Germany
Hans Sachs, the Nightingale of the Reformation
Before Good Henry’s day two famous shoemakers had appeared in Germany, whose names are now much better known than his: Hans Sachs, the shoemaker-poet of the Reformation, and Jacob Boehmen, the mystic.
Hans Sachs was the son of a tailor at Nuremberg, and was born November 5th, 1494. At the age of fifteen he was put apprentice in his native town. His schooling had been but slight, but he managed after school-days were passed to retain and add to the little he had learned. His studies as an apprentice soon lifted him considerably above the level of his class. All his spare time was given to poetry and music, in which arts he was greatly assisted by a clever fellow named Nunnenbeck, a weaver in the city. On attaining his majority, Sachs, after the fashion of the time, travelled as a workman from town to town throughout Germany, in order to learn his trade perfectly and see what he could of the wide world around him. In this expedition he seems to have thought as much of poetry as of shoemaking, for he never omitted, wherever he went, visiting the little poetical and musical societies which then existed in nearly every town in Germany. These societies were formed by the various trades guilds, and their members were called meistersingers.
On his return from this tour, Sachs settled down to work in Nuremberg, and proved himself both an expert shoemaker and a first-rate meistersinger. In fact, he outshone all his compeers of the guild to which he belonged, and it was not long before he earned the reputation of being the first German poet of his day. The Reformation movement, led by Martin Luther, was then in full vigor, and found a hearty sympathizer and vigorous supporter in this “unlettered cobbler but richly gifted poet,” who was counted among the friends and admirers of the great Reformer. Luther had few more valuable supporters in his work than the shoemaker of Nuremberg, whose simple, spirit-stirring songs were rapidly learned and readily sung by the humbler sorts of people all over the country.
Sachs’ writings were very numerous, both in prose and verse. Few poets, indeed, have ventured to write and publish so much. He averaged more than a volume a year for over thirty years. On an inventory being made of his literary stock in the year 1546, when he was about fifty-two years of age, it was found that he had written 34 volumes, containing 4275 songs, 208 comedies and tragedies, about 1700 merry tales, and secular and religious dialogues, and 73 other pieces.
His best writings are said to be the “Schwanke” or merry tales, the humor of which is sometimes unsurpassable. His collected works were published by Willer, 1570-79, in five folio volumes.
Exactly two hundred years after Hans Sachs’ death, Goethe, who was a warm admirer of the shoemaker-poet, published a poem entitled Hans Sachs Erklärung eines alten Holzschnitts, vorstellend Hans Sachs’ poetische Sendung (Explanation of an old woodcut representing Hans Sachs’ poetical mission). This tribute from the pen of Germany’s greatest poet brought the shoemaker of Nuremberg again into notice, and put him in the right place in the temple of fame. Since the date of Goethe’s poem, Sachs’ works have been published in various forms, and are now as much read and as warmly appreciated as when they were first published. Nuremberg, his native town, is proud of her humble yet illustrious poet, and treasures up in her museum every relic connected with his name, ms. copies of his writings, poetical fly-sheets issued during his lifetime, or early editions of his works. In the libraries of Zwickau, Dresden, and Leipsic similar relics of the poet may be seen.
No testimony to his merit could be higher than that of Goethe, the prince of German critics in literature. It may be of value, however, in addition to this, to give the opinion of two very different men respecting Sachs. Dr. Hagenbach in his “History of the Reformation” says: “A happy union of wholesome humor and moral purity meets us in Hans Sachs of Nuremberg;” and Thomas Carlyle, in his own style, which happily is “inimitable,” speaks of him as a “gay, childlike, devout, solid character—a man neither to be despised nor patronized, but left standing on his own basis as a singular product, and legible symbol, and clear mirror of the time and country where he lived.”
He died on the 25th of January, 1576, at the age of eighty-two, in full mental vigor. He was busy writing verses and tales almost to the last days of his life. His grave is still shown in the churchyard of St. John’s, Nuremberg.
Jacob Boehmen, the Mystic
Jacob Boehmen, or Boehme, was born at the village of Altseidenberg, near Gorlitz, in Prussian Silesia, about a year before the death of Hans Sachs. A shoemaker for the greater part of his life, Boehmen devoted the powers of a remarkable mind to philosophical and religious speculation, and produced works which, notwithstanding their mystical and well-nigh unintelligible character, are declared by some of the best authorities in Germany and England to have laid the foundation of metaphysics and philosophy. It is impossible to give a true idea of the writings of this extraordinary man except by a complete review of his philosophy and its influence on German philosophical writers. The most contradictory opinions have been expressed in regard to the value of his productions. By some critics he is set down as a rhapsodist who wrote nothing but mystical jargon, and by others as a profound philosopher whose thoughts and dreams are full of inspiration. Mosheim, e.g., says: “It is impossible to find greater obscurity than there is in these pitiable writings, which exhibit an incongruous mixture of chemical terms, mystical jargon, and absurd visions.” On the other hand, it is curious to read the opinions expressed by our own King Charles I., who of all the Stuarts, not excepting his own father, James I., that “so learned and judicious a prince,” was most capable of being a judge in such matters. Charles is reported to have said of the writings of the shoemaker of Gorlitz: “Had they been the productions of a scholar and a man of learning, they would have been truly wonderful; but if, as he heard, they were the productions of a poor shoemaker, they furnished a proof that the Holy Ghost had still a habitation in the souls of men.”
Sir Isaac Newton was a student of Boehmen, whose dissertation on “The Three Principles” is said to have furnished hints to the philosopher which put him on the track of some of his great discoveries; and Blake, the half-mad, half-inspired poet, painter, and engraver, frequently spoke of him as a divinely inspired man. Before Blake’s day the writings of Boehmen had been translated by William Law, author of “The Serious Call,” and published by Ward & Co. in two quarto volumes (1762-84). Law’s writings had immense influence over the minds of John and Charles Wesley, and their followers, the Methodists. Law, who was no mean judge of the worth of Boehmen’s writings, held them in high esteem.
But of more value than these opinions is the estimate formed by philosophers themselves as to the works of this great mystic. Spinoza frequently studied them, and acknowledged their influence on his own mind. Schelling, the idealist philosopher, bears testimony to Boehmen’s great merits as a thinker. Hegel speaks of him as the “Teutonic philosopher,“ and adds, ”In reality, through him, for the first time, did philosophy in Germany come forward with a characteristic stamp.” S. T. Coleridge in his “Literary Remains”93 says: “I have often thought of writing a book to be entitled ‘A Vindication of Great Men Unjustly Branded,’ and at such times the names prominent to my mind’s eye have been Giordano Bruno, Jacob Boehmen, Benedict Spinoza, and Emanuel Swedenborg.” In the library of Manchester New College, London, is a copy of the works of Spinoza with marginal notes written by Coleridge,94 and among them is the following note to Epistle xxxvi.: “The truth is, Spinoza, in common with all metaphysicians before him (Boehme perhaps excepted), began at the wrong end,” etc., etc. Coleridge frequently spoke of Boehmen in the warmest terms of admiration.
At a very early age Jacob Boehmen showed a disposition to pious meditation and fancied himself inspired. He was poorly educated as a youth, and nearly all his knowledge was self-acquired. His first work was published when he was thirty-seven years of age, and was entitled “Aurora,” or the morning dawn. He was severely attacked by the religious leaders of his day, but the court at Dresden patronized and protected him. His death took place November 27th, 1624. His works have been frequently published in Germany, Holland, and England, where they are much more warmly appreciated now than they were in his own lifetime.