In 1796 he published the plan of a comprehensive history of arts and sciences from their revival in Europe to the end of the 18th century, and wrote as a part of the work a general history of civilisation and literature in modern Europe ('Allgemeine Geschichte der Cultur und Litteratur des neuern Europa '), 2 vols., Gottingen, 1796-99. The History of Modern Poetry and Eloquence' by Bouterwek, and the 'History of Military Science' by Hoyer, constituted other parts of the undertaking, which was left unfinished. The first three parts, and the fifth part, of a similarly extensive and uncompleted work, were written by Eichhorn, namely, the history of literature, ancient and modern, from its commencement to the present time (' Geschichte der Litteratur von ihrem Ursprunge bis auf die neuesten Zeiten '), 6 vols., Gottingen.1805-11. He also wrote literary history ('Literargeschichte'), 2 vols., Gottingen, 2nd edition, 1813-14 ; a history of all parts of the world during the last three centuries (' Geschichte der dray letzten Jahrhunderte,' &c.), 6 vole., Gottingen, 3rd edition, 1818 ; an historical survey of the French revolution (` Uebersicht der fraoz. Revolution '), 2 vole., Gottingen, 1797; and a universal history ('Weltgeschichte ') on the plan of Gatterer'a uoiversal statistics (' Weltstatistik '), 4 vols., Gottingen, 3rd edition, 1818-20. The two following laborious and judicious compilations have obtained a high repute iu the schools of Germany, namely, a history of ancient Rome, composed entirely of connected passages from the ancient Roman writers (' Antigua Historia ex ipsis veterum script. Roman. narrationibus contsxta '), 2 vols., Gottingen, 1811; and a history of ancient Greece, constructed on the same plan, from the ancient Greek historians ('Antiqua Historia,' &c.), 4 vole., Leipzig, 1812. His last historical work was a curious research OD the early history of the illustrious house of the Guelphs, iu which the ancestors of the present royal family of England are traced up to the middle of the 5th century C Urgeschichte des erlauchten Houses der Welfen, von 449-1055 4to, Hanover, 1817. From the year 1813 to his death in 1827, Professor Eichhorn was the editor of the Gottingen Literary Gazette' (' Gottingische gelehrte Anzeigen '). His critical writings display extensive and exact learning, which in his biblical treatises he employs for the development of doctrines often the reverse of those which are generally regarded as orthodox. Eichhorn applies
to the Hebrew Scriptures the principles on which Heyue explained the mythology of the Greeks, and his name is conspicuous in the theo logical school commenced by Michaelis and Semler, and extended by Rosen miiller, Kuhnoel, Doderlein, Rohr, Teller, Schmidt, Henke, Ammon, Steinbart, Wegscheider, &c., as an ultra-rationalist, and a promoter of the system of logical religion and morality, founded on the Kantian transcendental theory of ideology, at that time so generally prevalent in the universities of Germany, and which in truth is a system of mere moral philosophy and philosophical theism, exhibited under the ostensible profession of Christianity ; since all traditionary doctrines and statements are made to give way to the operation of "abstract, universal, and eternal principles of reason." By his superior knowledge of oriental antiquities, and by his bold mode of thinking, Eichhorn established a new system of scriptural explication, in which he displays a degree of learned and philosophical scepticism much beyond that of his predecessor Michaelis. He denies all supernatural revelation to the Hebrew prophets, believing them to have been clever and experienced persons, who, from their peculiar abilities, were likely to foresee political and other events. He examines, questions, and rejects the authenticity of several hooks of the Old Testament, and of some of the epistles in the New Testament; and asserts generally that miraculous appearances, visions, voices, &c., are explainable by the laws of nature and the principles of human physiology and psychology, and that supernatural communications are chiefly referable to the mysterious traditions and superstitious notions common to all people in a state of ignorance and barbarism. His theory of the origin of the canonical gospels, which regards them as compilations from anterior documents, has been adopted by many subsequent critics. (See Dr. Schleiermacher's work on the ' Gospels?) Many of the sceptical positions of Eichhorn have been attacked in Germany by the anti rationalisE class of divines. On this point see ' The Present State of Protestantism in Germany,' by the Rev. Hugh Rose, 2nd edition, 1829, and the controversial publications which it elicited.