Stolberg, F.L. Graf von

Freiherr von Stein, Goethe, and especially Lavater, looked on his conversion in a kindly spirit and imputed no ignoble motives to him. They were entirely justified in so doing, for even after his conversion and notwithstanding his genuine piety Stolberg was never able to rid himself altogether of the syncretism of the paternal home. Both in days of good and ill health he sought edification, after his conversion as before, from Protestant hymns and sermons. Even when dying, besides the prayers and hymns of the Church, he had read aloud to him Klopstock's poems and passages from the writings of the "Wandsbecker Boten", the well-known freemason, Claudius. He was also a warm friend of the late Bishop Sailer. Sailer's orthodoxy was doubted in his own day, but without reason; whatever he thought of his peculiar mysticism, he was a strong believer in the primacy of the pope, and a defender of the Church against State encroachments. As regards Stolberg's literary works, there is

no doubt that the quantity exceeded the quality. They may be divided thus: translations, as "Homer" (1778); "Plato" (1796);"Æschylus" (1802); poetry, as "Ballads" (1779), "Iambics" (1784), "Plays" (1787); "Travels"(1791); novels, as "The Island" (1788). After his conversion he devoted himself chiefly to the preparation of a "Geschichte der Religion Jesu Christi" (1806–), which is marked by a warmth of tone, although not without errors in investigation. He also wrote a history of Alfred the Great (1816); a life of St. Vincent de Paul; translated passages from the works of St. Augustine, and also wrote meditations on the Holy Scriptures, which, however, together with the "Büchlein der Liebe", and the polemical pamphlet "Kurze Abfertigung des langen Schmähschrifts des Hofrats Voss", did not appear until after his death. At first Stolberg's muse was entirely

Influenced by the ideas of Klopstock. However, the poet soon abandoned the antique poetic measures and successfully adopted German rhyme. Most of his poetry is now out of date and scarcely half-a-dozen of his "Lieder" are known to the present generation. In his own day his translations from the classics were considered well done. At times credulity and lack of critical discernment mar his descriptions of travel and historical writings. Probably his best work is contained in his devotional writings, but even these are not entirely satisfactory, especially the translation of the numerous passages from the Bible, which at times are not very correct.

See the histories of German literature, both the earlier histories and the more modern ones; of the modern ones, in particular the works of ENGEL and BARTELS; of the earlier histories: MENZEL, Deutsche Dichtung, III (Stuttgart, 1824), 175 sqq.; BRÜHL, Gesch. der kath. Lit. Deutschlands von XVII. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart (Leipzig, 1854),

73-128.Of other works: MENZEL, Neuere Geschichte der Deutschen, XII, pt. II (Breslau, 1848),49; MENGE, Friedrich Leopold von Stolberg u. seine Zeitgenossen (2 vols., Gotha, 1862);HENNES, Stolberg in den letzten Jahrzehnten seines Lebens (Mainz, 1875); IDEM, AusFriedrich Leopold von Stolberg's Jugendjahren (Frankfort, 1876); JANSSEN, Friederich L.Graf zu Stolberg (Freiburg, 1876-77); HELLINGHAUS, Fr. L. Graf zu Stolberg u. J. H.Voss (Münster, 1882); IDEM, Briefs Fr. L. Graf zu Stolberg u. der Seinigen an J. H. Voss(Münster, 1891); ROSENTHAL, Convertitenbilder, I (Ratisbon, 1889), 1-49.

2. Joseph Stolberg. Son of the poet Friedrich Leopold, b. 12 August, 1804; d. 5 April,1859. In 1849 he was president of the general assembly of Catholic Associations held atRatisbon (2-5 October). At this congress the St. Boniface Association was founded, andStolberg was elected its first president. In the winter of 1849-50 he made a laboriousjourney to all the episcopal sees of Germany,

and until his death was constantly active in the interests of the association. Since 1904 his son Hermann (b. at Westheim in Westphalia, 28 February, 1854) has been president of the St. Boniface Association.

3. Katharina Stolberg. Sister of Friedrich Leopold, b. at Bramstedt, 5 December, 1751; d. at Peterswaldau, 22 February, 1832. Gifted with a highly poetical nature, she was one of the most learned women of her age. As she was most devotedly attached to her brother and lived with him after the death of his wife, his conversion aroused in her an intense struggle between her love for him and her Evangelical belief. In 1802 she also joined the Catholic Church; however, new mental struggles followed, and finally she returned to Protestantism.