Background
He was born in Meißen, Saxony, and was the brother of Johann Elias Schlegel.
He was born in Meißen, Saxony, and was the brother of Johann Elias Schlegel.
After finishing his studies in Leipzig, he became a deacon and teacher at Pforta in 1751. In 1754, he became a pastor and professor in Zerbst, before moving to become a pastor in Hannover at the Marktkirche in 1759. He was a noted contributor to the Bremer Beiträge, a literary journal popular at the time.
Despite his active work in literary circles, only one hymn has survived to the present day out of all his poetry and musical works.
He also published a commentary on Charles Batteux"s Les beaux-arts réduits à un même principe, translating it into German. Schlegel died in Hanover.