The Dramatic Works Of G E Lessing Miss Sara Sotti Nathan The Wise

A Translation of some of Lessing's works has long been contemplated for 'Bonn's Standard Library,' and the publishers are glad to be able to bring it out at a time when an increased appreciation of this writer has become manifest in this country. The publication of Mr. Sime's work on Lessing, and the almost simultaneous appearance of Miss Helen Zimmern's shorter but probably more popular biographical study, will, without doubt, tend to spread amongst English-speaking people a knowledge of a writer who is held in peculiar reverence by his own countrymen; and there is little, if anything, of what he wrote that does not appeal in some way or other to the sympathies of Englishmen. In this translation it is purposed to include the most popular of his works--the first two volumes comprising all the finished dramatic pieces, whilst the third will contain the famous 'Laokoon,' and a large portion of the 'Hamburg Dramaturgy' (here called 'Dramatic Notes'), and some other smaller pieces. The arrangement of the plays is as follows:--The first volume contains the three tragedies and the "dramatic poem," 'Nathan the Wise.' This last piece and 'Emilia Galotti' are translated by Mr. R. Dillon Boylan, whose English versions of Schiller's 'Don Carlos,' Goethe's 'Wilhelm Meister,' &c., had previously distinguished him in this path of literature. The second volume will be found to consist entirely of comedies, arranged according to the date of composition; and as it happens that all these comedies, with the exception of the last and best, 'Minna von Barnhelm,' were written before he published any more serious dramatic composition, we have, by reversing the order of the first two volumes, an almost exactly chronological view of Lessing's dramatic work. The later section of it has been placed at the commencement of the series, simply because it was more convenient to include in it the introductory notice which Miss Zimmern kindly consented to write...

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1878 Edition.

G.E. Lessing was a German philosopher and was a key contributor to the Enlightenment Era. Lessing's plays and philosophical writings are still considered classics in German literature.

Nathan the Wise; a dramatic poem in five acts by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing is a rare manuscript, the original residing in some of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, typed out and formatted to perfection, allowing new generations to enjoy the work. Publishers of the Valley's mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ... SALADIN. By this you mean They would insist that you and Melek both Should bear the name before ye could presume As man or wife to love a Christian? SITTAH. Just so--as if a Christian alone Can know the love which the Creator's hand Hath planted in the breast of man and wife! SALADIN. The Christians hold such strange absurdities They well might credit this. And yet you err; For 'tis the Templars, not the Christians, As Templars, mark me, not as Christians, Who foil my purpose here, refusing still To part with Acre from their greedy clutch; Acre, which Richard's sister should have brought As dowry to our Melek; while, to mask Their knightly aims, they needs must play the monk, The guileless monk, forsooth !--and now, to snatch A fleeting triumph, they will scarce await The termination of the armistice. So be it, sirs, 'tis all the same to me, Were all else only as it ought to be. SITTAH. Brother, what else goes wrong with you; what else Could disconcert you thus? SALADIN. What else but that Which still hath disconcerted all my schemes; I've been to Lebanon and seen our sire;1 He sinks beneath his cares. S1TTAH. Alas, alas! SALADIN. He must succumb, with straits on every hand; All fails, now here, now there SITTAH. What straits ?--what fails? SALADIN. What else but what I almost scorn to name; Which, when 'tis mine, seems so superfluous, And, when it lacks, so indispensable. Where is Al Hafi now, hath no one gone To call him here? Oh hateful, cursed gold !-- Ha! here he comes, and in the nick of time. 1 See Note 22. Scene II.--Al Hafi, Saladin, and Sittah. AL HAFI. I trust the Egyptian moneys have arrived, And in good store. SALADIN. What, have you word of them? AL HAFI. Not I; but yet I thought they must have come, And that belike...