State of German Literature. [Extracted from:] Edinburgh Review, October 1827.

[CARLYLE, Thomas].

About this Item

In October 1827 the newly married Thomas Carlyle, living in Edinburgh and working hard to establish a career, published this long and important essay in Francis Jeffrey s Edinburgh Review. It was warmly received and helped to establish Carlyle s reputation as an interpreter of German culture. State of German Literature begins with a consideration of two literary histories by Franz Horn, but quickly leaves Horn behind and moves on to its real purpose, a defense of German culture and an evaluation of its special remedies for the spiritual malaise of modern Europe. Carlyle defends the Germans against two charges: bad taste and mysticism. He argues that Germany is ahead of the rest of Europe in its standards of criticism, not behind … In countering the loose charge of mysticism, Carlyle argues that the great German thinkers, whatever they may be, are no mystics, and have no fellowship with mystics … Carlyle maintains that what distinguishes German thought is not mystical haziness but a fundamental disagreement with the assumptions of empiricism … (The Carlyle Encyclopedia). Oswald, p. 6. 8vo (205 × 128 mm), pp. [1], 304-351, [1]; disbound.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1594987753368

Bibliographic Details

• Title: State of German Literature. [Extracted from:] Edinburgh Review, October 1827.
• Binding: No Binding
• Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Anglo-German Cultural Relations