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he adopted his resolution; after withdrawing from his dull overseer, he took a lodging in the city, where, according to his new determination, he would resign himself up to his taste for the fine arts, and for society. His parents disapproved much of this precipitate step; they saw in the boldness of this resolution a determined effort to disengage himself at once from the painful burthen of business, to free himself from every kind of subjection, and to give himself free, without restraint, to [alb the amusements of the place where he resided To call him back to order, they inagined nothing could be better than to make him feel his dependance; the bills which he drew were not immediately paid, and Gessner found himself in embarrassment. From this moment his friends neither saw nor heard any more of him; nobody knew what was become of him. After secluding himself for some weeks, he went to Hempel, the painter of the court, whose friendship he had before sought and obtained; he requested him to follow him to his lodgings; all the walls of his apartment were covered with landscapes, which he had just finished; he there conjured Hempel,

to tell him candidly, if, after these specimens, he thought him capable of attaining such a degree of proficiency in the art, as might not only assure him the means of living, but also some esteem and consideration. Hempel viewed his paintings a long time with silent attention, and at length asked him from what originals he copied : Gessner assured him it was all his own invention, and told him at the same time how unhappy he was that his pictures would not dry; it was because he had mixed his colours with salad oil, instead of linseed: Hempel burst out a laughing, and said, "Come, I see you have not long followed the profession; but a beginner, who is unacquainted with the rudiments, and composes such works, what may he not produce in ten years' time!".

...Gessner, however, did not find himself obliged to adopt the resource; his parents were soon reconciled with him; he was even permitted to prolong his stay at Berlin, and to follow his inclination; he enjoyed the plea sures of life, and the amusements of the great

but with more prudence than is usually possessed at his age, and without ever losing sight of a great and dignified object; the gay companions of his youth did not possess him exclusively; he was as often found in societies where he might derive instruction, as in those where he sought only amusement; he visited men of letters and artists, and was intimately acquainted with Krause, Hempel, Ramler, and Sulzur.

Leaving Berlin, Gessner, went to Hamburgh; he had got a letter of recommenda tion to Hagedorn; but before he presented it, he wished to be acquainted with this father of German poetry, without the introduction of any other person, and try if he could merit his regard on his own account; he accordingly went to the coffee-house which Hagedorn frequented, watching a fit opportunity of speaking to him; he soon found it: he had read the works of this charming poet with transport; his conversation appeared to him not less agreeable than his writings; Hagedorn was much pleased with the company of the young stranger; they frequently

met each other; at length Hagedorn désired to know who the stranger was, for whom he had already conceived so strong a friendship: It was not till then that Gessner presented his letter of recommendation, adding that he was ambitious of rendering himself worthy of his esteem and friendship, which was the motive that brought him to Hamburgh. Hagedorn invited him to his house, introduced him to all his friends, among whom were some of the most distinguished literary characters; and while Gessner continued at Hamburgh, Hagedorn was never seen without him. At length our poet was again returned to Zurich. The arrival of Klopstock, and his residence at Zurich, caused the enthusiasm to be there carried to the highest degree.

His own country was not, in respect to literary attainments, distinguished from the rest of Germany; his pastorals were thought agreeable and charming, but there were only a few judges who attached to these epithets, now become so common, the idea of something great, new, or original. His personal

to let his talents remain in the shade his amriable modesty was considered, particularly in a poety as a consciousness of weakness, and not knowing how to reconcile this modesty with the superiority of his poetical talents, which they could no longer refuse to allow hims they said, he is a poet, it is true, but he is nothing more at length they asserted that his genius was not only limited to poetry, but even to that particular species in which he excelled; notwithstanding the diffidence he found in himself, he was a little hurt at an opinion, which prescribed such confined limits to his genius; and this was truly the circumstance that gave birth to the first idea of composing the Death of Abel.

The poem, although not among the first: productions of his muse, proves sufficiently that natures had destined him to distinguish himself in more than one species of writing.

In 1762, Gessner published an edition of his works in four volumes, the last of which contained nothing but new productions, ex-I cept his Song of the Swiss, and his Night! eko zid pas sinod end er vagoon sex, bai