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Article PRESENT STATE OF THE SPANISH THEATRE. ← Page 5 of 5
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Present State Of The Spanish Theatre.
to five sheets each day , counting from the day of his birth to that of his death . Calderon , although extravagant , seems to us less so than Lopes de Vega : his intrigues are more simple , and his style purer and less embarrassed ; he wrote onl y about six or seven hundred theatrical pieces ; so that he could bestow more care on his compositions . Notwithstanding the glaring defects of Lopes de Vega and
Calderon , they merit some eulogiums . Nature endowed them with a very uncommon imagination . Augustin Moreto holds the third rank among the Spanish dramatic poets : had his genius been as fertile as that of his predecessors , critics might have been tempted to place him above them . He has shewn more judgment in the management of his pieces , which are thi '
rfvsix in number , and all contain great beauties . After these three poets the most esteemed comic authors are Guillen de Castro , Francis de Roxas , and Anthony de Solis . Their pieces are in general more regular , and have neither the great defects nor the striking passages of those of Lopes de Vega , Calderon and Moreto ; but the public will still prefer the latter . Regularity will always please men of
taste ; and the } ' who are amused by the flights and extravagance of genius will join in opinion with the people . At present the Spaniards have none but translators ; thsy have turned into prose several good French comedies . They represented Nanine under the title of the Affected Margaret , but it produced no effect . As the name of Voltaire is odious in Spain , they give his piece to an Italian . The Legalaire of Regnard has had more success , because it is more comic . They have also translated a few French tragedies .
There are also certain modern pieces which have at least the merit of faithfully delineating characters . These are what the S paniards call Saynetes or Entrem . es , which are little pieces in one act , as simple in their plots as those of great pieces are complicated . The manners and character of the inferior classes of society , and the petty interests which associate or divide them , are therein represented in the most striking manner . It is not an imitationbut the thing itself . The
, spectator seems to be suddenly transported into a circle of Spaniards , where he is present at their amusements and little cavillings . The manner of dress is so faithfully copied , that he is sometimes distrusted . He sees porters , flower-girls , and fish-women , who have all the vestures , manner , and language of those he has seen a hundred times in the street . . For these kinds of characters the Spanish , comedians have
an admirable talent . Were they equally natunil in every other , they would be the first actors in Europe . The composition of these little p ieces , however , requires no great talents . It mi ght be supposed the author was afraid of going too far , and only waited for an expedient to withdraw himself from his embarrassment . He opens the door of a private house , and presents , as by chance , some of the scenes which most commonly pass in it ; and as soon as he thinks the spectator ' s curiosity satisfied , he shuts the door , and the piece concludes . TlO SB CONTINUIiP . I
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Present State Of The Spanish Theatre.
to five sheets each day , counting from the day of his birth to that of his death . Calderon , although extravagant , seems to us less so than Lopes de Vega : his intrigues are more simple , and his style purer and less embarrassed ; he wrote onl y about six or seven hundred theatrical pieces ; so that he could bestow more care on his compositions . Notwithstanding the glaring defects of Lopes de Vega and
Calderon , they merit some eulogiums . Nature endowed them with a very uncommon imagination . Augustin Moreto holds the third rank among the Spanish dramatic poets : had his genius been as fertile as that of his predecessors , critics might have been tempted to place him above them . He has shewn more judgment in the management of his pieces , which are thi '
rfvsix in number , and all contain great beauties . After these three poets the most esteemed comic authors are Guillen de Castro , Francis de Roxas , and Anthony de Solis . Their pieces are in general more regular , and have neither the great defects nor the striking passages of those of Lopes de Vega , Calderon and Moreto ; but the public will still prefer the latter . Regularity will always please men of
taste ; and the } ' who are amused by the flights and extravagance of genius will join in opinion with the people . At present the Spaniards have none but translators ; thsy have turned into prose several good French comedies . They represented Nanine under the title of the Affected Margaret , but it produced no effect . As the name of Voltaire is odious in Spain , they give his piece to an Italian . The Legalaire of Regnard has had more success , because it is more comic . They have also translated a few French tragedies .
There are also certain modern pieces which have at least the merit of faithfully delineating characters . These are what the S paniards call Saynetes or Entrem . es , which are little pieces in one act , as simple in their plots as those of great pieces are complicated . The manners and character of the inferior classes of society , and the petty interests which associate or divide them , are therein represented in the most striking manner . It is not an imitationbut the thing itself . The
, spectator seems to be suddenly transported into a circle of Spaniards , where he is present at their amusements and little cavillings . The manner of dress is so faithfully copied , that he is sometimes distrusted . He sees porters , flower-girls , and fish-women , who have all the vestures , manner , and language of those he has seen a hundred times in the street . . For these kinds of characters the Spanish , comedians have
an admirable talent . Were they equally natunil in every other , they would be the first actors in Europe . The composition of these little p ieces , however , requires no great talents . It mi ght be supposed the author was afraid of going too far , and only waited for an expedient to withdraw himself from his embarrassment . He opens the door of a private house , and presents , as by chance , some of the scenes which most commonly pass in it ; and as soon as he thinks the spectator ' s curiosity satisfied , he shuts the door , and the piece concludes . TlO SB CONTINUIiP . I