Klopstock's nature was best attuned to lyrical poetry, and in it his deep, noble character found its truest expression. He was less suited for epic and dramatic representation ; for, wrapt up in himself, a stranger to the outer world, without historical culture, and without even any interest in the events of his time, he was lacking in the art of plastic representation such as a great epic requires. Thus the Messias, despite the magnificent passages which especially the earlier cantos contain, cannot satisfy the demands such a theme must necessarily make. The poem was translated into seventeen languages and led to numerous imita tions. In his odes Klopstock had more scope for his peculiar talent. Among the best are An Fanny; Der Zfirchersee; Die tote Klorissa; An Cidli; Die beiden Musen; Der Rheinwein; Die fri,ihen Griiber; Mein Vaterland. His religious odes mostly take the form of hymns, of which the most beautiful is Die Friihlings feier. His dramas, in some of which, notably Hermanns Schlacht (1769) and Hermann und die Fiirsten (1784), he celebrated the deeds of the ancient German hero Arminius, and in others, Der Tod Adams and Salomo (1764), took his materials from the Old Testament, are essentially lyrical' in character and de ficient in action. In addition to Die Gelehrtenrepublik, he was also the author 9f Fragmente ober Sprache und Dichtkunst (1779) and Grammatische Gespriiche (1794), works in which he made important contributions to philology and to the history of German poetry.
Klopstock's Werke first appeared in seven quarto volumes (1798— 1809). At the same time a more complete edition in twelve octavo volumes was published (1798-1817), to which six additional volumes were added in 1830. More recent editions were published in 1844-45, 1879 (ed. by R. Roxberger, 1884 ed. by R. Hamel) and 5893 (a selection edited by F. Muncker). A critical edition of the Odes was published by F. Muncker and J. Pawel in 1889 ; a com mentary on these by H. Diintzer (186o; 2nd ed., 1878). For Klop stock's correspondence see K. Schmidt, Klopstock and seine Freunde (181o) ; C. A. H. Clodius, Klopstocks Nachlass (1821) ; J. M. Lappen berg, Briefe von and an Klopstock (1867). Cf. further K. F. Cramer, Klopstock, er and ober ihn (178o-92); J. G. Gruber, Klopstocks Leben (1832) ; R. Hamel, Klopstock-Studien (1879-8o) ; F. Muncker, F. G. Klopstock, the most authoritative biography (1888) ; F. G. Klopstock, Klopstock, 2. Juli, 1724. Zur Feier seines zweihundert jdhrigen Geburtstages (Berlin, 1926) ; E. Bailly, Etude sur la vie et les oeuvres- de Klopstock (Paris, 1888).