DREVES, LEBRECHT

DREVES, LEBRECHT. - German poet, born in Hamburg on 12 September 1816, died in Feldkirch on 19 December 1870. Editor of the *Neue Hamburger Blätter*, after studying law at the universities of Jena and Heidelberg, he converted to Catholicism in 1846. His lyric poetry is characterized by simple melodiousness of verse, sincere piety, and a vivid love of nature. Among his works are *Lyrische Anklänge* (1837), *Vigilien* (1839), *Der Lebensretter* (1841), and *Schlichte Lieder* (1843). In the year of his conversion, he published a fine collection of Church hymns (*Lieder der Kirche*), free translations of ancient Latin hymns. A personal friend of Eichendorff, who in 1849 edited an edition of his poems, he was greatly influenced by him, especially in his later lyrics, which display a fresh popular tone. He also produced a translation of the *Nachtgallenlied* of St. Bonaventure.