CANITZ, THE BARON OF, a German poet and statesman, VOL. VI.
was of an ancient and illustrious family in Brandenburg, and born at Berlin in 1654, five months after his father's death. Having completed his early studies, he travelled into France, Italy, Holland, and England; and, upon his return to his native country, was charged with important negotiations by Frederic II. Frederic III. also employed him. Canitz united the statesman with the poet; and was conversant in many languages, dead as well as living. His German poems were published for the tenth time in 1750, in 8vo. He is said to have taken Horace for his model, and to have written purely and delicately. But he did not content himself with barely cultivating the fine arts himself; he gave all the encouragement he could to others to follow the same pursuit. He died at Berlin in 1699, privy counselor of state, aged forty-five.