The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-21
LlpEilhlll. i.

ls holirr love to-tIy |
s.>H.-.ss.s
LITERARY.
scHrLLER's COMPLETE wonHs-EdiIctl with careful |
IransaI9ns by Charles J. uempel, NJ D.. In vols |
PhItdiphiu; !. Iohcr, No. aJ4 Fourth s,rrct.
We arc indebted 10 Mcs srs. ZoaDAuar, YouSo & |
Co., in King street, for handsome copy Of now |
translation OF ScInLIrns complu,o works, While |
not emulous OF Il .unIe au critic OF the |
country editor who gruyey reviewed SHAKESPEARE
and patronzingiy allowed there was great den
Of hard good sc::so III those plays and pocn,s We
nevertheless think that bref References to this
tho most widely read aud best beloved German |
poet, may not be out Of placci tho 30, as llu
is atil but very imperftc.iy known 10 English and
American roaders. In 1861 when the con to anisi |
anniversary Of the birtnty OF ScuILLIn was ccio-
bratod among Gernlans all over lho world, groat
interest Was everywhere manifested in all that re-
lated to the poet his liio and times, his writings
tho estimate they held in by his cu,ntry,non,
and tho great innucnco thoy havo exercised in
German thought and lfc. during tho present con-
tury. But nearly eight years have transpired since
and affairs material and more pressing hayo again
obiseratcd Tint splsnodic interest," aud it may not
DO amiss, therefore, to refresh tho nomory, MS tho
opportunity is;ailorded to us by the appearance of
this translation. 'al-a. .r-i-1 K. IG
JOHN CHnIsroPu FR1EDRIcu SCHILLER was horn
IN Marbach in Wurtcmbury, NoyomDpr IL, 1859.
His carly years we:e full Of trouble. The Grand
Duko was anxious to educate him soldier, whc
his fathcr had destined him tor tho church, to
which indeed at tint time his own incnntionH also
directed him.. Tho struggle ended al last-after
countless sufcrings and Horrows to tho young poet
which it iB needless hero to enter upon In detail,
by his adopting nothing profession, hut following
his own bcnt-wooing tho muses. Poetry had
ever bcen his leading passion. He drank early
and doop ut tho fountain whore HoaEn and YInaI1.
dispensed divinest strains. KLoPsrocK anu GOETHE
wcre his later masters. uo had found his voca-
tion and throw himself into it with oil tho ardor
and enthusiasm of his tiory nature. Tho drama
was specially attractive to him, and ho was still
but mcre youth when ho astoundrd tho world
with his "Robbors." This remarkable play was
begun in his nineteenth year. CAHLYLE BAYS of it:
"It is tho production of strong untutored spirit
consumed BY an activity for Which there is no
outlet Indignant ut tho barriers which rcstrains
1t, and graphing darltly with tho phantons to
which its own energy, thus painfully impris-
onod, givcs boing. a r,ide simplicity, combined
With q gloomy and orcrpowcring forCo, nre its
chief characteristics. Thoy remind us Of the de-
feotive cultivation, as vol OF tho fcryid and
hAFassed feelings of its uuthor.",
The Robbers proved immensely popular, but the
doctrine incnlcated proved unpalntabc 10 the
Grand Duke, and young SoHILIEn had to Geo the
country 10 sayo himself from aprison. stFiesco'
and HLoye and Intrigue" were his next plays He
wont to Mannheim in 1881 MS poet to tho theatrc,
wherp he had moderate income, but was safe,
ffee, and surrounded by congcnial friends '.Don
Carlos" ono OF his lest Tragedies was writton for
this sta9e At this timo lo also wrote tho History
OF tho Revolt OF Tho Netherlands. In 1882 he was
appointed Professor OF History In tho University
OF Jena, few miles from Wcmnr. Here his ac-
quaintance with GOETHE dating back somo years,
riponcd into friendship. III 1900 he married.
At jena no wrote his 'iuistory Of Tho Thirty
Yoars' War" His grand tragedy of "waicnstein"
(threo separate dramas) occupied his attention
during tho next years. "AIaria Stuart" ''Tho
Maid of Orleans, !" 'sTho Bride of Alcssin." and
'William Tell" arc tho names OF tho great
tragedies which lie produced next, and with which
bis fame is indissolubly connected. His career
however was short one, for in 1906, May 8, tho
fell destroyer clnimed his brilliant prize, and tho
young life, SO full OF hope, 30 fair with promise,
was cut of, Gro it had PASSED its noon.
CARLYLE, at onco tho most competent md up
precintive Of his English critics, thus sums up
scBILLEn's character: ''1e had mind Of tho high
cat order; grand by nature and cultivated by the
assiduouB study OF lifctnte 1t is not tho prcdom
mating force OF any ono fnGulty lntimpresscs us
In scHnLEn, but tho general force Of oil. Every
page of his writings bears tho stamp OF internal
vigor, now truths, new aspects OF known truth,
bold thought, happy imagery, lofty emotion. His
tendency was rather. to adore the grand and tho
lofty, than to dospise tho little and tho moan.
Perhaps, his greatest faculty was a hnlf-poctical,
hnlf-philosophical imagination, faculty tcoming
with Inagnificonce and Grilliancy; now adorning,
or aiding TO erect, stately pyramid OF scientific
specnlntions; now brooding tho abysses of
thought mud feeling, till thoughts and feelings,
else unutternblc, were embodied in expressive
forms, and palaces md landscapes, glowing in
ethereal beauty, roso like cxha,ations from tho
bosom Of tho Deep"
In tho enumeration of his workG, we omitted
mentioning his so-called minor pieces, many of
which arc oven bettor known, and moro popular
than any or al OF his dramas: These leyo boon
often translated but By none betior Than by Bull
wEn WHOSE yer=ion is retained in the eclectic trans
lntion OF the poet, now before Us. Tho Robbers"
are translated by HENRY G.. BONN, Esq, who |
also Furnished tho Fesco, and Loue and Intrigue
ALI 1efy good' Don Carlos s translated by r. D. i
BoyLAN, ESQ.,, and his version eminontly success
full. "Tho Camp Of wallenstein" is by JAMES
CHURCHILL tho Piccolomini" and the !" Death |
OF Wallonstein," ,"by Mr.. CoLEnIDdE This version |
is 81 vol known TINT 1t is needless to say anything
oft It is rarely tho good fortune OF poot to |
fnd 30 genuine poet willing to do tho laborfous
yet humble work OF translation. .uy! .i.sl..t ]
''.TWilliam Tell' is translated by THEODORE Mar
TIN; "Mnry stuart" by JosErn MELL1su ssrho
Maid Of Orleans" WAS contributed by Miss AsNA'I
swAHw1cK. .l. .p..i .. sg 9.
Thus tho editor has succeeded in procuring tho
boot extant TRANSLATION Of each separate produc-
ton Of sCnnIEn, and thoHo OF our readers who
have heard their German friends speak with rap
turo OF scmILHn, md havo regretted that tho
pleasure Of reading him is denied them, can now
crafty so laudablo n curiosity and mako them
selves acquainted with the thoughts of tho i'm
mortal IaraI even. though thoy cannot road his
original Gor1nan Words -. ss7'-i - tI5. T. IL