Its rhapsodical style, as well as the conceptions of art and nature which it embodies, directly recall Young's _Conjectures on Original Composition_.

Like Young he proclaims that genius is a law to itself, that all imitation and subservience to rule is disastrous to imaginative production.

"Principles," he declares, "are even more injurious to genius than examples." The burden of the Essay is the glorification of the genius of the architect of Strassburg cathedral, and of Gothic architecture in general, which, Goethe maintained, should be correctly designated "German" architecture, as having had its origin on German soil.

With this youthful sally of Goethe, time was to deal with its unkindest irony.

Later research has proved that Gothic architecture is of French and not of German origin, and Goethe himself did not remain faithful to his youthful enthusiasm.