especial reference to Aristotle. A proposal
to act as travelling companion to a rich Leipzig merchant interrupted
this life. The pair started early in the year 1756, intending a long
absence that should include a visit to England. The trip, however, did
not extend beyond Holland, as the Seven Years' War broke out. Prussian
troops were stationed at Leipzig, and this caused Lessing's companion
to desire return. Return they accordingly did, Lessing waiting all the
winter for the resumption of their interrupted project. But as the
prospects of peace grew more distant, their contract was annulled, much
to Lessing's regret, and also to his severe pecuniary loss. He found
himself at Leipzig penniless, the theatre closed by the war, and
interest in letters deadened from the same cause. He contrived,
however, to maintain himself by hack-work for the booksellers; but it
was a dismal time, not devoid, however, of some redeeming lights. The
poet Von Kleist was then stationed at Leipzig, and with him Lessing
formed a friendship that proved one of his warmest and tenderest. On
the removal of Kleist to active service, Lessing determined to quit
Leipzig, which had grown distasteful to him in its military hubbub. In
May 1758 he once more appeared at Berlin, and fell into his former
niche. He worked at his 'Fables,' wrote a play on the Greek models,
'Philotas,' began a life of Sophocles, and edited and translated
several works of minor importance. But the chief labour of the period
was the establishment of a journal dealing with contemporary
literature. It was to be written tersely, as was suited to a time of
war and general excitement; and to connect it with the war, it was
couched in the form of letters purporting to be addressed to an officer
in the field, who wished to be kept acquainted with current literature.
Kleist was certainly in Lessing's mind when he began. The letters were
to be written by Mendelssohn, Nicolai, and Lessing, but nearly all the
earlier ones are from Lessing's pen. The papers made a great mark, from
their bold strictures and independence. They did not belong to either
of the recognised coteries, plainly placing themselves on a footing
outside and above them. Though they were issued anonymously, Lessing
was now sufficiently known, and it was not long before they were
universally attributed to him. Their peculiar merit was that they did
not merely condemn the contemporary productions, but showed the way to
their