LICHTENBERG, GEORGE CHRISTOPHER, deserves a place in every English biographical work, if only an account of his admirable 'Erklarung der Hogarthiachen Knpferstiche; wherein he has entered far more completely into the spirit of our great artist's works, than any of his English illustrators and commentators, scarcely excepting Charles Lamb, whose 'Essay on Hogarth' is besides a mere sketch in comparison with the extensive canvass filled up by the German. Had he written nothing else of a humorous nature, this production would have established Liehtenberg'a reputation for aearchiug keenness of wit, comic power, and for both playful and severe satire. Unfor tunately however he did not live to complete his work.
Lichtenberg was born at Ober-Ratnatadt, near Darmstadt, July 1st, 1742, and was his parents' eighteenth child. By his father, who was the pastor of the place, be was early initiated into mathematical and physical studies, in which he afterwards greatly distinguished himself. On the death of his father he pursued his studies, first at Darmstadt, afterwards at Gottingen, at which university he was appointed to a professorship in 1770. Although then only in his twenty-seventh year, ho was well qualified for the office bestowed on him, such having been his assiduity that there was scarcely any brauch of learning or scieuco with which he was unacquainted. Just before his promotion he had made a visit to England, where he had the honour of being introduced to George EL, and was noticed by the leading men of science in that day. The favourable reception he had met with induced him to pay a second visit to this country in 1774, preparatory to which he had made himself thorough!' muter of our language. During this second residence among us, which was of some continuance, he was admitted into the highest literary circles. lie also studied our national character
with that shrewdness peculiar to him, and laid in that stock of infer Elation which he afterwards turned to such excellent account in his work on llogarth.
From the period of his return to that of his death he resided con stantly at Gottingen, devoted entirely to the duties of his professorship, to his pen and his studies. He latterly became subject to attacks of hypochondria, which induced him to lead the life of a recluse, without other society than that of an excellent wife and his five children. This malady however did not interrupt his studios, to which he continued as attached as ever, neither did it prevent his carrying on a very extensive epistolary correspondence almost to the day of his death, February 24th, 1799.
Besides the already-mentioned commentary on Hogarth (of which some specimens appeared several years ago in the London Magazine,' and from which there are also some extracts 'in the article entitled ' Lichtenberg and Hogarth,' Foreign Quarterly,' No. 32), his other works are exceedingly numerous, and no less varied ; for while some are entirely scientific, on subjects of astronomy and physics, others are pieces of wit and satire, frequently of the most pungent kind, and occasionally of the most extravagant and whimsical cast. Among these productions of humour the titles of one or two may be mentioned as conveying some idea of their subjects, namely, The Mad-house for Opinions and Inventions ;" A Sentimental Journey to Laputa ;" Con solation for those Unfortunates who are no Original Geniuses ;" A Patriotic Contribution to the Study of German Metlwlogy (Drunk ennesa);' and the Bediamites' Petition.