BURGER, Gottfried August, German poet: b. 1 Jan. 1748, at Wolmerswende, near Halber stadt: d. Gottingen 8 June 1794. He showed an early predilection for solitary and gloomy places and the making of verses, for which he had no other model than hymnbooks. He learned Latin with difficulty. In 1764 he studied theol ogy at the University of Halle, and in 1768 he went to Gottingen, in order to exchange theol ogy for law, but soon formed connections here equally disadvantageous to his studies and his morals, so that his grandfather, who had hith erto maintained him, withdrew his support. The friendship of several distinguished men at the university was now of great service to him. He studied the ancient classics and the best works in French, Italian, Spanish and Eng lish, particularly Shakespeare, and the old English and Scottish ballads. Percy's liques) was his constant companion. His poems soon attracted attention. In 1772 he obtained the office of baillie in Alten-Gleichen, but throughout his life he was involved in pecu niary difficulties. In 1774 he married the daugh ter of a neighboring baillie, named Leonhart, but his marriage was unfortunate. He con ceived a violent passion for the sister of his wife and married her in 1784, soon after his first wife's death. She also his celebrated
(Molly," died the first year of their marriage. At the same time he was obliged, by intrigues, to resign his place. He was made professor extraordinary in Gottingen, but received no salary, and this favorite poet of the nation was obliged to gain his living by poorly rewarded translations for booksellers. A third marriage in 1790, with a young lady of Swabia, who had publicly offered him her hand in a poem, com pleted his misfortunes; he procured a divorce from her •two years afterward. The govern ment of Hanover afforded him some assistance shortly before his death. His songs, odes, elegies, ballads, narrative poems and epigrams hold a very high place in German literature, Schlegel especially commending his work, though Schil ler criticised him very severely. The first col lection of his poems appeared in Gottingen in 1778. His complete works were first published by Reinhard at Gottingen in four volumes in 1796-98, and this edition has been repeatedly published since. Other editions of his works and letters have also been published, and his life has been written by airing; Profile,