In the early modern age the 'commentary' genre experienced an astounding upswing. On the one hand, scholars harked back to the use of this text variety in ancient times, on the other they used commentaries to respond to contemporary challenges in the fields of literature and scholarship. The use of commentaries is an absolutely essential component in transformation processes like modernization and secularization. The volume assembles the papers delivered at a conference in Wolfenb|ttel and contributes to the more precise understanding of a widely underrated scholarly practice located between innovation, subversion, and tradition.