The latter work caused some stir in the literary and political world, owing to the circumstance that the government of Baden imprudently instituted a prosecution against the author for high treason. Arraigned before a tribunal, Gervinus defended himself with a great display of ability and courage, but was nevertheless condemned to an imprisonment of two months, and all the copies of the "seditious publication" were to be destroyed. However, the verdict was rescinded by a higher tribunal. Afterward, Gervinus buried himself still more among his books, and even forebore to deliver lectures.