ad
been among his favourite projects to exchange it for some other,
conducted on a more liberal scheme, uniting more ability in its
support, and embracing a much wider compass of literary interests.
Many of the most distinguished persons in Germany had agreed to assist
him in executing such a plan; Goethe, himself a host, undertook to go
hand in hand with him. The _Thalia_ was in consequence relinquished at
the end of 1793: and the first number of the _Horen_ came out early in
the following year. This publication was enriched with many valuable
pieces on points of philosophy and criticism; some of Schiller's
finest essays first appeared here: even without the foreign aids which
had been promised him, it already bade fair to outdo, as he had meant
it should, every previous work of that description.

The _Musen-Almanach_, of which he likewise undertook the
superintendence, did not aim so high: like other works of the same
title, which are numerous in Germany, it was intended for preserving
and annually delivering to the world, a series of short poetical
effusions, or other fugitive compositions, collected from various
quarters, and often having no connexion but their juxtaposition. In
this work, as well as in the _Horen_, some of Schiller's finest
smaller poems made their first appearance; many of these pieces being
written about this period, especially the greater part of his ballads,
the idea of attempting which took its rise in a friendly rivalry with
Goethe. But the most noted composition sent forth in the pages of the
_Musen-Almanach_, was the _Xenien_;[30] a collection of epigrams which
originated partly, as it seems, in the mean or irritating conduct of
various contemporary authors. In spite of the most flattering
promises, and of its own intrinsic character, the _Horen_, at its
first appearance, instead of being hailed with welcome by the leading
minds of the country, for whom it was intended as a rallying point,
met in many quarters with no sentiment but coldness or hostility. The
controversies of the day had sown discord among literary men; Schiller
and Goethe, associating together, had provoked ill-will from a host of
persons, who felt the justice of such mutual preference, but liked not
the inferences to be drawn from it; and eyed this intellectual
duumvirate, however meek in the discharge of its functions and the
wearing of its honours, with jealousy and discontent.

[Footnote 30: So called from [Greek: