[Born at Hainrode, in Germany, 1759. Died at Marseilles, 1824. Aged
65.]
Son of the organist of Hainrode. In 1777, he entered the University of
Göttingen, where he gave private lessons to his fellow-students in
English and Greek, and published an edition of Shakspeare’s Macbeth. In
1807, he went to Berlin, and took an active part in the foundation of
the University shortly afterwards created there. Is honourably known to
literature, for his erudite and admirable editions of the classical
authors, and for his bold elucidation of many obscure points in ancient
learning. His most celebrated work, the “Prolegomena ad Homerum,”
published in 1795, was directed to overthrowing the opinion, previously
universal, which saw in the “Iliad,” the entire creation of a single
mind. He argues that it is the contexture of distinct traditionary
songs, the productions, probably, of many distinct singers: thus
dissolving at once the unity of the poem and of the poet, and making out
of one many Homers. An earlier suspicion had already separated the
authorship of the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey.” Both questions are still in
full debate amongst the learned. He may be regarded as the founder of
the modern philological school of Germany; and his “Prolegomena”
undoubtedly exercised a greater influence upon modern scholarship than
any work that has yet appeared.
[By F. Tieck. Marble. 1822. In the Royal University, Berlin.]