THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
of an honest rationalism of the earlier type. The chief stress of his activity lay in practical theology. Of his works may be mentioned Charakteristik der Bibel (5 vols., Halle, 1775-82), an attempt to depict more distinctly the traits of Biblical characters. The first volume contained the characters of the New Testament, the others those of the Old Testament. The Bible served him mainly as material for the knowledge of humanity, and he applied to its characters purely scientific tests. Other theological works are Homiletik, Pastoralanweisung und Liturgie (1790); Populare und praktische Theologie, oder Materialien des christlichen Volksunterrichts (1792); Briefe an christlicfie Religionslehrer (2 parts, 1796-99); Lehrbuch fur die oberen Religionsklassen in Gelehrtenschulen (1801, 15th ed., 1827). His Gesangbuch fur hohere Schulen und Erziehungsanstalten (1785) contains many of his own songs. Of a devotional character is his Beschdftigungen der Andacht und des Nachdenkens fur Jilnglinge (1787). But of the greatest importance and of permanent scientific value is his Grundsatze der Erziehung und des Unterrichts (2 vols., 1799, 8th ed., 1827), the first systematic representation of pedagogics on German soil. (Edgar Hennecke.)
Bibliography: A. Jacobs and J. G. Gruber, A. H. Niemeyer, Zur Erinnerung, Halle, 1831; W. Schrader, Geschichte der Friedrichs-Universitdts zu Halle, 2 vols., ib. 1894; W. Fries, Die Frankeschen Stiftungen in ihrem zweiten Jahrhundert, ib. 1898; F. Bosse, Der Gamisonprediger und Schuldirektor F. A. Junker in seinen
Beziehungen zu A. H. Niemeyer, Brunswick, 1901.
NIEMEYER, HERMANN AGATHON: Son and
successor of the preceding; b. at Halle Jan. 5, 1802; d. there Dec. 6, 1851. He studied theology at Halle and Gottingen; in 1826 he became professor of theology in Jena, in 1829 at Halle, where he was called as director of the Francke institutions. He shared his father's theological opinions and, like him, was more eminent as a pedagogue than as a theologian. His principal work is Collectio confessionum in ecclesiis reformatis publicatarum (Leipsic, 1840).
(Edgar Hennecke.)
Bibliography: W. Fries, Die Frankeschen Stiftungen in ihrem zweiten Jahrhundert, pp. 130 sqq., Halle, 1898; A. Schiirmann, Zur Geschichte der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, pp. 223 sqq., 247 sqq., ib. 1898; ADB, xxiii. 682-687.
NIETZSCHE, FRIEDRICH WILHELM: German philosopher; b. at Rocken (18 m. s.w. of Leipsic) Oct. 15, 1844; d. in Weimar (53 m. s.w. of Leipsic) Aug. 25, 1900. His preparatory education was received at Pforta, and his advanced at the universities of Bonn and Leipsic; he evinced an early maturity, and before passing his examinations he was appointed extraordinary professor of classical philology at Basel on recommendation of Friedrich Wilhelm Ritschl, becoming ordinary professor in 1870, and resigning in 1879. He had, meanwhile, in 1876, been attacked by a disease which affected eye and brain, and obtained leave of absence. In search of health he lived for a number of years in various places — in Venice, in Switzerland, Turin, Genoa, and Nizza, going to a sanitarium in Jena, and finally (1888) being pronounced hopelessly insane, remaining thereafter in the care of his devoted sister at Weimar. He was a pro-
lific writer, and his works are exerting an influence on modern thinking in religion and philosophy which seems rather out of proportion to their real and permanent value. The nature of his illness, as well as the fact that he was broken in health at a comparatively early age, prevented his philosophy taking the systematic form which a longer and sounder condition of health would doubtless have brought about. Nietzsche was a protestant against the established order of things, no less against the faith and morals of Christianity than against the idea of the supremacy of the State. His philosophy is that of an individualist, anarchist, and antidemocrat. His doctrine of the " superman " involved the right of the highly endowed to withdraw all rights from the mass in order that, even by treading upon the ordinary populace, he might develop his own personality and put into execution the " will to power." The aphoristic brilliance, vigor, and uncompromising thoroughness with which he pushed his logic to its utmost conclusions have compelled a larger notice of his work than under ordinary circumstances would be conceded to a thinker of his school. It brought him into revolt from his teachers and those whom he once acknowledged as his masters — such as Strauss, Schopenhauer, and Wagner.
His principal writings are: Die Geburt der Tragedie aus dem Geiste der Musik (Leipsic, 1872); Unzeitgemasse Betrachtungen (4 parts, 1873-76); Menschliches, Allzumenschliches. Ein Buch fiir freie Geister (3 parts, Chemnitz, 1878-80); Morgenrothe. Gedanken uber moralische Vorurteile (1881); Die frohliche Wissenschaft (1882); Also sprach Zarathustra (4 parts, Chemnitz and Leipsic, 1883- 1891); Jenseits von Gut und Bose. Vorspiel zu einer Philosophie der Zukunft (Leipsic, 1886); Zur Genealogie der Moral (1887); Der Fall Wagner (1888); Gotzendammerung, oder Wie man mit dem Hammer philosophiert (1889). An edition of his Werke is in two parts (8 vols., Leipsic, 1895; 7 vols., 1901-04), which contains important works and fragments not published separately; and there are three vols, of his Briefe (Berlin and Leipsic, 1900-05). An Eng. transl. of his Works has been appearing, to be complete in 11 vols. (London and New York, 1896- 1909). Besides this edition, a number of his works have been translated separately, some of them a number of times: The Case against Wagner (London, 1899); Thus Spake Zarathustra: a Book for all or none (London and New York, 1901, and often); Dawn of Day (1903); Beyond Good and Evil. Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future (1907); Human, all too Human: Book for Free Spirits (Chicago, 1908, London, 1909); The Birth of Tragedy; or Hellenism and Pessimism (1909); The Will to Power: an attempted Transvaluation of all Values (2 vols., London, 1909); Thoughts out of Season (1909).
Bibliography: The authoritative biography is by his sister, Elisabeth Forster-Nietzsche, 2 vols., Leipsic, 1895- 1904. Consult further: Grace N. Dolson, Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, New York, 1901; T. Common, Nietzsche as Critic, Philosopher, Poet and Prophet: Choice Selections from his Works, London, 1901, New York, 1908; H. L. Mencken, Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, Boston, 1908; idem, The Gist of Nietzsche, ib. 1910; C. A