FREILIGRATH

freiligrath, ferdinand (1810-1876), german poet, was born at detmold on the 17th of june 1810. he was educated at the gymnasium of his native town, and in his sixteenth year was sent to soest, with a view to preparing him for a commercial career. here he had also time and opportunity to acquire a taste for french and english literature. the years from 1831 to 1836 he spent in a bank at amsterdam, and 1837 to 1839 in a business house at barmen. in 1838 his _gedichte_ appeared and met with such extraordinary success that he gave up the idea of a commercial life and resolved to devote himself entirely to literature. his repudiation of the political poetry of 1841 and its revolutionary ideals attracted the attention of the king of prussia, frederick william