The New York herald., 1875-08-18

and we're brothers agan said in his turn the German
ridden Italian whose genial nature preferred TO dwell
upon the brighter alternative although the main though
was, suppose, The same in both
Finally Thusnelda, finding that Hermann's resolution
is irremovable mpores him at least special favor
to spare the life of Ventdus Carbo and this. Hermann
consents to do, stpulatng, however, that Ventdius il
TO be apprsed Of the matter daybreak but not before
and then provided with horses for his escape across thu
Rhine far away from the wrath to come As this il
the most striking episode OF the drama, the story
must be told, as briefly, however as possible.
vENrIDIUs, THE ROMAN LEGATR
is gay young patrcian from the banks Of the TibeE
and to all appearance great admirer OF the stately
Cheruskan matron, who although she checks his ad-
whenever they pass beyond certain bounds stn
gives ear with natural feminine compacency to his
impassioned pcadings On OCCASION after a greal
deal of ranting the Roman throws himself upon hi,
knees and begs Thusneda TO give him least lock o.
her bright golden hair; and, when she refuses the
gift he takes a favorable opportunity, and scissors
in hand helps himself to the coveted prize declaring
that nothing earth, not death ITSELF shall part him
from object dearer to him than the silk Of Persia
the pearls Of Corinth What woman, Cheruskan
other could be quite nsensibe the ervor OF this dis
interested hopeless passon Thusneda therefore begs
that Ventdius at least may be exempted from the terri
Ole doom which hangs over the heads OF his fellow
countrymen, and Hermann consents, showing her. al
tho same me with affected indifference an intercepted
eter which yentidius had sent to the Roman Empress
Livia, together with the very lock of hair which he
himself had cut from Thusnedas head Livia
had jestingly asked the young diplomatist to
send her a sample of German hair and Ven
dius in his letter reminds her of the incident forward
ing the sample and promising the remainder as soon
Cheruscan shall be at the feet of the victorious Roman
Thusnelda is to be shorn of her golden tresses which
are be transferred TO Liva's head for the Roman
of old preposterous the matter of CHG
any lady Broadway in this present year @
grace At this terrible announcement poor Thusnedi
tongue-ted Her rage is too great for utterancc
she comes 10 herself The outrage which she has
received is that woman could forget forgive
Her vengeance must be something terrible-unen
dmpled; and so she calmly lays her hand in her hus
bands and says 'Ieave Ventdius to me- you shall b,
satisfied with me, Hermann"
How does this air-hared daughter of the north wp.
the afront inflicted upon her by the falseheared
mean spirited Romans Lured by the seductive prom
se of private interview with the object of his ignobl,
passion, ventdius allows himself be thrown into tn,
clutches Of a fierce shebear, rendered still
moro savage by long fasting, and is slowly
worried and mangled before the eyes o
Thusneda and almost in sight of the spectators Tn,
scene is somewhat too highly wrought for all tastes bun
still essentially dramatic While Ventdius is struggling
with the black monster Thusneda is laughing him u
scorn and mockingy repeating his former protesation
of love- while her maid and the bearherd vainlJ
striving to wrest from her grasp the key which alons
the shreking victim When all is over shs
drops TO the ground in swoon In the adaptation
which now takes the place of Klests original upon the
German stage this is omitted and the incident
of the piece and the sacrifice of all artistic symmetry
for the scene of the stolen tress is thus left without
fitting pendants
Another striking scene, evncing high dramatic
power in the writer is that in which the Teut
hold kills his daughter, who has been dshonored by
party Of Italian soldiers. The situation is finely con-
ceived, the darkness family llumned by the torches
borne by tho awe-struck whispering throng of vii
layers, the aintng totterng form Of the VICTIM mys
teriousy shrouded from the public gaze by thick
white VEIL the storm of conflicting emotions in the poor
father present weird and fantastic but singularIy
fascinating picture, leaving impression not easily
efaced. should add that in this, in all other
spects the in which the Hermannschlacht'' is
put upon the stage by the dramatic company of SAKE
Meiningen is beyond all praise
Nothing offer greater contrast to Keist's sHer
mannschacht" than Grabbe's dramatic sketch bcarina
properly speaking, drama, but merely series O.
dramatic pictures sketched in rough outline the whole
effect being suggestive of certain conclusions and uxta
positions upon which the writer desires to lay stress
II was Grabbe's boast that all his works contained
subtle undercurrent of meaning, ee JNettdnschaunG
TO which the outward and superficial meaning was
simply subservent Thus the dying Augustus-ho did
not die till years afterwardwaxes prophetic when thu
news of the defeat of varus and his egons brought
him in Rome He world opening in the
north, while at the same time a world is opening in
the east where his friend Herod writes to him,
wonderful things are taking place in Bethlehem Ger
many and Judea, convergng to focus arc to
change the face of the world.
@eists ferocity apparent in a the departures be
makes from historical truth for the qualification of
spirit of revenge Thus. in his "Hermannschlacht the
proconsu Vaus is killed by German chieftan after fight
with Hermann decide who have the Kidding
the earth OF the helhoundn The adaper 'Genee allows
him to fall upon his sword in the dignihed Roman fashion
as in fact was the