cultivation of reafon, which has operated with fuch fuccefs in difpelling ancient prejudices of every kind, and in the various difcoveries and inftitutions which have affifted its progrefs. Such is M. Herder's work, which from its nature must be unequal, but which, in many parts, we can cheerfully and unrefervedly praife, and honeftly commend as a whole. The tranflator has executed his talk with great ability; but we with that, of fome parts, he had given only an abridged view, that he had corrected fome errors, and fupplied the additional discoveries made fince the period of the publication. This may perhaps be done, in another edition, without greatly adding to its bulk. The Piccolomini, or the First Part of Wallenfiein, a Drama in Five Acts. Tranflated from the German of Frederick Schiller by S. T. Coleridge. The Death of Wallenftein, a Tragedy in Five Acts. Tranflated from the German of Frederick Schiller by S. T. Coleridge. 8vo. 8s. Boards. Longman and Rees. 1800. THE name of Schiller will no doubt awaken the attention of the admirers of impaffioned writing; and many fublime effufions from Mr. Coleridge's own pen muft prepare our readers to expect from his competency an interesting tranflation of these announced dramas of the German Shakspeare. On a perufal of the first of them, our feelings, however, fanctioned the prediction of Mr. Coleridge, as thus expreffed in his preface to The Death of Wallenftein. 'The admirers of Schiller, who have abstracted their idea of that author from the Robbers, and the Cabal and Love, plays in which the main intereft is produced by the excitement of curiofity, and in which the curiofity is excited by terrible and extraordinary 'incident, will not have perufed without fome portion of difappointment the dramas which it has been my employment to translate.' P. ii. The Piccolomini exhibits the impetuous Wallenftein, from the double impulfe of ambition and injury, as concerting treafon against his fovereign, feducing his army from their allegiance, and exciting them to revolt to the Swedes; but as thwarted in his fchemes by Octavio Piccolomini, who, under the mask of friendship, becomes a fpy upon his conduct, and betrays him to his ruin. The fcene is laid at Pilfen, the headquarters of the imperial forces, and the unity of time and place is ftrictly adhered to. The firft act opens with a dialogue between Illo, Butler, and Ifolani, three of Wallenftein's officers, which obfcurely intimates the difcontent of the army at the proceedings of the imperial court, and their treasonable attachment to their general. The reception which these officers give to Questenberg the imperial envoy, who arrives with a commiffion to difmifs the general from his command, still more plainly indicates the diforderly fpirit which pervades the camp. The third fcene discloses the character of Octavio Piccolomini, who confirms Questenberg's opinion of the disaffection of Wallenftein, but affures him of his complete knowledge of his projects, and of his power and refolution to thwart them. The fourth fcene introduces on the ftage Max. the son of Octavio Piccolomini, who has just arrived in the camp as an efcort to the wife of Wallenftein and the princefs Thekla his. daughter, for whom, during their journey, he has conceived a ftrong attachment. The character of Max. is well drawn. Brave, generous, and open-hearted, infpired with a foldier's prejudices against the fuppofed enemies of his general, he treats Queftenberg with contempt. In the fixth fcene an extraordinary trait in the character of Wallenftein is discovered by the appearance of Seni, an aftrologer whom he maintains in his fuite for the purpose of confulting the ftars. A converfation between the general and his wife in the enfuing fcene opens to us the hoftile difpofition of the cabinet of Vienna and the profpect of Wallenstein's difgraceful difmiffion. Convinced of the approach of this humiliating event, he confirms himself in the refolution of raifing the standard of revolt. O! they force, they thruft me With violence, againft my own will, onward!' P. 36. Thekla is now introduced to her father, who in the following fpeech developes his ambitious defigns. That it denied me a man-child to be Heir of my name and of my profperous fortune, And re-illume my foon extinguifh'd being In a proud line of princes. I wrong'd my destiny. Here upon this head, Let fall the garland of a life of war, Nor deem it loft, if only I can wreathe it Around thefe beauteous brows,' P. 38. Count Tertfky, brother to Wallenftein, urges him, in the tenth fcene, to execute his intentions, and immediately revolt to the Swedes. During their converfation they are joined by Illo, who announces the refolution of the army to remonstrate against their beloved general's difmiffion from the command. Immediately after this conference enfues a very fpirited scene, in which Queftenberg details the emperor's orders in a full council of war. These orders the officers prefent fhow themfelves determined to refift; and with this tumultuous avowal of their determination the first act closes. The fecond act chiefly advances the progrefs of the action by the execution of a plot of Illo's, the outlines of which he thus difclofes to Tertíky. Illo. Attend! We frame a formal declaration, His both with life and limb, and not to spare In a particular claufe, and fave the confcience. Before the banquet. No one will find in it The execution of this project is exhibited in a banquet fcene, which clofes the act; and which in representation must compose a striking and magnificent fpectacle. The third act, though fhort, drags itfelf, like a wounded fnake,' flowly and heavily along. It is almost entirely occupied by a converfation of the elder Piccolomini with his fon; in which he difclofes the treafonable defigns of Wallenftein, and endeavours to perfuade him to defert his ftandard. The crafty policy of the father is however fkilfully contrafted with the ingenuous openness and liberal fentiments of the youthful foldier. The fourth act opens with an aftrological conference between Wallenftein and Seni, which is interrupted by the unwelcome tidings that a meffenger whom Wallenftein had fent with dispatches to the Swedes liad been arrested and conducted to Vienna. Finding himself by this accident compelled to precipitate the measures he had already projected, the general expreffes his emotions in the following fine foliloquy, which inculcates a moft ferious and important moral. Is it poffible? Is't fo? I can no longer what I would? No longer draw back at my liking? I And clutch fantastic fceptres moving t'ward me? Where am I? Whither have I been tranfported? Impenetrable, infurmountable, Rifes obedient to the fpeils I mutter'd And meant not-my own doings tower behind me.' P. 155. At this juncture arrives Wrangel, a Swedish general, empowered to conclude the treacherous negotiation which Wallenftein has long propofed. Wallenftein, however, is ftill irrefolute. He hefitates to confummate his treafon till his laft fpark of virtue is extinguished by the daring remonstrances of his fifter, the countefs Tertfky, who thus affails him on his weak fide. • Countefs. Then betwixt thee and him (confefs it, Friedland!) The point can be no more of right and duty, Only of power and the opportunity. That opportunity, lo! it comes yonder, Approaching with swift fteeds; then with a fwing' Seize with firm hand the reins, ere thy opponent The constellations ftand victorious o'er thee, The planets foot good fortune in fair junctions, And tell thee," Now's the time!" The flarry courfes The zodiacs, the rolling orbs of heaven, Wal. (during this laft fpeech walks up and down with inward fruggles, labouring with paffions; flops fuddenly, ftands ftill, then interrupting the countess,) Send Wrangel to me-I will inftantly Dispatch three couriers P. 179. A confidential converfation on the part of Wallenftein with his betrayer Octavio Piccolomini introduces the fifth act. At the close of this conference Max. enters, to whom Wallenftein communicates his projected rebellion, and requires his affistance in its accomplishment. Max. is ftruck with horror at the communication, and vainly endeavours to perfuade the general to defift. Finding that his perfuafions have no effect he leaves him abruptly. Tertíky and Illo then enter, and endeavour to convince Wallenftein of the infidious defigns of the elder Piccolomini. Wallenftein, however, difbelieves them, and thus ftates the foundation of his affurance. • There exist moments in the life of man, And fuch a moment 'twas, when in the night Leaning against a tree, thoughts crowding thoughts, Doft thou command. They follow all thy stars, Upon thy fingle head, and only man The vellel of thy fortune. Yet a day Will come, when destiny shall once more scatter Few be they who will stand out faithful to thee." |