The "Geist- und Weltliche Gedichte" were written between 1630 and 1650 at the court of the Piast family, rulers of the duchy of Brzeg. Brzeg was a major centre of German Baroque literature, prominent figures like Opitz, Gryphius, Logau and Lohenstein being associated with it. The collection contains over 400 poems ranging across a broad sprectrum of genres, forms and subjects. As such it is an instructive compendium of courtly occasional literature for purposes of entertainment and representation. The postscript draws upon a variety of new source data to delineate the biography of Scherffer and attempts to establish his specific status within the "res publica litteraria." After a concise outline of Scherffer's works and his place in literary history, there follows a discussion of the structure, chronology, origins and printing history of the various texts brought together in the collection. The volume rounds off with notes on individual passages, a research bibliography and an index of names.