Simple Imitation of Nature, Manner, Style 59 Ancient and Modern 65 Notes on Dilettantism 71 II. THE THEORY OF LITERATURE The Production of a National Classic 83 Goethe’s Theory of a World Literature 89 On Epic and Dramatic Poetry 100 Supplement to Aristotle’s _Poetics_ 104 On the German Theatre 109 Ludwig Tieck’s _Dramaturgic Fragments_ 126 On Didactic Poetry 130 Superstition and Poetry 133 The Methods of French Criticism 134 On Criticism 140 III. ON SHAKESPEARE Wilhelm Meister’s Critique of _Hamlet_ 145 Shakespeare ad Infinitum 174 The First Edition of _Hamlet_ 190 _Troilus and Cressida_ 195 IV. ON OTHER WRITERS Goethe as a Young Reviewer 199 Byron’s _Manfred_ 202 Byron’s _Don Juan_ 205 Calderon’s _Daughter of the Air_ 208 Molière’s _Misanthrope_ 212 Old German Folksongs 213 Folksongs again Commended 220 Laurence Sterne 222 The English Reviewers 224 German Literature in Goethe’s Youth 226 V. EXTRACTS FROM THE CONVERSATIONS WITH ECKERMANN The Universality of Poetry, 249; Poetry and Patriotism, 251; Poetry and History, 253; Originality, 255; Personality in Art, 258; Subject-Matter of Poetry, 259; The Influence of Environment, 261; Culture and Morals, 263; Classic and Romantic, 263; Taste, 264; Style, 265; Intellect and Imagination, 266; Definition of Poetry, 266; Definition of Beauty, 266; Architecture and Music, 267; Primitive Poetry, 267; _Weltliteratur_, 267; French Critics, 268; The Construction of a Good Play, 268; Dramatic Unities 270; The Theatre, 271; Acting, 271; Dramatic Situations, 272; Management of the Theatre, 272; Menander, 273; Calderon, 273; Molière, 273; Shakespeare, 275; A. W. Schlegel’s _Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature_, 276; The French Romanticists, 277; Victor Hugo, 279; The “Idea” of _Tasso_ and _Faust_, 280; Schiller, 282; _Edinburgh Review_, 283; Byron, 283; Scott, 286. APPENDIX