My landlady, who is only a tailor’s widow, reads her Milton; and tells me, that her late husband first fell in love with her on this very account:  because she read Milton with such proper emphasis.  This single instance, perhaps, would prove but little; but I have conversed with several people of the lower class, who all knew their national authors, and who all have read many, if not all, of them.  This elevates the lower ranks, and brings them nearer to the higher.  There is hardly any argument or dispute in conversation, in the higher ranks, about which the lower cannot also converse or give their opinion.  Now, in Germany, since Gellert, there has as yet been no poet’s name familiar to the people.  But the quick sale of the classical authors is here promoted also by cheap and convenient editions.  They have them all bound in pocket volumes, as well as in a more pompous style.  I myself bought Milton in duodecimo for two shillings, neatly bound; it is such a one as I can, with great convenience, carry in my pocket.  It also appears to me to be a good fashion, which prevails here, and here only, that the books which are most read, are always to be had already well and neatly bound.  At stalls, and in the streets, you every now and then meet with a sort of antiquarians, who sell single or odd volumes; sometimes perhaps of Shakespeare, etc., so low as a penny; nay, even sometimes for a halfpenny a piece.  Of one of these itinerant antiquarians I bought the two volumes of the Vicar of Wakefield for sixpence, i.e. for the half of an English shilling.  In what estimation our German literature is held in England, I was enabled to judge, in some degree, by the printed proposals of a book which I saw.  The title was, “The Entertaining Museum, or Complete Circulating Library,” which is to contain a list of all the English classical authors, as well as translations of the best French, Spanish, Italian, and even German novels.

The moderate price of this book deserves also to be noticed; as by such means books in England come more within the reach of the people; and of course are more generally distributed among them.  The advertisement mentions that in order that everyone may have it in his power to buy this work, and at once to furnish himself with a very valuable library, without perceiving the expense, a number will be sent out weekly, which, stitched, costs sixpence, and bound with the title on the back, ninepence.  The twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth numbers contain the first and second volume of the Vicar of Wakefield, which I had just bought of the antiquarian above-mentioned.

The only translation from the German which has been particularly successful in England, is Gesner’s “Death of Abel.”  The translation of that work has been oftener reprinted in England than ever the original was in Germany.  I have actually seen the eighteenth edition of it; and if the English preface is to be regarded, it was written by a lady.  “Klopstock’s Messiah,” as is well known, has been here but ill received; to be sure, they say it is but indifferently translated.  I have not yet been able to obtain a sight of it.  The Rev. Mr. Wendeborn has written a grammar for the German language in English, for the use of Englishmen, which has met with much applause.