But the real intellectual capital of Switzerland in the 18th century was Zilrich, the "Athens on the Limmat." The most prominent names are those of Johann Jakob Bodmer (q.v.) and John Jakob Breitinger (1701-76), who, though not themselves stars of the first magni tude, had an important effect in extricating German literature from its old shackles and guiding it into a more promising
They were much influenced by Milton, Shakespeare and other English writers, and were violently, but unsuccessfully, opposed by Gottsched, the leader of the Saxon or "French" school. In 1721-23 Bodmer and Breitinger carried on the Diskursen der Maier, a periodical to spread their views, while more elaborate and systematic expositions of their critical doctrine as to poetry were set forth in Bodmer's Kritische Abhandlung von dem Wunderbaren in der Poesie (1740) and Breitinger's Kritische Dichtkunst (1740).
Among the most important Zurich contemporaries of Bodmer were Salomon Gessner (q.v.), 'the pastoral poet; J. H. Pestalozzi (q.v.), the educationalist; and J. K. Lavater (q.v.), now best remembered as a physiognomist and phrenologist, though his life time influence was great in many other fields. Johann Caspar Hirzel (1725-1803) is notable for his Wirthschaft eines phil osophischen Bauers (1761), the record of "Kleinjogg," a village Socrates, which attained great contemporary popularity. Johann Georg Sulzer (172o-79) claims attention for his Allgemeine Theorie der schonen Kiinste. Hirzel was one of the founders of the Helvetic Society (1761).
Of other Swiss writers of this period, not specially associated with the three towns named above, one of the best known is J. G. Zimmermann (1728-95), the lover of solitude. Johannes von Muller (q.v.) wrote the first detailed history of Switzerland, a book of influence and value. J. H. Zschokke (1771-1848), Swiss by adoption, also wrote a popular Swiss history, but is best known for his numerous short stories. J. J. Hottinger (1763-186o) and the brothers G. and F. von Wyss (d. 1893 and 1907) are also noteworthy historians (of a somewhat later date).
This was naturally, for Swiss literature, more or less sterile; but the democratic revival after 1830 was as marked in letters as elsewhere.
Three names stand out at this time above all others—Albrecht Bitzius (q.v.), better known as "Jeremias Gotthelf," the novelist of peasant life; Gottfried Keller (q.v.) a very representative Swiss novelist and poet; and Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (q.v.), another
poet and novelist, of more cosmopolitan leanings and tastes. Other notable writers are: Johann Martin Usteri (1763-1829), one of the earliest dialect poets; Gaudenz von Salis-Seewitz (1762 1834), a Grisons poet, known to English readers by Longfellow's version of his Song of the Silent Land; U. Hegner (I759-184o) and D. Hess (177o-1843), two novelists of local colour; Gottlieb Jakob Kiihn
a well-known dialect poet; J. R. Wyss (1781-1830), author of the Swiss national anthem (Rufst du, mein Vaterland?) and son of J. D. Wyss, writer of The Swiss Family Robinson; K. R. Tanner (d.
a lyric poet; Jakob Frey (1824-75), a follower of Bitzius; A. E. Frohlich (q.v.), the fabulist; Jacob Burckhardt (q.v.), author of the Cicerone; the ZUrich poets, L. Widmer (1806-68), H. Leuthold (1827-79), and A. Corrodi (1826-85) ; J. J. Bachofen (1815-87), a writer on Rome and Roman law, whose works have recently made a new and strong appeal; and F. Schmid (1823-88), a metaphysical poet.
Among writers whose activ ity belongs in whole or part to the 20th century, the outstanding name is that of Carl Spitteler (q.v.), a really great epic and lyric poet. With him may be named his friend J. V. Widmann (q.v.), a poet and dramatist of taste and distinction. R. Faesi, H. Federer, A. Frey, J. C. Heer, A. Huggenberger, Paul Ilg, Max Pulver, J. Schaffner, A. Steffen and Ernest Zahn are all writers of mark. Other noteworthy poets are Gottfried Bohnenblust, H. Hiltbrunner (W erk der Welt, 1927), Siegfried Lang, Karl Stamm (189o-1919), Dominik Miiller, F. Hofer and Isabella Kaiser (Mein Herz), who writes both in French and German. The chief dialect poets include Meinrad Lienert (b. 1865), the "Swiss Hebbel"; Otto von Greyerz ; and Joseph Reinhart. Novelists and story-tellers of note, besides those already mentioned are: J. Bosshart (1862-1924), whose later works showed great power (e.g., Ein Ruler in der Wiiste); J. Biihrer (Aus Konrad Sulzers Tagebuch) ; A. Fankhauser (b. 1890) ; John Knittel, who writes in English (e.g., Aaron West, with preface by R. Hichens, and Into the Abyss, 1927) ; Felix Moeschlin (Die Konigschmieds) ; W. Siegfried (Tino Muralt) ; A. Vogtlin, Robert Walser; Maria Waser (Wir Narren von Gestern) ; Lisa Wenger (Was das Leben mir lehrte, 1927); and Otto Wirz (Gewalten eines Toren, 1922). The leading story-writers in dialect are R. von Tavel (Veteran ezyt, 1927), J. Reinhart (see above), and Simon Gfeller (Meie schossli; Heimisbach; Aemmegrund, 1927).