Dryden's Relation to Germany 79 



oden haben wir ; aber doch kostliche Oratorien von Niemeier und 

 Sangstiicke von Kosegarten."^® 



B. (ottiger), associate editor of the Neuen Teutschen Merkur, 

 in a comment to the two translations of Alexander's Feast pub- 

 lished in that journal, voices the general esteem and the popu- 

 larity of the translations, and even of the original of Dryden's ode 

 at the beginning of the nineteenth century. " Es gibt gewisse 

 Meisterstiicke der Verkunst, durch deren treue Uebertragungen in 

 andere Sprachen fast jeder wahre Kiinstler von jeher sein Stu- 

 dium machte. . . . Wer hat nicht z, B. die Ode" der Saffo von der 

 Gewalt der Liebe, oder Petrarchas Sonet auf Baucluse einmal 

 wenigstens seiner geheimen Tafel in einer Uebertragungsversuch 

 anvertraut? Ein solch oft versuchtes Stiick ist auch Drydens be- 

 riihmte Ode auf das Cacilienfest. . . . Das Original ist aus Retzer's 

 Choice^'^ oder jeder andern nur ertraglichen Chrestomathie in 

 jedermanns Handen."^^ 



The other criticism, though not so important and for the most 

 part not original, indicates the general recognition of Alexander's 

 Feast in the eighteenth century. Schmid speaks of the renowned 

 ode of Dryden, and mentions the happy translation which Weisse 

 made, apparently ignorant of that made by Ramler.^^ Flogel says 

 that Dryden's genius and phantasy seemed to become more active 

 in his old age, for in his sixty-eighth year he wrote the ode for 

 Saint Cecelia's Day which was regarded as the most perfect in all 

 languages. ^^ Blankenburg says it is known among the Germans 

 through the translations of Weisse and Ramler, and calls it an 

 excellent poem but criticises the close.^^ Bouterwek pronounces 

 it a widely known and much admired ode ; a masterpiece for its 



56 (C. D. F.) Schubarts Lebcn und Gesinnung von ihm sclbst im Kerker 

 aufgesct::t. Heransgegcben von seinem Sohne, Lndwig Schubart. II, p. 

 30. Stuttgart, 1793. 



57 1 did not have access to Retzer's Choice of the best Poetical Pieces. 

 Vienna, 1783 ff. See N. T. Merkur, Vol. 54. P- Ixxxvii. 



58 Loco citato, p. 81. 



59 Theorie, loco citato, II, p. S^?- 



60 Loco citato, II, p. 367, 1785- 

 ^'^ Zusdtse, II, p. 443a, 1796- 



3^7 



