Germany and England

Chesterton's book 'The crimes of England' seems to principally deal with the relation between England and Germany (which is not surprising, as the book was written in the 'Great War'). The book is difficult to follow for someone like me, whose English and German history of ages prior to 1900 is quite shaky.
An interesting point that recurs every now and then is a certain perception of German thought. In chapter VI, for example, Chesterton names the one 'classic and perfect literary product that ever came out of Germany'; he means 'Grimm's Fairy Tales'. He compares this with later German writings:

I am all for German fantasy, but I will resist German earnestness till I die. I am all for Grimm's Fairy Tales; but if there is such a thing as Grimm's Law, I would break it, if I knew what it was. [-]

The Germans cannot really be deep because they will not consent to be superficial. They are bewitched by art, and stare at it, and cannot see round it. They will not believe that art is a light and slight thing - a feather, even if it be from an angelic wing.