A volume of his collected "Historische Schriften" procured him the appointment of professor extraordinarius; while the first volume of his "Geschichte der poetischen Nationallitteratur der Deutschen" (History of the poetical national literature of the Germans; 1835–1842, 5 vols.) subsequently entitled "Geschichte der deutschen Dichtung" (History of German poetry; 5th edition, by Karl Bartsch, 1871–1874) brought him the appointment to a regular professorship of history and literature at Göttingen. This work is the first comprehensive history of German literature written both with scholarly erudition and literary skill. In the following year he wrote his "Grundzüge der Historik", which is perhaps the most thoughtful of his philosophico-historical productions.