ACCOUNT of the GERMAN THEATRE. 161 



medians ; and if we may judge from his performances in this 

 collection, one of the ableft of the German dramatifts, though 

 he feems not to have attained in his own country fo much con- 

 fideration as I fhould be difpofed to allow him. 



In Junker's collection is a comedy of Gellert's, which 

 gives a very favourable idea of his talents for comic character 

 and dialogue, Called The Lottery Ticket. 



Weisse, a name of high dramatic reputation in his own 

 country, is the author of two tragedies in thefe volumes, one 

 of which, Romeo and Juliet , is an extremely popular per- 

 formance in Germany. It is an imitation of Shakespeare's 

 Romeo and Juliet, with the plot much compreffed and connected; 

 but, in the fwell of its language, and the extravagance of its 

 allufions, it goes rather beyond the original. Juliet, however, 

 is a better and more interefting female character than is gene- 

 rally found in this collection. 



There is one performance, which, as it is of a Angular kind, 

 I may difmifs with a particular notice here, by a writer whom 

 Germany places by the fide of Homer and Milton, Klop- 

 stock, the author of the Meffiah. This is the Death of Adam , 

 written in a dramatic form, though, as the author himfelf 

 informs us, not meant for reprefentation. The fubject in- 

 deed feems to exclude it from the flage ; but the fltuations, 

 though not of a pleafing, are of a highly interefting kind, and 

 the conceptions and language are marked with that force and 

 fublimity which his countrymen fo enthufiaftically admire in 

 Klopstock. The angel of death is introduced as a perfon in 

 the drama, announcing to Adam his approaching fate. The 

 appearance of this majeftie and terrible being is prepared in a 

 manner uncommonly awful and fublime. Adam and his fon 

 Seth are on the fcene. " The terrors of the Almighty (fays 

 " the father of mankind) are upon me. My eyes lofe you, 

 " my fon. What darkly gleaming light rolls before me ? 

 " Feel'ft thou the making of this rock ? Doft thou hear the 



Vol. II. X " trembling 



