He was appointed professor at Schulpforta, where he was actively engaged till his death.

His literary career commenced with his work entitled Ueber das wahrscheinliche Alter und die Bedeutung des Gedichts vom Wartburgkrieg (On the apparent age and significance of the poem on the Wartburg War; 1823).

He wrote, notably, Grundriss der Geschichte der deutschen National-literatur (Outline of the history of German literature; 1827), which, in its fourth revision (1847–66), became a comprehensive history of German national literature.

His other works include Vermischte Aufsätze zur Literaturgeschichte und Aesthetik (Miscellaneous essays on literary history and aesthetics; Leipzig, 1858), Heinrich von Kleists Briefe an seine Schwester Ulrike (Heinrich von Kleist's letters to his sister Ulrike; Berlin, 1860).

He contributed to Löbell's Entwicklung der deutschen Poesie (Development of German poetry), the volume on Lessing (1865).