FEITH, RHIJNVIS Dutch poet, was born of an aristocratic family at Zwolle, the capital of the province Over ijssel, on Feb. 7, 1753. He was educated at Harderwijk and at the University of Leyden, where he took his degree in 1770. In 178o, in his 27th year, he became burgomaster of Zwolle. His first important production was Julia, in 1783, a novel written in emulation of W erther, and steeped in Weltschmerz and despair. This was followed by the tragedy of Thirsa (1784) ; Ferdinand and Constantia (1785), another W erther novel; and The Patriots (1784), a tragedy. Bilderdijk and other writers attacked his mor bid melancholy, and Johannes Kinker (1764-1845) parodied his novels, but his vogue continued. In 1791 he published a tragedy of Lady Jane Grey; in 1792 a didactic poem, The Grave, in four cantos; in 1793 Inez de Castro; in 1796 to 1814 five volumes of Odes and Miscellaneous Poems; and in 1802 Old Age, in six cantos. He died at Zwolle on Feb. 8, 1824.
His works were collected (Rotterdam, II vols.) in 1824, with a biographical notice by N. G. van Kampen.