Retrofpedt of French Literature.—TLhe Drama. 
contain only three of Schiller’s pieces, viz. 
“¢ Ja Conjuration de Fiefque,” “ L’ Amour 
et Intrigue,” and ‘‘ Don Carlos, Infant 
d Efpagne.” The firft of thefe which had 
before been adapted to the French tafte, 
and even to French poetry, is about to be 
performed at the Théatre de la Republique. 
The beauties arifing from fituation, the 
elevation of character, the fire of fentimenr, 
the force of expreflien; in fhort, every 
thing that ufually characterifes and diftin- 
guifhes the vigorous and original paint- 
ings of the author is to be found in this 
drama. 
In his Rodders, he has exhibited a {pe- 
cimen of the monftrous exceffes which a 
man of a fanguine temperament, and a bold 
charaéter can commit, when forced by the 
injuftice of his equals to fhake off the yoke 
of focial laws; in his Frefco on the con- 
trary, he prefents us with a finifhed model 
of cunning and intrigue. This 1s not.an 
ordinary confpirator whom Schiller has. de- 
picted; he is a young man poffeffed of 
great talents and furrounded by luxuries 
of every kind, whofe mind:is neverthelefs 
occupied in preparing the moft important 
events.. * L’amour & Intrigue’ (Love 
and Intrigue), on the other hand, prefents 
the picture of a continual ftrugele between 
the ambition of an old courtier, and the 
love of a young man, devoted to his paf- 
fions. A powerful intereft, and the moft 
eritical fituations, added to a profound 
knowledge of the human heart, conftitute 
the merit, and have enfured the fuccefs of 
‘ shis piece in every theatre where it has 
been reprefented. As to the drama of 
Don Carlos, which is very entertaining in 
the clefer, and fulceptible of great effect 
on the fiage, it was quoted asa mafter-piece 
even before it had been publifhed, and no 
fooner was it read, than it was confidered 
as entitled tu the firft rank ameng the dra- 
matic works of Schiller. Along with 
poetry, far from being indifferent, we find 
fuch a degree of fidelity, that many per- 
fons afirm that it ought rather to be 
confidered as a hiftorical poem on the 
court of Philip If. than a work deftined 
for the theatre. The portraits of that 
prince, and of Carlos, Elizabeth, the duke 
‘of Alva, andthe marquis de Yoffa, are all 
drawn by the hand of a matter. The 
tranflation by C. LamartelNere is well per- 
formed, but, he frequently recurs to the 
fame formule of ftyle, and fometimes 
makes ule of phrafes that are neither juf- 
tified by pra€tice nor pleafing to the ear. 
It is alfo worthy of remark, that ‘he re- 
grets Schiller’s haying abandoned his dra- 
amatic career, whereas he might have ea- 
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657 
fily learned, that this author tas compofed 
and publifhed the hiftory of Wallenftcin 
in three feparate dramas, which have been 
lately reprefented at Weimar with the 
greateft applaufe. 
«¢ Tteocies & Polynice, Tragedie en 
cing actes,” 8c. Erteocles and Polynices, 
a tragedy in five aéts, reprefented for the 
firft time, on the 7th Brumaire, eighth 
year. Le Gouvé, a poet who has already 
acquired fome reputation by Les Souvenirs 
and La Melancolie, is the avowed author 
of thisdrama. The fubjeét, which is the 
memorable ftory of Oedipus and J ocafta, has 
been already treated by Euripedes; but the 
French author, notwithftanding this, has 
found means to add to his celebrity ; in 
fhort, this is accounted one of the bet 
tragedies of modern times. The amiable 
character of Polynices is developed in the 
following line addrefied to the gods, ime 
mediately preceding the combat : 
‘¢ Faites vaincve le chef quirendra Thébe 
heureule |” 
May that chief prove vi&torious who fhali 
render Thebes happy ! 
On the other hand, the interefted am- 
bition of Eteoclesis admirably exprefled in 
this fentiment : 
‘¢ Periffe, s’il le faut, Theébe entitre avec 
moi. 
Let Thebes herfelf perifh, if it be neced- 
fary, along with me! 
The {cene whence thefe two lines are taken 
‘confifts of an interview between the rivai 
brothers, fome portions of it are borrowed 
from Haripedes, and if we are to believe 
feveral of the French critics, it as far fu- 
perior to Racine! All the aétors diftin- 
guifhed themfelves during the reprefenta- 
tion, particularly Talia in a monologue, 
which he fpoke with great effeét; as did 
alfo Damas in the charatter of Polynices, 
and Manuel in that of Oedipus. 
‘© Theatre de Kotzebue,” &c, The 
Theatre of Kotzcbue, tranflated from the 
German, by Weiis, profeilor of Germany 
at the Lyceum, and L. F. Jauffert, mem- 
ber of feveral literary focieties. Ths 
tranflation appears in feparate volumes. 
Twoof thefe have already been publitheds 
the firft contains Mifazthropie @ Repentir, 
and the fecond La Reconciliation, ou Les 
Deux Freres. Thefe two dramas, each of 
which confiés of five. aéts, have been re- 
ceived with. great arpiaufe throughout 
Germany, &c. an/imitation of the former 
has been reprefented more than a hua- 
dred times in Paris, 
Wirs- 
