The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-14

NATHAN THE WISE. ADramauc foe!u, ny @ @IuCr
hold Ephraim Iessing; Translated by Ellen
count of the Poot and his Works, and follow
ed by an Essay on the Poem by Kung Fis-
cher. New York Leypoldt Holt. Charles
ton John Russell.
This work may be regarded as confes-
sion of faith-a dramatic defence of Ration
alism. In an age of religious and philo-
sophical conflict, "the Achilles of German
literature" so named by GOETHE placed
himself midway between the English and
| French deists on one side and the adhe-
rents of authority on the other. He &C.
knowledged and contested the claims Of
both. If he ad1aitted the peculiar historic
character of Revelation, he modified its
statements by allegorical or idealistic e1-
plantations. If ne asserted the sovereignty
of Reason, he conceded its need Of culture,
and its progressive development. An intel
lectual free-lancs, he provoked with equal
Indifference the battle-a1e of GoBTzE and
and the Parthian arrows of VoLTAInE. On
hearing N1coLAr say of the latter, "Few
writer's have produced so much that is new
and so much that is good" LEas1Na quickly
replied "His new is not good, his good is
not new pa caustic, and, at that time,
audacious criticism, characteristic of the
man.
The drama of Nathan was the last word
of theological controversy. When the
| public authorities ont short q discussion in
which LEss1Na oontended for Christianity
antecedent and superior &c the canon, the
great dramatist observed: 81 must see If
they will let me preach undisturbed in my
own pulpit-the theatre" Thus origina-
ted the poem which he cherished rs his
BENJAMIN, ssthe son of his advancing old
age;" but which his admirers honor as the
swan song in which his soul was poured
forth and passed. away.
Of necessity, the drama was shaped by
the controversy. The polite, prosecuting
patriarch is recognized even in the partial
essay of FISCHER, as representative of
GoErzE; in this character the unlucky po-
lemic is immortalized, like fly in amber.
MENDELssoHN, LEssING's dearest friend, re-
appears in Nathan, who exhibits gentle
ness and dignity as engaging as that which
pervades the famous letter of the philo
sophie Jew to LAvArER. The Templar' brood
ing pride, his careless candor, his revolt
against authority, LEssINa drew from his
own heart. The circumstances of the play
and the characters of the Friar, the Dervise
and Ssladin are borrowed from history,
and are true to nature. How distinctly, in
single passionate outburst of the Sultan,
the spirit fthe desert reveals itself! When
assured by his treasurer that he is impov-
erished by his profuse iberalities, he
proudly exclainls:
poorl
When had mora, when less A cloak, sword,
A horse--and God What need more? In
these
What can want?"
The author brings together upon the
stage the Jew, the Christian and the Mos
lem. His design is by contrast and corre-
spondence to exhibit the nature of true
religion prerogative which he freely as
signs to every creed and every worship. He
identifies religion with nobleness of charac-
ter. Herepresents it as self-coatrol, rational
reflection, loving humanity placable under
injury, generous to poverty, tolerant of
error. In his esteem every virtuous heart
IS the temple Of the true Divinity. Yet he
recognizes also the effectiveness of religion
and honors the belief which the old gene
rations have transmitted to their posterity.
For in every system wisdom discovers nee
essary and universal truths. The defects
of this philosophy it may be easy enough
to note-its imperfect recognition of the
vital union subsisting between inspired
knowledge and the higher life, on the one
hand, and between Revelation and general
history on the other-themes out of place
here. And the reader feels how much the
ethical purpose of LEssINd detracts from
the dramatic interest Of his work. Yet
with all these drawbacks, it is wonderful
production. Its manly simplicity, its moral
earnestness, its prodigality of thought, its
epigrammatic terseness of expression, its
generous humanity, explain the immense
influence of the poem when it first appear