1606.] 
In later times, Wilhelmina de Winter, 
whofe maiden name was Van Merken, and 
Petronilla Moens, have acquired a bril- 
liant reputation. The Jatter is ftill liv- 
ing. It was fhe who celebrated Olden 
Barneveldt in her poems ; and we have by 
her two tragedies, Jane Gray, and Dolley 
and Amelia, which are locked upon as 
mafter-picces. Wilhelmina de Winter 
produced feveral bighly-2tteemed theatri- 
cal pieces in conjunétion with her hu{band, 
the author of the poem on the Amftel. 
She herfelf wrote two beautiful poems, 
Germanicus, in fixteen cantos, and David 
in twelve. 
Madame de Winter poflefled many great 
qualifications which are required in a dra- 
matic poet. She had an ardent and ex- 
alted imagination ; the charaéters of her 
hiftorical pieces are perfectly drawn ; fhe 
has brilliant and well-conduéted fcenes ; 
her fyle is moving ; the love of country 
is deeply felt, and expreffed with gran- 
deur. Few ofthe Dutch poets can flatter 
themfelves with haying put into the 
mouths of their heroes fentiments fo digni- 
fied and energetic ; and very few have un- 
derftood fo well as fhe how to manage the 
intereft, and to keep it continually in- 
creafing till the conclufion of the piece. 
In 1774 the new theatre of Amtterdam 
was opened with one of her chef d'@uvres, 
intitled Jacob Simonfzoon de Ryk. The 
memorable fervices which he rendered the 
Dutch were juftly deferving of this ho- 
nourable preference. At the opening of 
the theatre of Rotterdam, the fame year, 
Mary of Burgundy, another of Wihel- 
mina de Winter’s productions, was per- 
formed. Among the other works of this wo- 
man of genius are likewife mentioned the 
Siege of Leyden, and Monzengo, or the 
Royal Slave. The latter is Rill frequently 
aéted. Madame de Winter died on the 
xgth of October, 1789. 
not fail on this cecafion to exhibit 6n¢ of 
thofe traits which do the greateft honour 
to their character, that is, their zeal to do 
’ honour to extraordinary talents even after 
death. The Poetical Society of Leyden, 
celebrated for its encouragement of poetry 
and literature in geneval, erected a mau- 
foleum in the Old Church at Amfterdam 
to the memory of this extraordinary wo- 
man. Winke’es furnifhed the pian, and 
the execution colt three thoufand florins, 
The dramatic poets who have thone fince 
the days of Vondel and Pels are too nu- 
merous to give a complete lift only of tie 
beft, It is impoffibie however to forbear 
mentioning Focquenbroch and Lucas Pa- 
ter, excellent comic pocts ; Claus Bruyn, 
Abridged Hiffory of the Dutch Stage. 
The Dutch did: 
303 
furnamed the poet of manners, the author 
of feven tragedies, and feveral pieces taken 
from the Scripture (he died in 1732) 3 
John de la Marre, known for his poem of 
Batavia, in which he defcribes the Eatt- 
Indies, and his tragedy of Jacquelina of 
Bavaria. Onderwater, the fon of a la. 
bourer, a felf-taught genius, likewile de- 
ferves to be mentioned. His Laft Judy- 
ment gained him great credit. Romoz, a 
very good poet, publifhed various onginal 
pieces and tranflations. In 1794 his Dv. 
chefs of Corali was agted. The theatre 
of Amfterdam is alfo indebted for cperas 
and tranflations to the celebrated compe- 
fer Ruloffs. Several living poets do he- 
nour to Holland ; but I fha!ll mention 
only fuch as are diftinguifhed by genuine 
dramatic talents, by their gcod taite, and 
the purity of their ftyle. 
A. L. Barbafz, known by his fables, 
has enriched the ftage with feveral tran- 
flations of the tragedies of Voltaire and 
Laharpe. Among other tranflations, Uy- 
lenbroek has given one of Merope. He 
likewife tried his powers in an original 
drama in five aéts, The Unhappy Family ; 
but he appears to have determined not to 
fubmit to the rules of the three unities ; 
the intereft is too much divided for the 
piece to have much. Pypers, who com- 
pofed the tragedy of St. Stephen the Fir 
Martyrs has allo fucceeded in fome other 
performances. J. Kinker, Haverkoorn, 
Willemfzoon, and Loots, are held in 
high eftimation. The latter is advan- 
tageoufly known for his poems on The 
Peace ard the New Century. H. E. Streek 
has written for the ftage, and has tran- 
flared the <* Homme de Champs” of M, 
Delille. tae 
For the ret, the Dutch poets of the pre- 
fent day may be reproached with endea- 
vouriig to fhine rather in tranflaiions than 
in original performances. They are the 
more inexcufable, as the hiftory of their 
own country furnifhes abundance of faéts 
and of great characters which they might 
fuccefsfully introduce upon the flage. ft 
is to he feared that tranflations will in the 
end caule original works to di appear en- 
tirely. It is remarkable that in 1727 
there exified. in Holland more than thirty 
portcal focieties, which had produced 
1246 tragedies or comedies in the Dutch 
language ; but fince that period the traaf- 
lations gre to original pieces in the Pt'oe 
portion of ten toene ; and the difference 
grows {till greater fince the dramatic 
works of Schiller, Tflind, and Ko:zebue, 
have become known. More than «fiity- 
{even plays by the latter are already ivant 
lated + 
etre See see 
