ^?ell as new 
 apt events might furnish material for history and poetry. 
 
 By this tin® Percy’s Reliquss were attracting comment from 
 other German poets. Gerstenberg, challenging his readers to collect 
 similar German sorigs, quotes ”C'.4)id's pastime” as worthy of coinparison 
 with the most beautiful remnants of Greek antiquity in its tender turn 
 and refined invention. 
 
 C, H. Schmidt believes that, if the venerable Gernian bards 
 were resurrected, their manly voices would be listened to ’.vith rever- 
 ent awe; that, if valuable old treasures of German poetry were found, 
 new poets would arise ’.vorthy of comparison with the old English bards. 
 
 These discussions soon bore fruit, as seen in the extracts 
 from Percy’s Reliquss in German translation, containing eleven ballads. 
 
 The Ghild of Elle 
 
 Harpalus 
 
 Cupid’s Pastime 
 
 Loyalty Confined 
 
 Love Will Find Out a Way 
 
 The Spanish lady's Love 
 
 Winifreda 
 
 Bryan and Pereene 
 
 Alcanzar and Zaida 
 

 
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- 11 - 
 
 L-cicy and Colin 
 Margaret's Ghost 
 
 Ci:5)id's Pastime Davison 1621 
 
 1. It chanc'd of late a shepherd s'vsrain. 
 
 That went to seek his straying sheep. 
 Within a thicket on a plain 
 
 Aspied a dainty nymph asleep. 
 
 2. Her golden hair o'erspread her face; 
 
 Her careless arms abroad were cast; 
 
 Her pillow had her pillows place; 
 
 Her "breast lay hare to every blast. 
 
 3. The shepherd stood and gaz'd his fill; 
 Nought durst he do; nought durst he say; 
 Whilst chance, or else perhaps his ’Adll, 
 Did guide the God of love that way, 
 
 14. Though mountains meet not, lovers may; 
 (last) Fnat other lovers do, did they: 
 
 The love of God sat on a tree. 
 
 And laught that pleasant sight to see. 
 
 It was not until 1790, however, that a complete copy of Percy's 
 first edition of 1765 appeared, proving conclusively that until this 
 time the English edition had served as a model to all ^^dio had occupied 
 themselves ’Vith Percy's ballads. It had so far been difficiolt to 
 impart to these translations the breath of poetry inherent in the 
 originals. At this time Herder alone seemed qualified to interpret 
 the poetry of the ballad, due to his intimate acquaintance with Shakes- 
 peare and Ossian, and with oriental poetry. His soul had been touched 
 by the word as well as the music of the ballad, but it is more than 
 probable that the idea of a collection and publication of his folk- 
 songs was suggested by the challenge of Raspe and Gerstenberg. During 
 his stay in Strassburg in 1770-71 he occupied himself much with trans- 
 
- 12 - 
 
 lations from old-English ballads^ their success being due to his 
 realization that the song — the so -and— are inseparable from living 
 poetry. He kneiv that the success of translation rested on this prin- 
 ciple, that translation Vvdthout tone quality was dead, r/Iany trans- 
 lators had been ship^vrecked on these shoals. 
 
 Herder's stay at Strassburg proved a blessing to German poetry. 
 His desire to awaken an interest in folksong among the members of 
 his set resulted in the cooperation of some of the younger poets; 
 
 Goethe who was one of them said that Herder opened up a new vista to 
 him in poetry, having until then only kno^vn it in a very different way. 
 Rie study of Hebrew poetry, folk poetry, and the oldest records of 
 poetry as suggested by Herder, proved the art of poetry to be a 'vorld 
 bequest, not a private heritage of a few highly educated men. Goethe 
 drank in eagerly all that Herder offered so generously; this interesting 
 intercourse of t'wo great minds, one of them just unfolding, was Goethe's 
 contribution of twelve folksongs, collected by himself on his wander- 
 ings in the Alsace, and carried around with him as a treasure near his 
 heart. At Herder's suggestion Goethe also took vp the study of Percy's 
 Reliques, finding, however, that the "Reliques" and "Ossian" left 
 very different impressions with him. The elegance of rhythm in the 
 English ballad was far removed from the wild uneveness of meter and 
 the uncultured expression of the Scotch Ossian. Herder saw in the 
 "Reliques" with its verses of strong emotion a niarked resemblance to 
 the po^verful Greek music before the invention of the art of hannonyr- 
 
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 inspiring him, they touched his soul. To reason about them was im- 
 

 
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-13- 
 
 possi'ole for him; this may explain the delay of the publication of 
 his translations. 
 
 The year 1773 was one of great significance for German litera- 
 ture. Klopfstock had finished his Messias; Goethe broijght out his 
 Goetz von Berlichingen, Btirger his Leonore; Herder vfa,a writing his 
 essay on "Ossian and the songs of ancient people”, which proved to 
 have a far reaching influence, Following Easpe and Gerstenberg, he 
 discussed some of Percy's ballads, adding some translations; the most 
 important of these were "Edward, Edward", "Sweet William's Ghost", 
 and "Love will find out the way. " 
 
 Wilhelm's Geist 
 
 Da kam ein Geist zu Gretchen's Thtu:, 
 
 Mit manchem Weh -und Ach.' 
 
 Und druckt am Schloss imd kehrt am Schloss 
 Uhd achzte tra-urig nach. 
 
 1st dies mein Vater Philipp? 
 
 Oder ist's mein Bruier Johann? 
 Oder ist's mein Tretslieb Wilhelm 
 Aus Schottland kommen an? * * 
 
 Weg der Liebe 
 
 Part I I^er die Berge, 
 
 l^er die Wellen, 
 
 Unter den Grabern, 
 
 Uhter den Guellen, 
 
 IToer Eluthen md Seen, 
 
 In der Abgrunde Stag, 
 iJber Pel sen, liber Hohen 
 Eind't Liebe den Weg.' * * 
 
 Part II Den gordischen Elnoten 
 
 Den Liebe sich band, 
 
 Kann brechen, kann losen 
 Ihn sterbliche Hand? 
 
 Was nwht ihr, was siemet 
 
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-14- 
 
 Ihr listigen Zweck? 
 
 Durch was irli beginnet 
 
 Find't Liebe den Weg. ♦ ♦ 
 
 D'uring this time Herder's essay "The Resemblance of the Middle 
 
 English and German Poetry" appeared, showing tlaat in their natijre the 
 
 English and German ballad are essentially one. Rhymes, tnrns, 
 
 favorite expressions, meter, the entire "Wnrf" are the same in both. 
 
 The essay in a way announces his own collection of the "Volkslieder" 
 
 which at last were p’dblished in 1779, In the preface Herder confesses 
 
 that the English folksongs formed his starting point, as they are 
 
 the final point to which he retiirns. StimifLated by this essay, Ang^ast 
 
 Friedrich Ursimas, like B-urger, edited in 1777 a collection of ballads 
 
 and songs similar to the old English and old Scotch poetic species. 
 
 The cooperation of Eschenbtirg did mtich to f-urther their siaccess; it 
 
 was he who introduced the collection by t’^ historical literary 
 
 treatises, translated from the English "About the Old English Minstrels", 
 
 from the first volume of the Raliquea, and "About Song-poetry, from 
 
 the essays of Song-Writing, with a collection of such English songs 
 
 as are most eminent for poetical merit". In this connection ivere some 
 
 that had been forroerly published. 
 
 I.dargaret ' a Ghost 
 
 Lucy and Colin 
 
 The Shepherd's Resolution 
 
 The last of these three, and "Lord Thomas", show the excellence of 
 Estenburg's translations, true to the original in tone and dignity. 
 
 But where the poet, like Raspe, omits the rhyme the result is un- 
 bearably sober, even trivial. 
 

 
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- 15 - 
 
 The collection of Ursin\3s certainly attracted considera'ble 
 attention and literary comment. Mo’ser e:qDressed vivid regret that 
 Germany had no such reliques to offer, saying that he r^ould prefer 
 them to the hones of the eleven thousand virgins at Cologne, Atjgust 
 Hermann Niemayer of the University of Halle read from this collection 
 to his large classes, trusting hy this method to guide the taste of 
 the students in the desired direction. The chief significance of the 
 Ur sinus collection was tijat it presented for the convenient use of 
 the public a compilation of laaterial th-at had previously been scatter- 
 ed. But it could in no way compare with the "Yolkslieder” of Herder, 
 a much more complete collection of powerful and far-reaching in- 
 fluence, destined to bring about the final victory for the true poet- 
 ry of the people. That this victory was not won easily is sho^wi in 
 the criticisms of such opponents of the folksong as Ramler and 
 Nicolai who, like Holty, considered the ballad far beneath their dig- 
 nity, However, the spirit of the time pointed in the right direction 
 and the opposing voices were finally silenced by ever growing numbers 
 of translations. 
 
 The '’Poems” of Burger that came out soon after Herder's "Volks- 
 lieder” are free translations to the extent that they might pass for 
 his Own ^^rk~and indeed he was not unwilling that they shoiild — the 
 subject matter alone pointing to their origin. They stand on the 
 very borderline of free translation and imitation. Among these were 
 "The Child of Elle”, called "Die EntfiShrung" by Burger, and set to 
 music by Zumsteg. "The Friar of Orders Gray" is presented as "Bruder 
 
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16- 
 
 Gra-orock" and "The Passionate Shepherd” as "Schiefer's Lieheswerhimg”. 
 Some verses of each of the poems are q.uoted to give an idea of B-arger's 
 style; comparing them with the English version, it becomes very evi- 
 
 f/ 
 
 dent that B-urger did not hold closely to the original in any xmy. 
 
 Brtider Gra-urock -and die Pilgerin 
 
 If 
 
 Ein Pilgermadel, jTJng land schoen, 
 
 Wallt auf ein Kloster zu. 
 
 Sie zog das Glocklein an dem Thor; 
 
 Ein Br-uder Granrock trat hervor, 
 
 Halb bar fuss ohne Sch*di, 
 
 Sie sprach; "Gelobt sie Jesus-Christi” 
 ”Zu Ewigkeit.’ sprach er. 
 
 Gar wunderseltsam ihm geschala; 
 
 Dhd als er ihr in's AiJge sah. 
 
 Da schltig sein Herz noch mehr. * * 
 
 It was a friar of orders gray 
 Walked forth to tell his beades; 
 
 And he met with a lady fairs 
 Clad in a pilgrims' s wesdes. 
 
 Now Chjrist thee save, thou reverend friar, 
 I pray thee tell to me. 
 
 If ever at yon holy shrine 
 My true love thou didst see, * * 
 
 Die Entf'uhrnng 
 
 1, ”Ehapp', sat tie mir mein D^en ross. 
 
 Das ich mir Euh' erUeite.' 
 
 Es wird mir hier zu eng in» Scnoss; 
 
 Ich will taid muss in's Weite."’ 
 
 So rief der Ritter Karl in Hast; 
 
 Voll Augst und Ahnaung, sender Hast. 
 
 Es schien ihn fast zu plagen, 
 
 Als hatt'er wenverschlagen. 
 
 2, Er sprengte, dass es F*jnken stob, 
 Hinunter von dem Hofe; 
 
 Und als er kamm den Slick erhob, 
 Sie da, Gertruden's Zofe.' 
 
 Zusammen schrack der Ritters raann; 
 
I 
 
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-17- 
 
 Es packt ilm wie mit Krallen an 
 Und schuttelt ihn pieber 
 Hinuber -and heruber. * * 
 
 1. On yonder wall a castle standee 
 With walles ani to^’^es 'bedigiit, 
 
 Md yonder lives the Child of Elle 
 A yomge and comelys Knight e. 
 
 2, The Child of Elle to his garden went. 
 
 And stood at his garden pale. 
 
 When, lo] he heheld fair Einmeline’s page 
 Come trippinge do>;vn the dale. 
 
 2, The Child of Elle, he hyed him thence 
 Y-’vvishe stood not stille 
 
 And soone he niet fair Emneline's page 
 Come climbing up the hille. 
 
 In 1780-81 Bodmer edited his "Old-Engli^ Ballads with Addi- 
 tions of Fragments of the Old-Swahian Period and Poems”. He said 
 that the merit of these songs was like tl^at of a franlc, open-hearted 
 man \vho, in his simplicity of tliought which is identical ivith feel- 
 ing, thinks and feels the thoughts that issue from his primitive con- 
 ception. Bodmer hoped that the many traits of sincerity, kindness of 
 heart, honesty and humanity contained in the hallad '.vould he appre- 
 ciated, and that the difference existing Between the naive and the 
 common i/rould he recognized, since the common is often made tp of 
 trivial and vulgar suggestions, and even more often of plebeian wit or 
 still more plebeian word-abuse. Bodmer's collection was composed of 
 38 translations from Percy's ballads, exceeding in mimber all previoxis 
 ones, but not equalling that of Herder in artistic significance, nor 
 that of Ursinus with its excellent Eschenburg translations. Twenty- 
 
-18- 
 
 five of these translations were contained in the first volnme of 
 1780, They all helong to the realm of the people; Bodmer's selec- 
 tion successfully avoided all that was artificial and trivial, as 
 indicated in the follovd.ng list: 
 
 1. Koenig Liar 
 
 2, Der Kleine Musgrave 
 
 3, Der Ivlantel der Keuscldieit 
 
 4. Koenig Westmar, ein Spielman 
 6, Waters 
 
 6, Der MdJech vom grauen Or den 
 
 7, Patrik Spense 
 
 8. Das Kind in Ziehhrunnen 
 
 9. Die Kinder in dem Wald 
 
 10. Der Landstdrzer 
 
 11. Glo-sgerion 
 
 12. Der Ivlantel mit Barten heligt 
 
 13. Des Schulzen Tochter zu Islir.gton 
 
 14. Barbara Elle 
 
 15. Das Schaferkind 
 
 16. Der Geaffte Ritter 
 
 17. Die Pilgerin 
 
 18. Die Schoene Ellinor 
 18. Gaweens Heyrath 
 
 20 . Gordon 
 
 21. 6awlin 
 
 22. Robin von Partingal 
 
 23. Der Diener, der zur Koenigin wird 
 
 24. Ser Stiefemutter Grausankeit 
 
 25. Koenig Edward und der Gerber 
 
 But Bodmer was not always fortunate in the choice of his meter, as 
 
 the follovAdng verse from "Patrik Spense" will prove: 
 
 In Dunferlie sass der Koenig zu Tisch 
 Das Eleisch war niedlich, der Wein blutrot: 
 
 Wer kennetednen geschickten Schiffer 
 
 Der trotzet den Sturm in dem segelten Boot? 
 
 A comparison \vith the original text mil show the monotony of Bodmer's 
 
 verse: 
 
 The King sits in Dumferling-tome 
 Drinking the blude-reid wine: 
 
 0 where will I get a guid sailor 
 To sail this ship of mine? 
 

 '* . ‘ ‘ 1 
 v.A , t*o >*, 4 « « 
 
 
 \ 
 
 v.i \ 
 
 
 4 
 
 t 
 
 J7 
 
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 c ;Ac 4 ^ 
 
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 ■ >,i -1 .*'. « j.'Ij* 3 .^V* 
 
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 ‘/'-J * ^ 
 
 •tA’.j. 'WiX,, 
 
 -. ■; ■' J 
 
.TO* 
 
 The second volnme, edited in 1781, is made up altogether of selec- 
 tions from Percy, thirteen in all; they are: 
 
 1. Erairielyne 
 
 2. Die schoene Rosemtinde 
 
 3. Die schoene Ivlargareth •ond der susse William 
 
 4. Defi sussen William' 8 Geist 
 
 5. Der Koenigin Eleanora Deichte 
 
 6. Her Thomas und die schoene Nannet 
 
 7. Der Mord des Koenigs der Schotten 
 
 8. Dear Settler's Tochter 
 
 9. Die geduldige Got tin 
 
 10. Die Wildschiifetzen 
 
 11. Der Abt von Kantelhurg 
 
 12. Der Erbe von Si3one 
 
 13. Robin Hood 
 
 The quiet narrative style of BO'lmer adapts itself well to 
 idyllic passages in some of these old poems, enhancing their beauty, 
 as for instance: 
 
 An einem der langsten Tage in Jahr, 
 
 Unter den Schatten am grunenden Hag 
 Sass beisamiiien ain liebendes Parr; 
 
 Die schv/atzten den langen Sonmertag. 
 
 Sie batten nicht alias gesagt was sie '-vollten, 
 
 Als ihnen die Nacht zu scheiden gebot; 
 
 Zu scheiden tath weh dun lisbenden Paar, 
 
 Da sprach William zu der schoenen Bfergot:- 
 
 One verse in the original is equivalent to these tivo above. 
 
 As it fell out on a long simner's day 
 Two lovers they sat on a hill; 
 
 They sat together that long summer's day 
 And could not talk their fill . 
 
 Herder's ivork far surpasses all others on account of his un- 
 
 usual ability of linguistic expression perfected by practice. He 
 
« 
 
 \ 
 
 'N., 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 ' ■/ I, * t ‘, v S.ii 
 
 n 4 tl:U 
 
 , i ' ■: ^A>i, 
 
 i , / 
 
- 20 ' 
 
 came nearer tlian any other to rendering "All das dimkle Unnennhare 
 das "cins mit derc Gesange in die Seele fliesset". The less experienced 
 translators failed to convey it; they lacked the pliability, the art 
 of sympathetic interpretation, the sensitive appreciation of the 
 peculiarities of langmge that make the great translator. Herder, 
 however, was not satisfied with his translations of the folksongs, 
 and considered any criticism justified, saying that no one could 
 find any fault in them, of which he himself was not keenly conscious. 
 This may account for his delay of their publication, Conparing the 
 versions of some of the poems translated in 1773 ndth those in print, 
 changes and corrections are quite frequently found. For instance: 
 
 Wilhelm's Geist 1773 
 
 Dein Hand und Pfand geh ich Dir nicht 
 S'wird himmer Dein Gewirin 
 Bis dass Du korarast in mein Gemach 
 Und Kuss'st mein Mund und Kinn, 
 
 1778 
 
 Dein Wort und Treu geh ich Dir nicht 
 Gehs nimmer wieder dir 
 Bis Du in meine Hammer konanat 
 Mit Lieheskuss zu mir. 
 
 The translation of "Young Waters" of 1773 follo'ws the original close' 
 
 ly: 
 
 Sie nahmen Young Waters, zwangen ihm 
 in Ketten Fuss und Hand 
 Sie nahmen den Jungling, sie zwangen ilm ein 
 Wo ihn Kein Taglicht fand, 
 
 1778 
 
 Sie rissen ihn, sie zwangen ihm. 
 
 In Ketten Fuss und Hand; 
 
 Sie rissen ihn, sie zwangen ihn 
 Wo ihn kein Taglicht fand. 
 
v» 1, 
 
 
 
 
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 ■#.' - .r «*.»• Cf 14 1 vH-^-^- 0^?Hi 
 
 
 
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-81- 
 
 The 10th verse of "Die schoene Roseinunde" shov?s in the version of 
 1773 a decidedly naive construction^ while that of 1778 is more 
 artistic: 
 
 1773 
 
 Doch ach das Gliiik das lachelt jetzt. 
 
 So hald ergrioact es si6hi 
 Gar hald schwand unser Koenigs Lust 
 Und's Fraulein' s Ruhe wich 
 
 1778 
 
 Doch ach, das Gluck das oft ergrimrat. 
 
 Wo es zuvor ^lacht, 
 
 Beneidet hald des Koenigs Lust 
 Und Rds'chen's Liehespracht. 
 
 Each of the succeeding years added to the number of transla- 
 tions and "imitations" found either in periodicals or in private 
 editions. A second volume of Burger's poems came out in 1788. The 
 Voss Almanack of 1780 brought out a German version of the ballad, 
 "Talce thy Cloak about Thee" and the "Rohin-Good-Eellow" both by Voss. 
 This same publication contained "The Braes of Jarrow" by v. Halem, 
 "The Jealousy of the Mind" by E.M.Euh, and Hai:;g's "Love mil find out 
 the ^'vay", as \vell as the translation of v. Miller's "The passionate 
 Shepherd" which had been published before. Still another collection 
 "Volkslieder, nebst untermischten anderen St^ken", identical in 
 title mth that of Herder, came out in 1795, prefaced by the author 
 F. H. Bothe, as if to justify his enterprise. "Folk-poetry", he said, 
 "taking the v^urd in its proper interpretation, is the most sublime 
 of all poetry. Its chief object, great important truths and events. 
 The great thinkers of all times loved it; its greatest poets T^re 
 
- 22 - 
 
 almys the most popular”. 
 
 Bothe's collection contains 28 haliads after Percy: 
 
 1. Der Todes Sieg 
 
 2. Die Chevy jagd 
 
 3. Mein Sinn est rair ein Koenigreich 
 
 4. Die goldene Mittelstrasse 
 
 5. Heir Kalin 
 
 6. Der Ritter von Elle 
 
 7. Das KniJblein mit dem Mantel 
 
 8. Harm Gahins Hochzeit 
 
 9. Der schoene Unhekannte 
 
 10. William and Faimy 
 
 11. Herr Aldingar 
 
 12. Die FeenKoenigin 
 
 13. Robert Gutfruend 
 
 14. Graf Wal ter 
 
 15. Der verliehte Schafer an sein Liebfchen 
 
 16. Dea M^chen’s Ant wort 
 
 17. Das Fraulein aua Spanien 
 
 18. Guter Schafer, sage mir. 
 
 19. Der Pilgrim und der Reisende 
 
 20. Amor's Kurzweil 
 
 21. Angelika, eine Ballade 
 
 22. Valentin und Ur sin 
 
 23. Die Kinder im Walde 
 
 24. Die in einen Dieuer ver'p.’andelte lady 
 
 25. Der Mo^mlcIi und die Pilgerin 
 
 26. Admiral Hosier's Geist 
 
 27. Bryan und Perine 
 
 28. Der Ritter unt der langen Hase, Oder Weiherlist. 
 
 These translations, far more artistically rendered than those 
 of Bodraer, are by Bo the himself, with tliree exceptions. The first of 
 these is the "Lady, die in einsn Dieuer varwandelt wird”, signed here 
 for the first time by Merck; the second one is Miller’s ’well known 
 ”Verliebter Schafer”, and the third one is Burger's "Graf Walter" 
 with some slight alterations by Bothe for the salre of greater truth 
 to the origiml. It is to be regretted that Bothe failed in this 
 attempt; it should not have been a difficult task to iirxprove a few 
 imperfect passages of a 'jvork that, on the whole, came very near the 
 
ihtiit'ii 
 
-23- 
 
 criginal text in si^^plicity and straightforv«,rd treatment. It was 
 chiefly a question of technical ability. To illustrate this point 
 the three versions are quoted; 
 
 Original; Child Waters in his stable stood 
 And stroakt his milk-\?diite steed; 
 To him a fayre young lady came 
 As ever 'ware xiTOman's weed. 
 
 Burger: Graf Walter rjief am r^&rstallthcr; 
 
 Knapps scluminn und mein Rossi 
 
 Da trat ilin an die schoenste Ivlaid 
 Die je ein Graf genoss. 
 
 Bothe: Graf Walther stund in seinem Stall 
 
 Und strich sein milch-weiss Ross 
 Da trat ihn an die schoenste Ivlaid 
 Die je ein Graf genoss. 
 
 Even thou^ Bothe succeeded in bringing the first t’^;o lines nearer 
 to the original text, he failed in the last ti'i©— evidently not capable 
 of finding any rhyme but ”Ross: genoss". Bothe 's collection, iihich 
 does not include anything truly German, is the last one of the note- 
 worthy collections at the close of the century. 
 
 The year 1801 brought the publication of S. G. Kosegarten's 
 collection of translations, eight of these by himself are considered 
 the best among literary translations. Word, meter and sense are 
 truthfully rendered, retaining the original character, as is shcvn 
 in the quotation from "Hosier’s Geist”; 
 
 1, Spanien's Heersmacht war geschlagen. 
 Neben Porto-Bello lag 
 Triumphierend Englands Flotte; 
 
 Heiss und glorreich war der Tag. 
 Yernon cum und seine Braven 
 
-24- 
 
 Ruhten nach der sch\rolen Schlacht; 
 
 Wirapel str<?rnten^ Bacherklangen, 
 
 Siegs geschrei d-urch scholl die Nacht. 
 
 2. Pl&tzlich gellt ein gr£sslich Henlen 
 Aus der d-unklen Plut hervor; 
 
 Geister sch'/;arniten, gra'a’nvoll Hdiru.aemd, 
 Rechts taid links nnd rings empor, 
 
 Statt der Leichentucher 
 Hangeroatter jeden ein. 
 
 Jeder schein mit scheelen BlicKen 
 Porto-Bello zu "bedraii'n. 
 
 Herder believed that in Kosegarten a man had appeared who had ven- 
 tared into the field of lyric art with great success, making the 
 language serve him in the utmost degree, dominating through it like 
 a master mind, making use of its abtindance, its wealth and harmony 
 cleverly and yet so naturally that the effect is surprising and 
 fascinating. 
 
 Kosegarten's sight translations are: 
 
 1. Das Lied vom Weidenba-um 
 
 2. Das Lied von Sir Patrik Spense 
 
 3. Die Judentochter 
 
 4. Das Lied vom edlen Lfurray 
 
 5. Das hussbranne Al^chen 
 
 6. Die Romanze von Barbara Allen 
 
 7. 0 Jammer, JOpitaer 
 
 8. Hosier's Geist. 
 
 It may be interesting to compare the follovTing verse of "Sir 
 
 Patrik Spense" in the original, '7ith Herder and wdth Kosegarten: 
 
 Ijfake haste, make haste, my mirry men all 
 Otir guid ship sails the morn. 
 
 0 say na sae, my master deir 
 For I fear a deadlie storm. 
 
 Herder: Macht fort, laacht fort, mein' mckre Leut' 
 
 Unser gut Schiff segelt morgen. 
 
 0 sprecht nicht so, mein lieber Herr 
 •Da sind wir sehr in Sorgen. 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 *,l 
 
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 t 
 
 
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 4 *- ■- 
 
 ^ ;•. V*^ V i il ,J V t*.4 
 
 ■ Hi' 
 
 ■■■'- :■■ : oc :X '.'J\. U 
 
 
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 'Al •> 'A^' 
 
 
 '■ dMiM^ 
 
 I 
 
-25- 
 
 Kos3garten: Ntm rutirt e-uch Burscha, rulart e-uch frisch 
 
 Wir sticlien morgen in See. 
 
 Da s44-Gott vor^ EerzlieBer Herr.' 
 
 Eg br^ht tins Angst nnd. Weh. 
 
 In 1805 Hang presented in his Epigrams and mixed Poems, Vol, 
 II, thirteen translations, among then the "Bailiff’s dan^ter of 
 Islington". Some of these translations are in short five syllable 
 trochaic verse mthout rhyme, v/hich in itself is not snccessfiil, 
 even thongh the langnage is apt enongh. Hang followed the example 
 of soma of the lyric poets of the Renaissance in introdncirig 
 abstract ideas like "love" by equivalent gods of Greek mythology. 
 Consequently Hang registers a step backvsard in the attempt to 
 familiarize the Geririan people ',vith Rercy' s Reliques. However, only 
 tvvO out of the 13 translations deserve the name of folksong: "Barbara 
 Ellen" and the "Bailiff's daughter"* In order to give an idea of 
 
 Hang's rather conventional and artificial style, one verse of the 
 latter poem is quoted beside the original: 
 
 Yet she was coye, and ’vonld not believe 
 Tliat he did love her sO; 
 
 No, nor at any time shotild shee 
 Any countenance to him showe. * * 
 
 Hang: Sie glaubt dem feinen Gekose 
 
 Der s tat t lichen Erben nie, 
 
 ^g Spr6di^eit, ach.' nnd hehlte 
 Der Herzens Sj^ipathie. * * 
 
 Even one verse is sufficient to show that Hang's manner was 
 not suited to the Volkslied. 
 

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 ‘iv 
 
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 J 
 
 ' J 
 
 ■'-/;/ k.i :,*JE 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 V Jk't Mil’ll, j 
 
 '’>«■ J 
 
 If - 
 
 ... ..'j 
 
 
 1 '* ' 
 
 ,->. .., - 
 
 
-26- 
 
 Tlie Mijsen-Almanach of Chainisso and Varnhagen of 1806, and that 
 of Seckendorf of the follo\ving t’\o years, hro-ught out ftarther trans- 
 lations, mostly unsigned, hut supposedly hy Seckendorf himself. 
 
 ^ong these were: 
 
 The Eisir.g in the North 
 King Arthur’s Death 
 Alcanzor and Zayda 
 Gentle River 
 The Jew’s Daughter 
 Edward, Ed’.vard 
 Sir Patrik Spense 
 Child Waters 
 
 It may he interesting to consider for a moment the influence 
 of the folksongs on German plays. In 1777 Wieland completed his 
 ’’Singspiel Rosernund” which was based on Percy’s ballad of the same 
 name. It serves as a good example of the dramatic use of the 
 ’’Reliques” even though it is a well kno-yn fact tliat the ballad can 
 scarcely he made to serve satisfactorily the much larger dimensions 
 of the stage. In 1776 a tragedy appeared, called "Adeston und 
 Ros’chen, v^ith songs hy Schenk, and in 1790 a drama in four acts hy 
 Speyer, entitled ”Karl von Eschenhorst und Fraulein Gertrude von 
 Hachhurg, ” "Eosamunde" a drama hy Th, ^oerner, came out in 1811. 
 ”Er'.vin und Elmir e” was the name given to the draiaa hy Goethe, making 
 use of the plot of the ’’Friar of the Orders Gray"^ while Tieck used 
 the sane ballad for his "Zerhino”. Ur sinus had recognized the value 
 of the ballad as a source of dramatic material. His opinion was 
 based on the resemblance between the ballads of Lear, and of the 
 Jew of Venice, and the plays of the same name by Shakespeare. This 
 
 view was supported by Lessing. There, indeed, was rich material for 
 
f ' ,7 T’TSr V T '3 
 
 
 tfkO.‘ *w4, ^ V’’Vi. ■?c>- j|-( ,v\«^ir'^IUti> <ii>ilfi*r 
 
 -'Sh, 
 
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 z*** f '■■’,« ■ ■• - 
 
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 t .'• e.*t. f0 
 
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 - i '.\.- 
 
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 't? 
 
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 5 .i *#•! \cnacj * .«v4«»v t xA’Vi f.^ 
 
 Tf“ 
 
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 lUI 
 
 v 4 X a, .V .* 
 
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 itr^, ^ . Ua*® '■' ■ ^ X\ x)^J^ __ 
 
 ■ fc.. '. • r/ 
 
 
-27- 
 
 the young draaiatic poets, and, as Ursinus expressed it: "Wie 
 es ntm wenn ich dera jungen, dramatischen Dichter alle die alten 
 Balladen luid Legenden, die uns noch von den minstrels, alle die 
 Romanzen, welche uns von den Troubadours ubrig geblieBen sind, zur 
 fleissingen Lekture a«riete? zum Studio erapfdhle? Ich dachte das 
 ■praxe so unrecht wohl nichtJ Er gewiss~^e und da noch ganz 
 
 neua,^ochst warlx-'scheniliche und interessante Situationen zu ganzen 
 St'ixken finden, oft, und hia-^yTeilen wo er’s am wenigsten vermutete, 
 die auffallendsten, vortrefflichsten Gruppen zu einzelnen Scenen” . 
 
 This brief record of the introduction of the folksong into 
 Germany covers a period of forty years, beginning with the first 
 translation from Percy, and leading up to the time ntien Germany be- 
 came conscious of her own inherent treasures. Herder saw in the 
 Reliques not only the re:mants of a foreign folk-poetry, but the 
 stimulus for a new Gentian folk-lyric. Had he lived longer, he T';ould 
 have had the satisfaction of seeing his hopes realized. But the soil 
 prepared by him brought forth a magnificent collection of folksongs 
 between 1606-08; the "Volkslieder" of Ariura und Brentano, a prodtict 
 of the romantic spirit so prevalent at that time. 
 
 The notes of "Des Knaben V/underhom” reached all German 
 lands. This was a magic call, awakening a many-voiced echo, eagerly 
 listened to by the German people and accepted mth enthusiasm and 
 deep feeling. Ari-um and Brentano proceeded natim^ally with their work, 
 like Percy with his collection, but, nevertheless, paving the way 
 for the great historical collection of Ludwig Uhland "Alt und Nieder- 
 

 
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-28- 
 
 deutsclie Volksliader"^ wiiicii was published in 1845. Other collections 
 of national folksongs soon followed--poets were no longer compelled 
 to leave their native soil for models. 
 
 Posterity will know but little of the laatiring efforts of 
 Herder in behalf of the folksong and even less of the foreign models 
 that inspired him. If the old English and Scotch songs still claim 
 some attention it is rather due to the typically German desire to 
 get acquainted with foreign literature than to an appreciation of 
 their historical significance for German literature. But the 
 awakening of the German consciousness is due to the emphasis laid by 
 Herder on the collection of folksongs^ even though he called his 
 first collection: "ein hand voll Wasser gegen liber einem nachbarlichem 
 Gastnahl von Fulle und Wohlstand.” In the preface to this collection 
 he stressed the great need of collecting the songs of the people: 
 
 ”Hur jetzt, nur jetztJ Die Reste aller lebendigen Volksdenkeit rollen 
 mit beschlennigtem, letztem Sturze in den Abgrund der Vergessenheit 
 hinabJ” And later again he sent out the imploring appeal: "Grosses 
 Reich^ Reich von zehn Volkern, Deutschland.’ Du liast keinen Shakes- 
 peare, hast du auch keine Ges^ge deiner Vorfahren, deren du dich 
 ruhraen koenntest? Schvteizer, Schwaben, Erahken, Bayern, Westfaler, 
 Sachsen, Wenden, Preussen, ihr habt allesararat nichts?" His appeal 
 was answered, and undreamed of treasures were revealed, equal in 
 beauty and strength to Percy’s Reliques. The poets after Herder, 
 first among them Uhland, appreciated the intrinsic value of the folk- 
 song, realizing that its directness, spontaneity, force would keep 
 fresh the close bond with nature, the source of a people's strength. 
 

 1 I 
 
 r € ,, i ’^ 67 ^ ' ■ - r . V . 
 
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- 29 - 
 
 Even Percy failed, to see this as clearly; the learned hishop offered 
 in his preface to the Reliqixes of Ancient English Poetry an ^ology 
 for the crudeness of some of the songs in his collection: ”In a 
 polished age, like the present, I am sensible that many of these 
 reliques of antiqmty will require great allowances to he made for 
 them. Yet have they, for the most part, a pleasant simplicity, and 
 many artless graces, which in the opinion of no mean critics have 
 been thought to compensate for the want of higher beauties and, if 
 they do not dazzle the imagination, are frequently found to interest 
 the heart. To atone for the r\ideness of the more obsolete poems 
 each volume concludes with a few modern attempts in the same kind 
 of writing: and to take off from the tediousness of the longer 
 narratives, they are every\^ere intemiiingled vTith little elegant 
 pieces of the lyric kind. Select ballads in the old Scottish dialect, 
 most of them of the first rate merit, are also interspersed among 
 those of our ancient Engli^ minstrels; and the artless production 
 of these old rhapsodies are occasionally confronted with specimens 
 of the compositions of conten^jorary poets of a higher class, of 
 those who had all the advantages of learning in the times in which they 
 lived, and who Twrote for fame and posterity. Yet perhaps the palm will 
 be frequently due to the old strolling minstrels v/ho composed their 
 rhymes to be sung to their harps, and who looked no farther than for 
 present applause and present subsistence.” 
 

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- 30 - 
 
 Bitliography 
 
 For the material of this essay I have dra'ini largely from 
 F, H, Wagner’s dissertation: "Das Eindr ingen von Percy’s Reliq-cies 
 in Deutschland." 
 
 Heinrich Lohre’s : "Vora Percy zxsa ’’if'underhorn. " 
 
 Deutsche Literatur Denkmale 
 
 "Yon deutscher Art md Kmst" 
 
 "Auszng^tts einem Brief^-wechsel Tiber Ossian und die Lieder 
 alter Volker. " 
 
 Haym* S ! "Herder " 
 
 Herder: "Stiramen der Volker in Liedem".