After his acquittal Freiligrath removed to Cologne, and assisted in the editorship of the 'Neue Rheinieche &Rung,' contributing also to the literary department of the paper. While thus engaged he pub lished a small collection of poems under the title of 'Between the Sheaves (' Zwischen den Garhen '), a Gleaning of Poems of a former Date,' 1849, and a translation of Shakepere's 'Ventis and Adonis,' 1850. The periodical on which he was engaged was discontinued about this time, and he then returned to Dilesolderf. lie had leaned in 1848 the first number of 'New Political and Social Poems,' and in 1$5l produced a second number, but had no sooner done so than he was threatened with another government prosecution. Tho liberal party in Germany had now become weak, and under the circum stances ha deemed it prudent to withdraw from the continent,. lie again came to London, where, we believe, be still lesides with his wife and children, plying the pen of a banker's clerk as his chief means of subsistence, but not entirely relinquishing his literary occupations.
Frciligrath'a first published in 1838, had reached the 10th edition in 1855. These poems are strikingly original, bearing little or no resemblance to those of any previous German poet. They are founded sometimes on scenes and objects which had fallen under his own observation, sometimes on the descriptions of travellers, and sometimes they are pictures furnished by his imagination ; they have no reference to himself, his own circumstances, or his own feelings, but present animated images of the scenes, objects, and beings, net only of Germany and Holland, but of Africa and America.
Ills conceptions are always distinct, and his expression glows with tho warmth naturally produced by a vivid imagination. There is occasiocally something of wildness, but no weakness, and now and then the images are coarse and even nnpleasing, but they are always founded on the realities of actual existence. When Freiligrath assumed the character of a political poet he appears to have douo so from an earnest sense of duty; and his poems of this class are the outpoarings of a generous and enthusiaatio spirit, vigorous and often vehement, but even when satirical, without spleen, or bitterness, or unfair exaggeration. Ilia translations from the English are numerous, and not only give the sense correctly, but exhibit the spirit, and imitate the rhythm.
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