Little can be said of Oriental influence on German poetry during the
next three centuries after the Great Age of Discovery, and in an
investigation like the one in hand, which confines itself to poetry
only, this chapter might perhaps be omitted. Nevertheless a brief
consideration of this influence on German literature in general during
this period forms an appropriate transition to the time when the
Oriental movement in Germany really began.

After the Portuguese had sailed around Africa, direct and uninterrupted
communication with the far East was established. Portuguese, Dutch,
French and English merchants appeared successively on the scene to get
their share of the rich India commerce. German merchants also made a
transitory effort. The firm of the Welsers in Augsburg sent two
representatives who accompanied the expedition of Francisco d' Almeida
in 1505 and that of Tristão da Cunha in the following year. But
conditions were not favorable and the attempt was not renewed.[49]

Travels to India and Persia now multiplied rapidly, and accounts of such
travels became very common; so common, in fact, that already in the
sixteenth century collections of them were made, the best known being
the _Novus Orbis_ of Grynaeus, and the works of Ramusio and Hakluyt.
Among the more famous travellers of the sixteenth century we may mention
Barthema, Federici, Barbosa, Fitch and van Linschoten for India, and the
brothers Shirley for Persia. In the seventeenth century we may cite the
names of della Valle, Baldaeus, Tavernier, Bernier and the German
Mandelslo for India, while those of Olearius and Chardin are most famous
in connection with Persia. And that books of travel were much read in
Germany is attested by the number of editions and translations which
appeared there. Thus among the earliest books printed there we have a