Johann Arnold Ebert
Johann Arnold Ebert ( born February 8, 1723 in Hamburg, † March 19, 1795 in Braunschweig ) was a German writer and translator.
Life
The son of a city soldiers visited the Hamburg Johanneum and then the local academic high school. Ebert was in his youth greatly influenced by the poet Friedrich von Hagedorn, who supported him and encouraged his interest in the English language and literature. He studied theology in Leipzig since 1743 initially, but moved by publication of a serenade the indignation of the Hamburg Church authority and broke from this study. He then moved to philology and was accepted into the circle of contributors Bremer, on whose literary aspirations he played a big part. During his studies in Leipzig, he was also in contact with the literary Gottsched circle.
In 1748, he was through the mediation of his friend Karl Christian Gärtner Hofmeister at Brunswick Collegium Carolinum, where he received instruction in the English language was transferred soon. Even the crown prince Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, he taught in the English language. With the important men of letters who lived in Brunswick and surrounding areas, with Zachariae, Jerusalem, gardeners and Schmid, later with Eschenburg and Lessing ( 's appointment at the Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel had a leading role ), he was in friendly contact. In 1753 he became a full professor and lectured on history scholars. 1770 took over Eschenburg these lectures, whereas Ebert received the teaching of the Greek language. In 1773 he married Louise Grafe, daughter of the Council Chamber and composer Johann Friedrich Graefe. In 1775 he received a canonry at St. Cyriac pin, 1780, he was appointed councilor. Ebert died in 1795 in Brunswick and was buried in the cemetery Martini.
Ebert's importance is based less on his own lyrical works, than on its role as a cultural and literary agent. Great influence was mainly his translation of E. Young's Night Thoughts from English, which elicited a rapturous enthusiasm for Young and a large number of imitations. Ebert thus lent his hand to the reception of English literature in the German language area.
Works
- Johann Arnold Ebert: epistles and poems mixed. Hamburg 1789