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22 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
In my way hither, I {tole fufficient time to remark, that the agriculture of this part
of the country is not in fo improved a ftate as even that of Suabia. I faw feveral
Suabian villages, which deferved the appellation of towns much more than fome of the
miferable holes I have met with fince my arrival in Bavaria. There are fix of thefe
about Munich, in which the wide feattered houfes are far more numerous than the in-
habitants.
Iam {till too little acquainted with this court and country, to be able to fay any thing
confidently about either. But asI propofe {topping here fome time, fhall impart to
you, in due order, the refult of my enquiries. In the mean time, as I am a diligent
frequenter of the German theatre, I feel a defire to entertain you, as far as my ability
yet goes, with a ftate of the dramatic part of German literature.
Thole who underftand German, perceive even at Strafburg, that Germany has, for
fome years paft, been {truck with a rage for theatrical exhibitions. The bookfellers’
fhops are from time to time over-run with new plays and theatrical almanacks; and
writings of the dramatic kind, always occupy a third part in the catalogues of new
books. Dramatic poetry is certainly the higheft fpecies of poetry, as hiftorical painting
is the higheft {pecies of painting; nor can any thing -be more ufeful than to reprefent
man in his various characters, and fituations, with truth and juftice. But fuch men
as appear at prefent in moft of the German plays, are rarely met with in the world ;
and when here and there fuch do make their appearance, the police of the place, if
there is any police, takes the charge of them upon itfelf, and lodges them in Bedlam,
or a workhoufe.
You muft know, my dear brother, that the characters moft frequently on the
German ftage, are frantic lovers, parricides, highwaymen, minifters, miftreffes, and
men of fafhion, with their pockets full of daggers and poifon, melancholy and raving
men of all forts, and incendiaries, and grave-diggers. Perhaps you will not believe
me, but I could name to you above twenty pieces, the chief characters in which are
mad, and where the poet has endeavoured to exhibit his forte in the difplay of folly,
and diftraGtion of mind. I affure you too, upon my honour, that that part of the
German public with which I have had the honour to be acquainted hitherto, admire,
and moft violently applaud thofe fcenes which fhew the madman in his wildeft tranf-
ports. There are plays in which the chief character fucceflively murders from twelve
to fifteen people ; and by way of crowning the meritorious deed, plants a dagger in
his own breaft. It is a fact, that the pieces which have moft madmen and murderers
in them, meet with the greateft approbation; nay, feveral actors and actrefles have
complained to me how difficult they found it to invent new ways of dying on the ftage.
It mult be difficult, for there are {cenes in which the principal performers muft re-
main for half an hour in the laft agonies, uttering broken words, and under continued con-
vulfions, and it is certainly no eafy tafk to fuftain fuch a death with propriety. I have
citen feen no lefs than five people at once dying on the German ftage, one ringing
out his knell with his feet, another with his arms, a third with his belly, and a fourth
with his head, whilft the pit feemed agonizing with joy, efpecially if the fport lafted,
and clapped every convulfive movement. :
The next in rank on the German {tage after the madmen and murderers, are drunk-
ards, foldiers, and watchmen. ‘Thefe charaters correfpond too much with the na-
tional humour not to be welcome to the audience. But why the phlegmatic Germans,
who are troubled with fo few violent paflions, and delight fo little in defperate tranf-
actions, and tragical events, fhould take fuch pleafure in the dagger and bowl, is not
7 at
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