ter Heine, died insane. Lenau, whose true name was Niembsch von
Strehlenau, was a Hungarian by birth. He joined the group of German poets
among whom were Uhland, Gustav Schwab and Count Alexander von Wurtemberg,
whose literary aspirations were ridiculed by Heine as "la Romantique
defroquee." Stimulated by his fellow poet Chamisso's voyage to Bering
Strait, Lenau sought new inspiration in America. On his return he wrote a
number of poems on America, which were published under the title of
"Atlantica." In later years Lenau's verses, like those of Leopardi in
Italy, became ever more melancholy, owing partly to inherited tendencies.
In the early forties the poet's pessimism turned into absolute melancholia.

[Sidenote: Uhland]

[Sidenote: Heyse]

After the death of Lenau the mantle of German poetry fell upon Uhland. One
of the younger poets, Paul Heyse, at the same time made his first
appearance with the poetic drama "Francesca da Rimini."

[Sidenote: Babism in Persia]

In this year, Mirza Ali Mohamad, the great founder of the new Bab religion
in Persia, with his disciples Aka Mohamad Ali and Sayyid Husayn of Yezd,
suffered martyrdom. Sayyid Husayn recanted under torture, but the Bab and
Aka went firmly to the place of execution. Condemned to be shot, the Bab
escaped death by an apparent miracle. The bullets only cut the cords that
held him bound. He was afterward slain by a soldier. His body was recovered
by his disciples. Thus, in the words of Denison Ross, the Persian scholar,
"died the great Prophet-Martyr of the Nineteenth Century, at the age of
twenty-seven, having during a period of six brief years, of which three
were spent in prison, attracted to his person and won for his faith
thousands of devoted men and women throughout Persia, and having laid the
foundation to a new religion destined to become a formidable rival to
Islam." Further persecution of the Babis during this same year did much to
forward the new religion.

1851

[Sidenote: Louis Napoleon's measures]

President Louis Napoleon's growing mastery of France was revealed early in
the year. On January 3, as the result of his restrictions of the liberty of
the press, the Ministry had to resign. The President deprived General
Changarnier, a pronounced Republican, of the command of the Paris garrison,
and dissolved the Assembly, which might have objected to these measures.

[Sidenote: Death of Spontini]

[Sidenote: Spontini's career]

Gaspa