How indifferent, how cold, on the contrary, are our people in regard
to the theater ! Whence this difference, if it does not arise from the
fact that the Greeks were inspired by their stage with feelings so
strong, so extraordinary, that they could scarce await the moment for
experiencing them again and again ; while we receive from our stage
such weak impressions that we seldom think it worth the time and
money to secure them? We go to the theater almost always from
curiosity, from fashion, from ennui, from a desire for society, from a
wish to stare and to be stared at; and only a few, and these few sel-
dom, from other motives. I say we, our people, our stage. I do not
mean, however, only the Germans. We Germans are honest enough

[ii6]



INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION IN GERMANY

to confess that as yet we have no theater. What many of our critics
who subscribe to this confession, and at the same time are great adv
mirers of the French theater, are thinking of in forming such a judg-
ment, I know not ; but I know what I myself think of it. I think
that not only we Germans but also those who for a century have
boasted of having a drama, — the best drama in all Europe, — even
the French, have no drama. No tragedy, certainly ! For the impres-
sion which the French tragedy produces is so shallow, so cold ! ^

Lessing, in this remarkable series of papers, the " Ham-
burgische Dramaturgie/' struck at the heart of French
dramatic criticism. He took as his model Shakespeare,
and made Germany acquainted with the great English
dramatist; as a result to-day there are more representa-
tions of Shakespeare's plays in Germany than in both
England and America.
