Dolorose

Herre followythe a lamyntabill tragedye, ful of concytete myrthe, yclepede, a Mirroure fore magystrattis, baylyes, councylloures, and crafftessmenne: Conteynynge the ryghte dolorose, tragycalle, and deinge speeches offe somme herretoeforre famose rueleres; as alsoe, shoeinge yow cawyse of grette myrthe, howe dystresse makythe the dummbe speke wythe a wyse tonge, moche semblable untoe Balaame his asse; whyche nottede personne was the patryarche ande anncystorre offe more rueleres, magystrattis, ande the lykke, than onneste menne will thynke. Impryntede atte the costes ande chargys offe mi moste woorthye patronne, his worchyppe Aldyrmanne Thornne.

I hope he’s not quite so dolorose to-day as he was a month ago.

The comedy of “Minna von Barnhelm,” completed about 1761, is the most celebrated of that era. It is a most spirited and impressive production, no less characteristic than national, and at its first appearance on the German stage, was reckoned, upon the whole, a perfect phenomenon. By its dolorose scenes, which excel the comic ones, it ought, perhaps, rather to be classed with the tragic drama than with comedy.