The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-11-10
LOCAL MATrrRe.

ThngtlneIns Tor celebrating the 10th anniyer-
sary of the birth Of the poet and drama fist
SCHILLER. for whose memory they and their
counsrymen entertain deep reverence. A
grand concert Will be given tonight, at Me-
tropostan Hall, with decls nations and tab
Ieaux, from Schilier's works The German
Dramatic and Singing Associations a number
OF musical ariistes, and n fine orchestra will
participate in the performances. It is the pur-
pose OF the management to make the entei-
taiumfnt one of the most attractive ever given
in this city. Tomorrow morning process
sion will he formed on Capitol Square and
proceed by circnitous route to the African
Chnrrh, where German Grafton will be de-
Hyered by Rev. II. Scheib of lions Church
Baltimore, and an English Grafton by NJ
Sturdivant. Esq, of Richmond. The festival
VII! DE continued at Bellyille, and concluded
with supper at the New Market Hotel.
John Christopher Frederick won Schiller was
born Nov. 10, 1859, at Marbach. town of Wur-
temberg on the Neckar. His father, originally
surgeon in the army, was afterwards a cap
tain ana nnally superintendent OF a nursery
Of trees attached to a castle of the Duke of
Wurtemberg. When child, Frederic Won
Schiller always manifested an affectionate dis
position, and was deyotedly attached 10 his
parents and his sister. 1t is nentiof1ed by
some OF his biographers, that at very early
period he exhibited remarkable memory in
repeating the sermon which he had heard at
church on Sunday; that he would stand on
chair and preach with great zeal. never omit
lng the divisions which the minister had made
in his discourse. He wished to study theology
but his attention became strongly attracted to-
wards the drama by a tragedy which he had
seen performed, when he was nine years old,
on the stage at Stuttgard His first poem is
SAID to have been written the day before his
confirmation, in 1772.
The next year, Schiller sacrificing his own
inciinauons to the interest of his parents, en-
tered the monastic military school established
oy Charfes, Duke of Wurtem berg. where,
selzing on the opportunities offered he began
70 study Latin and medicine zealously. His
teachers did not consider. him as possessing
uncommon talents; but the Duke used to say
Let that boy alone; he will come to some
thlng: When 10 years old, he published
translation of part of Virgil's Eneid in hex
aineters, in Suabian periodical In E53
Schiller began an epic, the hero of which was
Moses; but he destroyed it at later period
His passion for the drama con tinuing he un-
dertook two DRAMATIC compositions, which he
afterwards burned. For two years he studied
medicine very ardently, and wrote Latin
treatise on the Philosophy of Physiology
which was never printed. In l717, at the age
of Is years, he began to write his Robbers
composition with many stirling faults; but
which, nevertheless, contains some deep
views and admirable displays of character
Whilst in the school, he had been able to COM
pose only by stealth, and had often reported
| lamp in his sck-room, while writing his Rob-
| hers, not being allowed light in his own
room.
In t7s0. when he had finished his studies.
| Schiller wrote a treatise, entitled Essay on
| the Connection of the Animal and Intellec-
| tual Nature of Man. In the same year he
| was appointed physician to regiment in
| Stuttgard. In 1888, on the second representa-
| ton OF the Robbers on the stage at Mannheim,
| he left his regiment without permission to
| attend the performances, but was discovered
and pnt under arrest. He was now con-
vtnced that he must leave Stuttgard, unless
| he should choose to sacrifice his poetry, the
| charm of his life At last, the impossibility
OF living without poetry made him resolve to
! quit his situation. He accordingly went un-
der an assumed name to Francona, where he
| lived in great solitude in order to remain
| concealed and secure against the possible per-
| secutions OF the Duke. Here he finished his
| Conspiracy of Fresco and CabGie and Ltebs.-
| During the period Immediately succeeding
| he composed the Battle, the Inianticide, and
| Poems to Laura, and conceived the idea oi
| Don Carlos and Maria Smart. III 17S5 he
went to Leipsic, and towards autumn to Dres.
| den, where intercourse with men OF tai
| entS, the charming scenery, the beautiful gall
| lery, and the library, detained him until 1877
| His history of the most remarkable Revo.
| iutionS and Conspiracies, of which only one
| volume published was produced at this
period Don Carlos first appeared at Leipsic
| 1887. He himself has written the best and Sc.
verest critique on this piece, in his Letters on
Don Carlos. The same year Schiller went tC
/ Wiemar. In 1883, he met Goethe, through
whose influence partly, he received. in 1883, 8
| professorship of philosophy at Jena. He now
| devoted himself to history; and the few poeti
| Il historical character. though the Gods o
| Greece was composed, and many OF his philo-
soptical and @sthetical treatises date from this
| period He lectured on history, aud began Il
| publish Historical Memoirs from the twelfth
| century to the most recent times ('19U), anC
| his History of the Thirty Years War which
appeared first in the Pocket Almanac for La
| dies. from 100 to 1853.
| In l790. he married The French republic
| at the begnnil OF the Revoiu ton, conferred oi
| him the rights of citizenship, and the Emperor
| OF Germany ennobled him in 1862. Incessan
study and the use OF stimulants, undermined
| his health. He produced in the H0rae, and Ii
| his Almanac of the MUSES., particularly afiel
| 1895, the finest of his lyrical poems. In i59
| he produced his first ballads. In 1875 he con
| ceiS ed the plan OF a play, to be called th'
| knights of Malta; but all his other object:
| gave way 10 Walenstein, completed i'll f1y9.
| From this time he lived in Wiernar, where. il
$500 and 1901, Maria Stuart and the Maid o
| Orleans were produced. In 1873, appeared IN
| Bride OF MessiDa, and his last dramatic work
| William Tell, by many considered the best o
his tragedies. He also adapted Shakespeare
| Macbeth, GoZZis Turandot, Raeine's Phedra
| &C. for the stage. Death prevented the com
| pleiion of his Pseudo Demetrius After at
| tending a representation of his own Tell, a
| Berlin, where he was received with mucl
| honor Schiller died at Wiemar, May 9, lsOs
| only 46 years old, mourned by all Germany
| A bograpber says: Schiller hated noihiu
| so much the vulgar or mean. lie stroV
| perpetually for the noble and the beautiful
| hence that melancholy hue which is sometime
| spread over his productions"
Another writer says: THAT the genius
| Schiller was of the highest order, is apparen
| from his works. He is also said TO have beer
| n man Of the purest morality; but whethe
| this morality was founded directly on faith Ii
| adivine revelation, is questionable. While en-
| gagged in his preparati N of the Thirty Years
| War the philosophy of Kant was producin
| Il revolution in the world OF thought. an
| Schiller embraced it with enthusiasm. III
| tt,..f,a ha Il
| are said to be some of the profoundest an
| most important specuiatons on art that ar
| TO be met with. There is much that is trans
cenden tai and rationalis tic in the philosophy
| Kant and the system is hard to be understoo
| through the mist of metaphysics with whlc
| ii is obscured. However. as in the end
| amounts TO an obligation to a conscientiou
| observance of all duties, as divine commands
| since God, as the moral law-giyer, cannot b
! worthiIy honored otherwise than by obediene
| TO the laws ofmorality, IL is not our provinc
| to speculate too curiously as to whether thi
| principle, which Schiller embraced, was de
| rived from revelation, or whe ther il could bs
| or ever was, derived from any other source
| Let us hope that his last words, that man.
| things were growing plain and clear TO him
| were indicative that his end was peace"
| Tie Armoyg Band.-The recent events con
| nected with the Armory Band have occasion
| ed about as much sensation here as nigh
| have been expected. The fact is, the BanI
| has come TO be one of the "iustitutions' OF tn
| metropolis, and our citizens naturally lool
| frowningIy upon anything that threatens III
| existence. We yesterday saw the veteran
| drummer, who has been for twelve years pa
| tiently beating the sheep-skin, after serving
| long campaign in the Florida swamps. lie
| didn't have gun upon his shoulder nor &
| bayonet by his side, but was walking quite
| leisurely down Main street, in the unpreiend
| ing garb of a citizen. We learned from him
| with much pleasure, that the Band would
make music for the Schiller procession a
/ night. We are, therefore, pretty we'll satisfied
| that things will work around right after awhile
| Meantime, Smith, Melton, and their associates
| with one exceptiop,l are going through th'
] manpuvres with the corps at The Armory