He early manifested strong powers of mind, and with a two-fold taste for
literature and art, he was placed in Humanity College at Zurich, of
which two distinguished men, Bodmer and Breitenger, were professors.
Here he became the bosom companion of that amiable enthusiast, Lavater,
studied English, and conceived such a love for the works of Shakspeare,
that he translated Macbeth into German. The writings of Wieland and
Klopstock influenced his youthful fancy, and from Shakspeare he extended
his affection to the chief masters in English literature. His love of
poetry was natural, not affected--he practiced at an early age the art
which he admired through life, and some of his first attempts at
composition were pieces in his native language, which made his name
known in Zurich.