New-York tribune., 1874-03-16
FOREIGN LITERARY TOPICS.
GERMAN CHARACTERS.

GERIAN CfiAIths iBhSs
The DEArH OF sTRAuss-soNE OF MS Distinguish
ING QUALTIEs-RoDERIC BENRDN-CNpfRIAk-
lNGs OF SOME MINOR AUTHORS.
fyRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENTS or THE TRiBrN')
BERLIN. Feb. 12-Dayid Strauss died three
DAYS ago. Il was my fortune to read his works a. ono
ought 20 read early English literature, backward when
The Old and the New Faith appeared last Winter,
thought modern work combined with such an CT
quiste style such a medley of fine thoughts anf con~
monpace theories The plan Of the book rested on Two
sin gular conceits The first was-and this was no rev
theory-that German culture exacted some special form
Of religion. too refined and philosophical for other peo
pie, and David Strauss was the chosen prophet 'h9
second concet was, that the world cared 20 icanss
opinion all subjects Of human knowledge Tho
first is embodied in the Introduction 10
the book; the second ia worked out in the book
itself. From this work I passed 10 the he OF
! Schubert and the Minor Writings" aud theB
looked into the "L.fe OF Jesus fatlns
Strauss in this inverse chronological order anybody VIII
be struck by number OF cJrous facts. The bret ~
that. notwithstanding his pretensions he was nors
critic than poet, but more poet than philosopher 1hc
Life OF Jesus" owed.it success TO auumber o. causes
quite independent Of its originality; and among these
may be mentioned the fortunate epoch az which H ap-
peared the rather sensational boliuess OF its tone anj
the notoriety which the OF Tibngen University
gave It. Tic book did undoubtedly give more c1ast
direction what may be called the school OF historical
septcism But Strauss chiefly formidable by
OF his literary skill. Hume stated most OF his Arguments
IN much stronger orm century ago; and bi' vii -
far effective wheni came directly from fOitaFs
But David Strauss had far critical faculty aHd be
master Of the German language. II NAV bc
said OF him OF Edmund Burke, that his srlo
grew lmore rich, more exuberani more passionate
rs he grew old and / fear II must be added
that, like Burke, he did not gain sobrlciy 0f
Thought nor strength Of logic with his grey hairs.
In all his private relations DE- Strauss most
emplary lie abstinent in his habits, fond ~
music and study, and ever willing 10 aid and encourage
young men. BY most of the younger writers OF Ger
many he was known and enthusiastically admired; aud
! can assure the young champions OF Audcycr AMI
Princeton that, if they had here to do
! personal violence to the wugtembug scholar, hey
would have bees met by all the literary hcrctgs S to
! land.
German literature suffered loss less sc,i,ls ~ TO
late death of Hodeuc Benedx There was a time .hen
the comedies Of Benedx ruled the German stage but
of late year. they have Misplaced by the lighter ard
more refined works OF the French hoo'. The attempt
10 construct comedy Of the higher order from German
life and must inevitably have been a failure. Ey.n
Lenings Mihnd !ron B0TAhOiA, which was FOR - .nre
time, regarded as the best if not the only Gerla.n
comedy is played, If at all, to empty house, TIC
u is not that there is not humor in German l.is No
people in the world expose themselves. az rDanv
points, to the shafts Of the satrsts. But The humor ~
cOaPsc rough, and, as Germans would say, objective.
tutt comedy must fca.tlt picture
the lower sort OF life Society is nOt light and ettTyes
cent enough TO supply such material ., ALWAYS AZ
the command of French playwright fbe alternative
for cultivated people here IS then, Ia introduce anil
il incorporate the French drama 10 keep Their
down to the level of the home article. A. present
the former IL the choice, and in sptciot growing, Hs
choice seems likely 10 maintain itself BIT oyou tho
present generation remember when It was other
wise. Those the days OF Roderic BcncaX. lis
cOmedcShcro only halt a dozen success.Ui ouc,
were received with astonishing iayori We're played ai
The country. and threatened 10 revolution. tEe
national stage. The author hailed as the German
Moitre, and made Doctor Of Philosophy. T. seems,
however spite OF the crude character o. d., pro-
ductions and the brief duration Of hi, popularity. that
BeDcdx had thought OF the fundamental plos
of the dramatic ana had formed certain fAcd tieJ
rles OF bis UnWisely enough, le worked hem MP
in the form Of attack on Shakespeare. II dislike
the Bard Of Avon s an unparlonable sin IN Germany
One may call schiller pla giarSi, or Goethe
a lbeltine, but Shakespeare ,ts upon
throne whichHit Is Nsc MqjcsE approach with
anything than Ofcrssof homage. sec aa uucon-
sciosy falling into Dr. BenedX's style. This is iust
the complaint which hc makes against his r1uuirymeB.
namely, that they are completely under the MI leUce
OF what he calls the Shakespeare mania" thdt tiey
are unwilling to listen 10 the voice OF reason tia
subject. lie proposes therefore TO erect bllUark
against the uninterrupted food OF ndularion. u woud
De exact TO say he proposed, for the book pub
,hed only after the death OF the author. ANY VINO
reads Dr. Bencdixs book will be douby surprised tho
first place, that the author rise in criticism high
above the level OF his productions and IN tho
second place. that such pretentious onslaught IN
Shakespeare should contain little that novel IL ~
the old story. Shakespeare had natural genius, bat
artistic culture. lie made bad pmS. He overloaded
the stage with walking characters lie made bad clolcs
of subjects often selecting those which had dIamao
spirit at all aDI calculated only TO capuyato tho
taste of he court This like criticism ILLS very bulky
voume and If 1t were condensed aud revised, good
deal that valuable might be found. Nevertheless tho
spectacle OF Rodcrc BenediS crIticsng Shakespeare
like will not say De Quincy but rather Ale1audge
Dumas hl5-crlticsiug Goethe II Will soon pass into
obscullty.
Berthold Auerbach has new novel IN press With
Gotta, aud will appear in about month II has TO
do with the Franco-Germa In length u VIII 90
about the same On the IIighs;" but d. Aucrbach
himself prizes it higher a romance than even that
popular work. Or your publishers VIII have a
sharp eye for its appearance Friedrich Spolhsgen
also, believe hard at work q novel Since Z" What
the Swallow Sang" Spiehagen has published only ono
short work" Ultmo "a tale OF adventures the Er-
change. just the National Zcifupg has begun
series Of feuilletons about Neapotan life from b 8
elegant pen. Gustav Freytags grand work, De AkHsn
which has reached its part, is by far tho
most important literary OF the present. plan
is TO trace the history OF old German family from an
early age through all the vicistudes OF civilization 10
the day At the rate Of progress which Freytag
is now making, should say half dozen volumes viii
hardly complete the project. 1t is certainly great un
dertakns.