Jahrgang 
1891
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11

This will do to show, how Otway has made use of his French original, which characters and circumstances he has taken from it and in what manner he has transformed them. We have come to the conclusion, as has occasionally been said in the course of the discussion, that the English poet has in general followed his source, but that he has changed and transformed many features of character and delineated them in such a way that, at least, they rival and sometimes even excel those of the original, and answer in the highest degree to what we are wont to find in a tragedy. In concluding I cannot but quote the words of Mr. Addison:He(Otway) has fol- lowed Nature, says that incomparable critic,in the Language of his Tragedy, and therefore shines in the passionate Parts more than any of our Englisch Poets. As there is someting fami- liar and domestic in the Fable of his Tragedy, more than in those of any other Poet, he has little Pomp, but great Force in his Expressions.

Wetzlar, Februar 1891. Dr. Joseph Spies.