“Meistersänger.” Master-singer.
P. 66, c. 2.—“Shrove-Tuesday,” or confession Tuesday is the day before Lent. Although originally a day of preparation for the Lenten fast, it was soon changed to one of merry-making and feasting. As everything was devised to increase the gaiety of the occasion, these plays soon became a regular feature.
“Reineke Vos.” Reynard the fox.
“Barkhusen,” bark´hu-sen; “Rostock,” ros´tŏck.
“Ulrich von Hutten,” ul´rich fon hoot´en. (1488-1523.) His life was spent in hot contests with the enemies of his reforms. As an advocate of the new learning, he went from city to city teaching and writing; “Epistolæ Obscurorum Virorum” was written in defense of this theory. He espoused the cause of the Reformation more because it favored religious and secular progress than from sympathy with its principles.
“Hans Sachs.” (1494-1576.) “Honest Hans Sachs,” as he was called, was a cobbler of Nuremberg, who had learned verse-making from a meistersänger of Munich. His verses included every style of poetry known, but the “Shrove-Tuesday plays” were the best, being full of strong characters and striking situations. The hymn mentioned, “Why art thou cast down, O, my soul?” is but one of several by him.
“Leibnitz,” līp´nits. (1646-1716.) Educated at Leipsic, he says of himself, that before he was twelve, he “understood the Latin authors, had begun to lisp Greek and wrote verses with singular success.” After taking his degree he went to Frankfort under the patronage of a wealthy gentleman; here he devoted himself to composing treatises on religion, philosophy, law, etc. All manner of projects interested him. He tried to bring about a union between the Catholic and Lutheran Churches, to introduce a common alphabet for all languages, to urge the king of France to conquer Egypt, and other plans, more or less Utopian. In the latter part of his life he received high honor from Hanover, Vienna, and Peter the Great. His correspondence was voluminous, and his works covered almost the whole field of human thought.
“Klopstock,” klop´stok. (1724-1803.)
“Wieland,” wee´land. (1733-1813.)
“Lessing,” lĕs´ĭng. (1729-1781.)