HAMANN, Jonafc:c GEORG, a very orgival thinker and author, who, on the title-page of some of his writings, called himself the "Magician of the North," was b. at Konigs berg, in Prussia, Aug. 27, 1730. His early life was somewhat checkered; and a failure to acquit himself creditably in some business with which a merchant of Riga had intrusted him, induced him to abandon himself to dissipation, from which he was res cued by reading the Bible. He now devoted himself to the study of the ancient languages and of oriental literature, and made the acquaintance of many eminent authors. He died at Miinster, June 21, 1788. As an author, Hamann was little esteemed by his contemporaries, as he opposed the tendencies of the age, and defended the dignity of revelation against the attacks of the rationalists, and was thus placed in opposition to the multitude of scholars. Ilis language, besides, was figurative and symbolical in the highest degree, and frequently concealed, rather than revealed, the depth of his think ing. But his unmistakable genius, and the rich suggestiveness of his ideas, were
appreciated highly by Herder, Goethe, Jacobi, Jean Paul, and other great men. The influence which he exercised upon Herder's views was very great. All his writings exhibit a deeply spiritual faith in the unseen and the eternal. Fragments of them were published by Cramer, under the title Sbbeinisehe Bl'itter des .ifelows cues (Leip. 1819). and his Sainvidiehe Werke, by F. Roth (7 vols. Berlin, 1821-25); an 8th vol., published by G. A. Wiener, Berlin, 1843, contains additions and explanations. His biography was published by E. H. Childemeister (Hamanns Lebertund SelaVten, 0 vols., 1857-73); and by Poel (2 vols., 1874-76).