 Herder in effect strives to develop a perfectly general theory of interpretation (or achieving understanding), as Schleiermacher later would – a theory that covers both texts and discourse, ancient as well as modern, sacred as well as profane, artistic as well as non-artistic, and so on. Indeed, in one important respect, his theory is even more general than Schleiermacher’s would be: its inclusion of non-linguistic art (sculpture, painting, instrumental music, etc.). 