The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14

presently. followed by a drama entitled "Marit
Stuart" a subject which gave the p%roselyte al
opportunity Of displaying his burning zeal TO
Rome. For writing this drama he was flneC
$50 guldens, which his publisher paid.
III.
AT the age OF 90 Vondel transferred his
hosiery shop In Amsterdam to his son and went
TO live with his daughter Anna In the outskirts
OF the city. About this time he had occasion to
exercise his powers OF invective In a series OF
satires against the anti-Royalists Of Great
Britain. We are told that his odes on The
Reglcides OF England" Charles Stuart's MUIR
dered Majesty" Protector Werewolf" tCrom-
WE'LL. THE Flag Of Scotland" and many other
poems on like subjects glow with the Same
wrath and Indignation that characterized the
compositions OF John Milton on the other side.
That Vondel. the Dutch Republican. should
assume such an attitude toward the would-be
Republicans Of England Is explained by at
tributing to him a fear that, In the one country
as In the other. cantinR bigotry would usurp
the affairs OF religion and sacrifice art and
liberty to Incorporate zeal. We should
mention that in 1913. Vondel had cele-
brated by his "Ieeuwandalers.' IA pastoral
drama. the Treaty OF Munster. which brought
to an end the eighty-four years struggle OF the
Dutch patriots against Spain. Not long after
ward he wrote an epitaph on the old sea dog.
Martin Tromp. and. henceforth. his Romanism
excited but little omment except among the
Calvinistic clergy. In October. 1853. not long
after the production Of his tragedy OF Solo
mon." Vondel was crowned with laurel at a
feast given by the Guild of St. Luke. which
comprised one hundred Of the leading painters,
poets. architects, and sculptors OF Amsterdam.
In return for this honor. Vondel dedicated to
tho GuilI bia DrOaa franalofiNn Of fha Olaa ~
Horace.
Ii was in 1854. when he had attained the six
ty-seventh year Of his age-a date. 1t will be re-
membered, Just thirteen years earlier than the
publication OF Paradise Lost that Vondel
brought out his most remarkable creation, the
tragedy Of "Lucifer." which, from the day Of
its birth, has been accounted a classic and re-
puted the greatest poem in the Dutch language.
Through the interference of the Calvinistic
clergy. the performance of "Lucifer" was in
terdicted after 1t had been twice presented on
the stage. but the scenery prepared for it was
subsequently used for the authors tragedy,
"Salmoneus," founded on the story ofthe Jove-
defying King Of Ellis. His next venture was a
translation OF the Psalms OF David in various
metres, u work dedicated to Queen Christina
Of Sweden, who. like the poet himself. was a
proselyte to the Catholic faith.
Vondel died on Feb. g.. 1879. in his ninety
second year. having attained the age of Sopho-
cles. At the age of "a h. translated Ovid's
"Metamorphoses." and three years later he
composed an epithalamium on the marriage OF
a favorite niece. This was his latest compost
ton. The decade between his seventeen and
eightieth year was. strange TO say. the period
OF his greatest literary activity. Among the
works produced at this time were the tragedy
OF "Jephtha," in which he undertook to fulfil
every requirement OF the classic drama: metri-
cal TRANSACTIONS Of tho "Edipus Rex.""Iphi-
genia in Tauris." and the "Trachinia" OF
Sophocles: the allegorical tragedies David
in Exile" and David Restored" in which
the exile and restoration OF Charles II. are
set forth: "Adonis." "Batavian Brothers"
"Faeton" and "ZunGchin; or. the Fall of
the Chinese Empire" or unusual literary
merit. and OF special interest to English speak
ing readers. is his tragedy of Samson" the
prototype of Milton's Samson Agonlstes."
The points Of familiarity between the two dramas
are said to be many and remarkable. The
most important Of the Dutch poets produc-
tons at this period, however. were his Adam
in Exile" and Noah" which. with the "Luci-
fer" form a triloGy. Altogether. Vondel WAS
the author Of thirty-three tragedies. only
eighteen OF which. however. were presented
on the stage.
III.
Let us look now at the tragedy Of "Lucifer"
and inquire how the author was led to adopt
the subject. He himself tells us. I'm a Fore
word to the drama. that he was led to treat
the theme by certain passages of Scripture
and in the patristric writings. and that he also
turned to account a prose composition concern
ing Luciter and the rebel!ious spirits by the
English Protestant. Richard Baker. The pres
ent translator, Mr.. van Noppen. points out that
Baker was NOT fha only W ritnr uyhn bod boo,
attracted to the subject. The Latin poem OF
Avitus. Bishop OF Vienna: the Biblical para
phrase OF the AnGlo-Saxon poet Caedmon and
the Creation" Of the Spanish monk DRAGON
tius we're followed, at n later period. by many
studies OF the same theme. One Of the most
noted of these was Andrieni's "Adamo," a
tragedy in five acts dealing with the fall
OF man. To about the same period belongs
the Adamus Exul.' a Latin drama OF con-
siderable merit. written by Grotius while still
young. Another contemporary Dutchman,
Father Cats. undertook to handle the subject
in his idyl. THE First Marriage" Besides
the poets mentioned. the same or a similar
subject engaged the attention OF the Scotch
man Ramsay. the Spaniard AzeveRo. the Por-
tuRuese Camoens. the Frenchman Du Bartas.
and the Englishman Phineas Fletcher. How
far Milton may have been Influenced by these
writer's Is uncertain, 1t is much
more likely that the composition OF Para
disc Lost" and " Paradise Regained +" was suR-
gested to Milton by Vondel's "Lucifer." which
was published thirteen years earlier. and Of
which he must have heard. first. because he was
we'll acquainted with Hugo Grotius, who was
one OF Vondel's friends and admirers, and.
secondly. because Roger Williams. who had
learned the Dutch language during his exile in
Holland. had subsequently taught it to Milton.
To the internal evidence OF Milton's obligations
to Vondel we shall presently recur. but. OF
course. we must be upon our guard against
making too much Of some striking and curious
resemblances which are Offset by many equally
strong and remarkable contrasts. Nor for a
moment should we lose sight of the distinction
between a drama and an epic. that is to say, the
difference between narration and action.
As regards theme. there Is a fundamental
difference between the tragedy and the epic.
'Lucifer" Is not. as is Millions poem. the story
OF mans first disobedience." although this is |
the outcome OF the catastrophe. What Vondel re-
counts In action Is the fall OF the anpo,s which