In fact, they promise, if we look well into them, That here is probably a practical faculty and intellect of the highest kind; which again, on the speculative, especially on the poetical side, will never be considerable, nor has even tried to be so.

This young soul does not deal in meditation at all, and his tendencies are the reverse of sentimental.
Here is no introspection, morbid or other, no pathos or complaint, no melodious informing of the public what dreadful emotions you labor under: here, in rapid prompt form, indicating that it is truth and not fable, are generous aspirations for the world and yourself, generous pride, disdain of the ignoble, of the dark, mendacious;--here, in short, is a swift-handed, valiant, STEEL-bright kind of soul; very likely for a King's, if other things answer, and not likely for a Poet's.

No doubt he could have made something of Literature too; could have written Books, and left some stamp of a veracious, more or less victorious intellect, in that strange province too.

But then he must have applied himself to it, as he did to reigning: done in the cursory style, we see what it has come to.
It is certain, Friedrich's reputation suffers, at this day, from his writing.

From his NOT having written nothing, he stands lower with the world.