Schlegel

shlagel, August Wilhelm (1767-1845), a German poet and critic. He was born at Hanover and received his education at the University of Gottingen. His first literary work of importance consisted of translations from Dante and Shakespeare, his work in this line causing Shakespeare to be known almost as well in Germany as in England. He translated also the works of Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese poets. In this he was wonderfully successful. Hosmer says that "Shakespeare, Calderon, Petrarch, and Dante speak through Schlegel as they would have spoken had they talked German." In his original poems Schlegel showed some grace and beauty, but he possessed no creative genius and produced nothing great. His Lectures upon Dramatic Art and Literature are a valuable contribution to critical literature.