[1] A. W. Schlegel [TrBlack], Dram. Art I (1815), 8: The whole play of living motion hinges on harmony and contrast. Why then should not this phenomenon be repeated in the history of man? This idea led, perhaps, to the discovery of the true key to the ancient and modern history of poetry and the fine arts. Those who adopted it gave to the peculiar spirit of modern art, as opposed to the antique or classical[6/5], the name of romantic[5/2]. The appellation is certainly not unsuitable: the word is derived from romance, the name of the language of the people which was formed from the mixture of Latin and Teutonic, in the same manner as modern cultivation is the fruit of the union of the peculiarities of the northern nations with the fragments of antiquity. Hence the cultivation of the ancients was much more of a piece than ours. [Original A. W. Schlegel, Dramat. Lit. I (1809), 13: Das ganze Spiel lebendiger Bewegung beruht auf Einstimmung und Gegensatz. Warum sollte sich diese Erscheinung nicht auch in der Geschichte der Menschheit im großen wiederhohlen? Vielleicht wäre mit diesem Gedanken der wahre Schlüssel zur alten und neuen Geschichte der Poesie und der schönen Künste gefunden. Die, welche dieß annahmen, haben für den eigenthümlichen Geist der modernen Kunst, im Gegensatz mit der antiken oder classischen[6/5], den Namen romantisch[12/4] erfunden. Allerdings nicht unpassend: das Wort kommt her von romance, der Benennung der Volkssprachen, welche sich durch die Vermischung des Lateinischen mit den Mundarten des Altdeutschen gebildet hatten, gerade wie die neuere Bildung aus den fremdartigen Bestandtheilen der nordischen Stammesart und der Bruchstücke des Alterthums zusammengeschmolzen ist, da hingegen die Bildung der Alten weit mehr aus einem Stücke war.].

[2] Scott, Waverley I (1814), 38 ff. (39): In English literature he was master of Shakspeare and Milton, ⟨39⟩ of our earlier dramatic authors, of many picturesque and interesting passages from our old historical chronicles, and particularly of Spenser, Drayton, and other poets who have exercised themselves on romantic[2] fiction, of all themes the most fascinating to a youthful imagination, before the passions have roused themselves, and demand poetry of a more sentimental description. In this respect his acquaintance with Italian opened him yet a wider range. He had perused the numerous romantic[2] poems, which, from the days of Pulci, have been a favourite exercise of the wits of Italy; and had sought gratification in the numerous collections of novelle, which were brought forth by the genius of that elegant though luxurious nation, in emulation of the Decameron. In classical literature, Waverley had made the usual progress, and read the usual authors; and the French had afforded him an almost exhaustless collection of memoirs, scarcely more faithful than romances, and ⟨40⟩ of romances so well written as hardly to be distinguished from memoirs..

[3] Wordsworth, Pref. Poems (1815), 435: All Poets, except the dramatic, have been in the practice of feigning that their works were composed to the music of the harp or lyre: with what degree of affectation this has been done in modern times, I leave to the judicious to determine. For my own part, I have not been disposed to violate probability so far, or to make such a large demand upon the Reader's charity. Some of these pieces are essentially lyrical; and, therefore, cannot have their due force without a supposed musical accompaniment; but, in much the greatest part, as a substitute for the classic lyre or romantic[5] harp, I require nothing more than an animated or impassioned recitation, adapted to the subject..