f20 Poetry. 



be difficult to make a selection, and of such ac- 

 knowledged merit that they need no additional 



encomium/ 



The dramatic writings of Germany first began 

 in the eighteenth century to assume a respectable 

 and interesting aspect. Indeed, till within the 

 last forty years scarcely any specimen had appeared 

 in this department of composition, which could be 

 considered as doing honour to German genius, or 

 which was much known beyond the bounds of 

 that empire. But within this period some writers 

 of high reputation have appeared, and raised the 

 dramatic character of their country to great emi- 

 nence. 



Goethe stands among the most celebrated Ger- 

 man dramatists. His Sisters, his Stella, and his 

 Jphigenia are considered as very honourable monu- 

 ments of genius. The tragedies of Lessing have 

 a high character among his countrymen, particu- 

 larly his Emilia Galotti, Philotas, and Sarah 

 Sajnpson. The tragic productions of Babo are also 

 much distinguished. The most remarkable of 

 these are Otto of Wittlesbach, Dagobert, and Con- 

 science. But, perhaps, no tragic writer of Ger- 

 many has gained a reputation more extensive and 

 commanding than Schiller, whose Robbers and 

 Don Carlos evince powerful talents, and have 

 gained unusual popularity. The various dramatic 

 works of Schroeder, Von Reitzenstein, and 

 Iffland, have also attracted much attention, and 

 received general applause. The last in particular 

 is one of the most liberal contributors to the drama 



/ Charles Goldoni was born at Venice, in 1707, and died at Paris 

 in 1792. He is said to have been equal to the greatest comic poets of 

 modern times, in dramatic talents, and superior to them all in the fertility 

 of his genius. His works were printed at Leghorn, in 1791, in 31 volumes 

 gvo. He has been generally called the Moliere of Italy ; and Vol- 

 taire, in one of his letters to the Marquis Albercati, styles kim " the 

 painter of Nature." 



