Retro/ped? of Dome/ftic Literature... Mifcellanies. 
Kotzebue’s ‘ Self Immiolation’’ has 
been tranflaed by Henry Newman, 
Efq. and is one of the author’s moft in 
terefting dramas: it is well calculated for 
the modern ftage, and has been adapted 
to ours under the title of “ Family Di- 
ftrefs.”” 
Mifs PLumprre has publithed a 
tranflation of Kotzebue’s ‘* Force of Ca- 
lumny,”? which, though it may not aét 
upon the feelings fo ftrongly as fome of 
his productions, bears the characteriftic 
marks of his genius, and excites a power- 
ful though a calm intereft. Its morality 
is excellent, fince its chief objeét is to 
-prove that happinefs is not to be attained 
amid the glare of courts, and the fordid 
buftle’ of moft aétive employments, but 
in the domeftic peace and domeftic com- 
. forts of thofe bleft with a decent medio- 
crity of- fortune. 
Kotzebue’s “ Widow and the Horfe”’ 
has been tranflated by Mifs PLumprre, 
and adapted to our ftage by Mr. Dibdin, 
we think in both inftances needlefsly, as 
it appears to us to be a drama of very 
-infcrior merit. ; 
“ The Falfe Shame” of Kotzebue, 
which has been prefented to the Englifh 
public by an anonymous tranflator, a- 
bounds in a more uleful and more gene- 
rally applicable morality than any of his 
productions. We with there had been 
lefs complexity, and that Flaxland’s 
falfe fhame, the thame of retrenching 
expences to a level. with his circum- 
ftances, had been the only one attacked. 
The fcene in which he gives up his falfe 
fhame at the inftance of his amiable wife 
is excellent. We with that thofe perfons 
who are continually denouncing Kotze- 
bue as an immoral writer would read this 
play —We fhall content ourfelves with 
barely enumerating the other plays of 
Kotzebue, which~ have been -tranflated 
during the laft half year—‘* The Cor- 
ficans.”’—** Poverty and Noblenefs of 
Mind,” by Maria Geifweiler—‘ Peevith 
Man,” by C. Ludger, Efq— La Pey- 
roufe,”’ by Milfs Plumptre, and_by Mr. 
Thompfon. But it is not to Kotzebue 
alone that our_tranflators bave corfined 
themfeives : Lefling, Goéthe, and Lfland, 
three other German dramatiits, have 
alfo been made to contribute to our 
amufement.—* The Schcel for Honour, 
or the Chance of War,”’ is a comedy by 
the firft of thefe; it was formerly tranf- 
Jatcd in Engelith, with the title of the 
Baronefs of Bruchial, or the Difbanded 
Officer, and has now been again tranflat- 
ed : it poffeffess much merit. 
Monruty Mac. LIV. 
1 Dhe Lawyers,” 
1057 
« Goetz of Berlichingen with the Iron 
Hand,” is a tragedy by GOETHE, the 
celebrated author of the Sorrows of Wer- 
ter. This drama, which is faid to be 
written in imitation of Shakfpeare, “is 
admired with enthufiafm by the Germans, © 
who regard the principal charaéters as 
one of their national heroes. It has the 
common fault of all German productions, 
that of diftufenefs and expanfion, “even to 
tedioufnefs ; but it abounds in thofe true 
ftrokes of mature, in thofe fcintillations 
of genius which might be expected in the 
piece of fo great.a mafter. The fublime » 
and poetical defcription of a comet, the 
terrific wildnefs of the gipfey fcene, the 
terrible juftice of the fecret tribunal, and 
the tender pathos of the conclufion, will 
be read with the higheft degree of intercft. 
‘We think this one of the mcft ftriking » 
plays of the German fchool. 
Two of IrFFLaNb’s plays have made 
their appearance in an Englith drefs; 
tranflated by Mr. 
LupGER; andthe “ Forrefters,” by Mits 
Bett Prumptree, fiftertothe lady who 
has tranflated fo many of Kotzebue’s dra- 
mas. Wecannot fpeak very highly of 
either of thefe as dramatic performances : 
they are very moral, rational, good kind 
of pieces, but are tame and {piritlefs 
when compared with thofe of Kotzebue. 
There are, however, one cr two {cenes 
in the Forréfters extremely pathetic. Not 
only the German but the Danifh drama 
has been reforted to by our induiftrious 
tranflators. 
“« Poverty and Wealth,’ a comedy by — 
P. A. HEIBERG, has been tranflated by 
Mr. Witson: the plot of this drama Is 
extravagant, but the morality is unex. - 
ceptionable. 
“ True Patriotifm, or Poverty enno- 
bled by Virtue,’ and ‘‘ Neither’s the 
Man,” by Mr. Hotronp, are two Eng- 
lifn dramas which donot rife above me- 
diocrity. 
Mr, Potrport, an Italian mafter in 
London, has publifhed two dramas in his 
own language, ‘ Ifabella’”’ and ‘* Ger- 
nando,’ which have have fome merit. 
MISCELLANIES. 
“©The Travels of Antenor in Greece 
and Ajia,”’ tranflated from the French of 
E. F.LANtrrer; this work is written in 
imitation of the celebrated travels of Ana- 
charfis, but is very. inferior to its proto= 
type. The work of Barthelemy inftruéts 
while it delights: the moft that can be 
faid of M. -Lantier’s: is, thar. ict. may 
amiufe thofe who are not véry refited in 
6U their 
