New-York tribune., 1908-11-15
SCHILLER


The birthday November 10. CT the renowned Ger
poet Schiller signalzed last week by a
representation. AT OF the German theatres. Of
VIII am TELL and. at the other Of The Rob
bers' The following remarks that poet and
his works reproduced from the Essays OF
Augustus William Schlegel. and they may be
found. at this time. especially interesting:
Schiller composed his earliest works while yet
very young and unacqua. nted with that world
which he undertook TO draw. and although genius
independent and bold even 20 daringness. he was,
however In various ways influenced by the models
OF Lessng. which have mentioned. by the ear
lier Iabors OF Goethe. and Shakespeare in so far
he could understand him without ar aCqualnt-
with the original.
In this way were the works OF hts youth pro-
duced Die Rauber' CThe RobbersD. 'CabaIe Uud
LIebe.' and 'FTesco' The first. Wild and horrible
as II was. produced such powerful effect even
wholly the heads OF youthful enthusiasts
The defective imitation OF Shakespeare IS not 70
| mistaken Francis Moor is a prosaic Richard
the Third ennobled by none or the properties
which IN the latter unite admiration with aversion.
Cabale und IAebe can hardly affect US BY its ex-
travasant sentmontalty. but il tortures by the
most painful impressions. F.esco' is in design the
most perverted. effect the feeblest
so noble a mind could not long persevere IN such
errors though they acquired him an applause
which would have rendered the continuance OF his
blindness excusable he had himself experienced
the dangers OF rudeness and ungovernabIe de-
hance Of all moderatng discipline. and threw him
self therefore with incredible efforts and q Of
passion into cultivation. The work which marks
this new epoch IS Don Carlos In parts We may
observe great depth in the dellneaton OF charac-
ter yet the old and timid extravaganza was not
altogether lost. but merely clothed with choicer
forms The situations have great deal OF pathetic
power. the plot is complicated even 10 epigram-
matte subtety: but his dear thoughts on human
nature and social institutions were OF such value
in the eyes OF the poet that he exhibited them with
circumstantal fulness. instead OF expressing them
by the progress OF the action. and made his char
acters philosOphize more or less the subject or
themselves and others. by which means his work
swelled to a size altogether incompatible with the
prescribed limits OF the theatre.
Historical aud philosophical studies seem now to
have seduced the poet for time from the pOetical
career for the advancement OF his art. to which
he returned with ripe mind, enriched with vari-
knowledge. and at last truly enlightened with
respect his objects and his means. He applied
himself now wholly to tragedy, and endeavored. by
dvesting himself Of his personality to rise truly
objective exhibitions In "Walensteln' he had so
conscientiously endeavored to adhere to historical
truth that he could not become altogether the
ter OF his materials. and event ~ no great his
torical extent spun out into two plays. and a
prologue i'm some degree didacticaL In the forms
he adhered very closely to Shakespeare only he
epdeavored to conhne the change Of place and time
within narrower limits, that he might not make TOO
great a call the imagination Of the spectators
lie tied himself down to more sustained raglcaI
dignity. brought forward no persons OF mean con-
dtion or at least did not allow them 10 speak IN
their natural tone and banished into the prelude
the people here the army, which Shakespeare mas
introduced with such life and truth into the course
of public events. The love between Thekla ana Max
Piccoouini is properly episode IL Is true, and
bears the stamp OF age quite different from that
delineated in the rest OF the work; but II AFFORDS
an opportunity for the most affecting scenes, and
is conceived with equal tenderness and dignity
Maria Stuart is planned and executed with
greater skill in art and also with greater solid
ity All is wisely weighed; we may censure separa-
rate parts as offensive, the quarrel for instance
between the two queens. the wild fury OF Moru-
mer's passion. etc. but we shall hardly be able
10 take ANYTHING OF its place without involv-
ing the whole in confusion. The effect is infall-
bile: the last scenes OF Mary truly worthy OF a
queen Religious impressions are introduced with
due seriousness: only from the care. perhaps super
nuous of exercising poetical justice on Elizabeth
after Mary's death, the spectator is dismissed IN
a state OF mind approaching to cool indifference.
With such wonderful subject as The Maid OF
Orleans" Schiller thought himself entitled to take
greater liberties The plot is ooser; the scene with
Montgomery. epic tntermixture, is at variance
with the general tone; In the singular and ineon-