Part 19

With like enthusiasm the women of Germany read the novels of =Wilhelmine Heimburg=, =Louise von Francois= (“Die letzte Reckenburgerin”) and =Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach=. The latter is regarded as the greatest of all modern novelists of Germany, Paul Heyse not excepted. When the University in Vienna bestowed upon her the degree of Doctor phil. honoris causa, the enormous body of her readers heartily rejoiced. Her most famous novel is “Das Gemeindekind” (“The child of the Parish”). She also published a volume of “Aphorisms.”

=Wilhelmine von Hillern’s= once much read novel “Die Geierwally” has been surpassed by far more valuable works of =Ilse Frapan=, =Ida Boy-Ed=, =Helene Pichler=, =Margarete von Bülow=, =Bianca Bobertag=, =Ossip Schubin=, =Helene Böhlau=, =Emma Vely=, =Emmy von Dinklage=, =Dora Dunker=, =Marie von Bunsen=, =Sophie Junghans=, =Louise Westkirch=, =Clara Blüthgen=, =Olga Wohlbrück=, =Carry Brachvogel= and a number of other modern writers.

Among them =Enrica von Handel-Mazetti= and =Ricarda Huch= are distinguished by their great ability in drawing strong characters as well as deeply affecting situations. The first of the two authors transports her readers in the two novels “Meinrad Helmpergers denkwürdiges Jahr” and “Jesse und Maria” to the turbulent times of the 17th and 18th Centuries, when a superstitious world was upset by cruel warfare between Catholics and Protestants. Ricarda Huch created works of equal value in the novels “Erinnerungen von Ludolf Urslen dem Jüngeren” (“Reminiscences of Ludolf Urslen, Junior”), “Aus der Triumphgasse” (“From the Alley of Triumph”) and “The Verteidigung Roms” (“The Defense of Rome”).

=Elizabeth von Heyking= carried the reader to the more recent times of the Chinese Boxer War with her admirable novel “Briefe die ihn nicht erreichten” (“Letters he did not get”).

=Clara Viebig= belongs likewise to the great novelists of modern times. Having manifested in her first collection of short stories, “Kinder der Eifel” (“Children of the Eifel Plateau”), a most extraordinary gift of observation and description, she brought this talent to full development in her splendid novels “Rheinlandstoechter” (“Daughters of the Rhein”), “Das schlafende Heer” (“The sleeping army”) and “Absolve te.”

=Gabriele Reuter= treated in her novels “Aus guter Familie” (“Of good family”), “Frau Bürgelin und ihre Söhne,” “Ellen von der Weiden,” and “Liselotte von Reckling” various phases of the woman’s question. In the first book she protests against the injustice created by custom and tradition, which allows men to propose, while women are condemned to remain silent.

Finally we must mention the noble woman who, most intensely realizing the deep longing of mankind for peace, with her famous book “Die Waffen nieder!” (“Lay down your arms!”) exerted probably the greatest influence any author ever had through a single volume: the Austrian =Bertha von Suttner=. The powerful appeal of this great book, which was translated into more than twenty different languages, led Alfred B. Nobel, a rich Swedish scientist and the inventor of dynamite, to bequeath the annual interest of his great fortune to whoever has contributed most to the peaceful progress of mankind during the year immediately preceding. It was not more than just that the great merit of Madame von Suttner was acknowledged by awarding to her in 1905 the Nobel Prize for peace.

Having devoted her whole life to the cause of peace, Bertha von Suttner died in June, 1914, while engaged in preparations for an International Peace Congress to be held in September of that same year in Vienna. Fate spared her the bitter disappointment to see the outbreak of the most cruel and destructive war in history. But her call “Lay down your arms!” will live. It will remain the watchword and summons of all who with this high-priestess of peace believe that war is the most unreasonable and most criminal act men can commit.

Of course, German women have also contributed to the literature about the woman’s question. Perhaps the most valuable work in this line is =Dr. Kaethe Schirmacher’s= book “Die moderne Frauenbewegung,” giving a history of the woman’s rights movement in all countries of the world. As there has been no English book covering this broad subject, it was translated by =C. C. Eckhardt= and in 1912 published at New York under the title “The Modern Woman’s Rights Movement.”

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Rich as German literature is in prose works of women writers, its poems and lyrics written by women are no less noteworthy. There can be no doubt that many of the beautiful folk songs of the Middle Ages were created by women. For instance the following was discovered in a collection of songs of the 13th Century, compiled by the nuns of a convent at Blaubeuren, Bavaria:

Kume, kum, geselle min, ih enbite harte din, ih enbite harte din, kume, kum, geselle min!

Süsser rosen-varmer munt, kum und mache mich gesunt, kum und mache mich gesunt, süsser rosen-varmer munt!

That women took deep interest in folk-songs we know from the fact that several of the most valuable collections of mediæval songs came down to us through women like Clara Haetzler, a nun in Augsburg, and Katharine Zell. The latter states that these lovely poems were sung by workmen and vintages as well as by the mothers at the cradle, and by the servants while they were washing the dishes.

It is not before the 17th Century that women authors of poems begin to write under their names. Among them we find the countesses =Anna Sophie von Hesse-Darmstadt= (1638–1683) and =Amalia Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt=. The latter was the author of about six hundred songs, of which the funeral-hymn “Wer weiss wie nahe mir mein Ende” is sung in all Protestant churches of Germany to-day.

The 18th Century produced a number of other women poets, among them =Louise Adelgunde Gottsched=, =Dorothea, Countess von Zinzendorf=, =Anna Louise Karsch=, =Sidonie Zäunemann=, and =Christine Marianne von Ziegler=. The last two enjoyed the special patronage of the Emperor, who bestowed upon them the title “Kayserlich gekrönte Poetinnen.”

With the beginning of the 19th Century appeared new groups of women poets, among them =Bettina von Arnim=, =Karoline von Günderode=, =Elisabeth Kulmann=, =Louise Brachmann=, =Betty Paoli=, =Louise von Ploennies= and =Adelheid von Stolterfoth=, the “Philomele of the Rhine,” so called for her lovely songs and tales in praise of that noble river. In 1797 one of the greatest female poets of all times was born: =Annette von Droste-Hülshoff=, a native of Westphalia. Compelled to lead a quiet, secluded life by the delicate state of her health, she devoted herself to study and literature, and wrote a number of masterful ballads of which “The Battle in Loenerbruch” has few equals in powerful and realistic description. Her poem “Die beschränkte Frau” is one of the gems of German poetry.

Among the large numbers of German poets of the latter part of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th Century =Isolde Kurz=, =Lulu von Strauss=, =Margarete Beutler=, =Agnes Miegel=, =Tekla Lingen=, =Ricarda Huch=, =Frieda Schanz=, =Anna Ritter=, =Hedwig Dransfeld=, =Wilhelmine Wickenburg-Almasy=, =Hermione von Preuschen=, =Klara Müller-Jahnke=, =Hedda Sauer=, =Maria Eugenie delle Grazie=, =Angelika von Hörmann=, =Marie Janitschek=, =Ada Christen=, =Mia Holm=, =Alberta von Puttkammer=, =Anna Klie=, are the names of a few of the many distinguished poets of our present days.

Among American women of German descent we find likewise a number of gifted poets. The two anthologies “Deutsch in Amerika” (Chicago, 1892) and “Vom Lande des Sternenbanners” (Ellenville, N. Y., 1905) contain many contributions of =Dorothea Boettcher=, =Elizabeth Mesch=, =Edna Fern=, =Amalie von Ende=, =Marianne Kuenhold=, =Maria Raible=, =Minna Kleeberg=, =Bella Fiebing=, =Henni Hubel=, =Martha Toeplitz=, and others, distinguished in form as well as rich in imagination and powerful in expression. Several German-American women also became favorably known by valuable works in prose, as for instance =Therese Albertine Louise Jacob=, the wife of Professor Robinson, of New York. Under the name of Talvj, she wrote historical works about Captain John Smith and the colonization of New England, and a “Historical Review of the Language and Literature of the Slavic Nations, with a Sketch of their Popular Poetry.” Of her many poems and translations Goethe spoke with great admiration. Her novels are far superior to the average in style and interest.

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In the Netherlands the novels of =Elizabeth Bekker= were extremely popular at the end of the 18th Century. She ranks high among Dutch authors. Her “Historie van William Levend,” the “Historie van Sara Burgerhart,” “Abraham Blankaart” and “Cornelia Wildshut” are her greatest works. The poems of =Agathe Dekken= are to this day esteemed masterpieces of Dutch poetry. During the 19th Century =Mrs. Bosboom-Toussaint’s= novels, and =Helen Swarth’s= poems “Passiebloemen” have been widely read.

The most eminent woman writer of Denmark was =Thomasine Kristine Baroness Gyllembourg-Ehrensvärd=, who introduced into Danish literature a novel vein of realism and domestic humor. Although she has had many imitators, she is still without a rival. =Hadda Raonkilde= has exerted a powerful influence upon Scandinavian literature.

The two most successful women-novelists of Norway are =Anna Magdalene Thoresen= and =Jacobine Camilla Collet=, author of the excellent novel “Amtmandens Döttre” (“The Governor’s Daughters”). In 1894 all Norway celebrated her eightieth birthday as a national holiday.

The most eminent Swedish novelist of the 19th Century was =Frederika Bremer=. Her “Sketches of Every Day Life” attracted immediate attention. But this success was far surpassed by the novels “The H—— Family” and “The Neighbors.” Both manifest the author’s purity, simplicity, and love of domestic life. These books as well as almost all of the author’s later works have been translated into English, German and French.

Another Swedish author of note was =Anne Charlotte Edgren=. Of =Emily Carlen’s= novels “The Rose of Thistle Island” and “The Magic Goblet” are most appreciated. =Anna Maria Lenngren= belongs likewise to the most popular Swedish writers. The Swedish Academy ordered a medal cast in her honor. And of the Swedish authors of the 20th Century =Selma Lagerloef= was in 1909 awarded the Nobel Prize for her beautiful modern saga “Goesta Berling.”

Finland and Poland too have noteworthy women-writers. Finland, “Country of the thousand lakes,” was the birth-place of =Sarah Wacklin=, =Wilhelmina Nordström= and =Helen Westermark=. The literature of Poland was enriched by the poems and novels of =Elizabeth Jaraczewska=, =Lucya Rautenstrauss=, =Narcyza Zwichowska= and =Comtesse Mostowska=.

Spain has produced in modern times several remarkable woman authors: =Gertrudis de Avellaneda=, =Maria de Pinar-Sinues=, and =Angela Grassi=. Italy has the excellent novelists =Rosa Taddei=, =Francesca Lutti=, =Matilda Serao=, =Grazia Pierantoni-Mancini=, =Fanny Zampini-Salazar=, and the Marchesa =Vincenza de Felice-Lancellotti=. Furthermore =Ada Negri=, one of the most powerful poets of all times.

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Having glanced at woman’s part in world’s literature, a few words should be said about women journalists. During the middle of the last century the publishers of several leading newspapers of England and America, desiring to infuse new life into their papers, added a number of women to their staffs. The complete success of this experiment was confirmed by the rapid increase in the number of such women journalists. Whereas in 1845 England had only 15 of them, this number grew to more than 800 in 1891. In the United States the number increased from 350 in 1889 to 2193 in 1910. Many of these women journalists received careful training in the special schools of journalism at the universities of New York, Philadelphia, and elsewhere.

Jeannette Gilder, herself a journalist, writes about her profession: “Woman as a mere fashion writer is a thing of the past. To-day she expects to rank with the man writer. In the future she will expect to be his superior, for a woman is not stationary in her ambitions, she likes variety. A man is wedded to his old clothes. He sighs when he has to throw aside the old and comfortably fitting coat for a new one not so comfortably fitting. A woman sighs when she has to wear an old dress. She would like fashions to change every week instead of every three months, as they do now. This love for variety in personal matters is carried into her professional life. If she reports a Salvation Army meeting to-day she hails with glee an opportunity to report an automobile race to-morrow. With boundless ambition, with adaptability, energy and a pleasing style, there is nothing to keep women from monopolizing the journalistic profession if they put their minds to it. The only trouble is they are apt to marry and leave the ranks. But, then there are others standing ready to fill the vacant places. In the next hundred years why may we not see all newspapers owned by women, edited by women, written by women, with women compositors and women pressmen. Already there is one such in France.”

WOMEN IN MUSIC AND DRAMA.

The prejudice which excluded women for centuries from the realms of science, interfered likewise with their participation in music and art. Up to the midst of the 19th Century almost all European conservatories and art academies were closed to female students. Previous to 1876 no women students of the violin were allowed at the High School in London, and for a long time they could not compete for prizes or receive diplomas. When =Elizabeth Sterling= presented her beautiful CXXX Psalm for five voices and orchestra to the university at Oxford for the degree of Mus. Bac., the degree, although the work was accepted and its merits acknowledged, could not be given for want of power to confer this degree upon a woman!

As the views of publishers of music and of conductors of orchestras were influenced by similar prejudices, nobody should wonder that women’s work in music has shown comparatively unsatisfactory results.

Yet, in spite of all these obstacles, there have been a number of women composers, whose works were appreciated by all their contemporaries. During the glorious time of the Renaissance =Francesca Caccini=, born in 1581 at Florence, was the pride of her city because of her magnificent church music and madrigals. Compositions of =Vittoria Aleotti=, a native of Argenta, were likewise much admired, especially her great opus, which was published at Venice, in 1593, under the flowery title “Ghirlanda dei Madrigali a 4 voci.” =Maddalena Casulana= of Brescia, produced also a number of fine madrigals, which were issued in two volumes in 1568 and 1583. =Cornelia Calegari=, of Bergamo, =Barbara Strozzi=, of Venice, belong also to the Italian composers of the Renaissance. =Maria Teresa Agnesi=, born during the 18th Century, produced a number of cantatas, and three operas, “Sophonisbe,” “Ciro in Armenia,” and “Nitocri,” which were the delight of all Italy.

In Austria at the same time appeared =Maria Teresa Paradies=, born at Vienna in 1759. Notwithstanding her blindness, dating from her fourth year, she had become a most remarkable pianist and composer, dictating her cantatas and several operettas. In 1784 she set out on a concert tour through Germany and England, everywhere exciting admiration by her rare endowments. She often moved her audiences to tears by a cantata, the words of which were written by the blind poet Pfeffel, in which her own fate was depicted. During the later part of her life she presided over an excellent musical institute in Vienna.

In another native of Vienna, =Marianne Martinez=, the qualities of many distinguished artists were combined. Not only did she sing beautifully, but she was likewise an excellent pianist; her compositions showed a vigor of conception together with extensive learning. She composed several cantatas, and a miserere, with orchestral accompaniment. Her oratorio “Isacca” was in 1788 produced by the Tonkuenstler Gesellschaft. Her salons, in which she gave weekly concerts, were the rendezvous of many musical celebrities.

Foremost among the women-composers of Germany was =Clara Josephine Wieck-Schumann=, the accomplished pianist and unexcelled interpreter of her husband’s, Robert Schumann’s, splendid works. She also produced a large number of songs of great merit, many of which have been published.

=Francesca Lebrun=, born 1756 at Mannheim, wrote several sonatas for piano, and trios for piano, violin and cello. =Louise Reichard=, of Berlin, =Corona Schroeter=, the famous artist of the 18th Century, =Fanny Cecilia Hensel=, born 1805 in Hamburg, and =Josephine Lang=, born 1815 in Munich, composed very beautiful songs. A “Suite for Pianoforte” (Op. 2) by =Adele aus der Ohe= has likewise received highest praise.

Among the women composers of France =Elizabeth Claude Guerre=, born at Paris in 1669; =Edme Sophie Gail Garré=, born in 1775, and =Louise Bertin= were the pioneers. Elizabeth Guerre’s opera “Cephale et Pœris” was performed at the Royal Academie. She also composed a Te Deum, and a number of cantatas.

The most successful composer of recent years was =Cécile Louise Stephanie Chaminade=, born at Paris in 1861. Her most ambitious compositions are “Les Amazones,” a lyric symphony with choruses; “La Sevillane”; “Callirhœ”; “Etude Symphonique,” and a large number of compositions for piano, many of which became very popular.

Of =Augusta Mary Ann Holmes=, likewise a native of Paris, the opera “Hero et Leandre” had great success.

Of the women composers of England =M. Virginia Gabriel= was very popular. She wrote the cantatas “Evangeline” and “Dreamland,” and the operettas “Grass Widows,” “Widows Bewitched” and “Who’s the Heir?” =Leza Lehman= was the author of the song cycle “In a Persian Garden,” and of “Nonsense Songs.” =Clara Angela Macirone’s= anthem “By the Waters of Babylon” has been sung in all the cathedrals of Great Britain.

=Lady Helen Dufferin= is known principally for her songs and ballads, which, both for comic humor and pathos, rank among the best in the English language. “The Irish Emigrant’s Lament” compares favorably with any English lyric. =Charlotte Sainton Dolby=, =Elizabeth Mounsey= and =Harriet Abrams= composed likewise numerous songs, and =Kate Fanny Loder= the operette “Fleur d’Epine.”

There exist also many splendid compositions by American women. When in 1893 the Woman’s Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago was dedicated, =Mrs. H. A. Beach’s= “Jubilate” was received with greatest enthusiasm. Also her “Gaelic Symphony” was played by many famous orchestras.

The “Dramatic Overture” (Op. 12) of =Miss Margaret Ruthven Lang= has been frequently performed by the famous Boston Symphony Orchestra.

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Of the innumerable virtuosos, who interpreted works of the above-named composers and others, the American violinists =Arma Senkrah= and =Maud Powell=, the Italian =Teresina Tua=, the German =Maria Soldat=, and the South-American pianists =Terese Careno= and =Giomar Novaez=, not to forget the Hungarian =Sophie Menter= and the Russian =Annette Essipoff= have been the most eminent.

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“Dem Mimen flicht die Nachwelt keine Kränze,” the great German poet Schiller has said in one of his poems, pointing out that, while the painter, sculptor, composer and writer transmit their works to remote generations, the glory won by the actor and singer exhales with their disappearance from the stage as quickly as does the fragrance of a delicate flower. The record of the performer’s and singer’s gift remains only as a tradition, as a legend.

So it is. The majority of those actors and singers, who in bygone times held large audiences spellbound, are forgotten. There are only few exceptions which in the history of dramatic art and music will remain. So for instance with the history of the English stage of the latter part of the 17th Century the names of two great actresses are inseparably connected: =Gwynn= and =Elizabeth Barry=. The former especially was the darling of the people, and much favored by King Charles II. During the following century =Anne Oldfield=, =Mary Porter=, =Elizabeth Billington=, =Anne Spranger Barry=, =Hannah Pritchard=, =Mary Robinson=, =Jane Pope=, =Susanne Cibber=, =Frances Abington= and =Margaret Woffington= were celebrated for their talent, charm, and elegance. Of =Sarah Siddons=, called “the Incomparable,” it has been reported that by means of her excellent art as well as by her beauty, dignity and personal distinction she reduced her audiences to an awe-struck reverence. Edmund Gosse, in an article devoted to the memory of Sarah Siddons says: “Under the effect she produced, women as well as men lost all command over themselves, and sobbed, moaned, and even howled with emotion. Young ladies used suddenly to shriek; men were carried out, gibbering, in hysterics.”

Of the many excellent English actresses of the 19th Century and of our present days =Louise Nisbett=, =Mary Stirling=, =Elizabeth O’Neill=, =Helen Faucit=, =Lillian Neilson=, =Deborah Lacy=, =Frances Kemble=, =Adelaide Kemble-Sartoris=, =Charlotte Dolby=, =Ellen Terry=, =Gertrude= and =Rose Coghlan= have to be mentioned. Also we must remember the great triumphs of =Nellie Melba=, a native of Australia, but at home on the stages and in the concert halls of Europe as well as of America.

The United States produced likewise a number of brilliant actresses and opera stars. Among the former were =Clara Fisher=, =Mary Vincent=, =Laura Keene=, =Anna Gilbert=, =Anna= and =Cora Ritshie=, not to forget =Mary Ann Dyke-Duff=, whom the elder Booth declared to be “the greatest actress in the world.” Furthermore, there was the classic =Mary Anderson=, who was followed later on by such eminent performers as =Ida Conquest=, =Adelaide Phillips=, =Julia Marlowe=, =Leslie Carter=, =Maud Adams=, and =Ethel Barrymore=.

Our United States have been also the native land of the famous opera stars =Minni Hauck=, =Lillian Nordica=, =Emma Eames=, =Olive Fremstadt=, =Florence Macbeth=, =Mary Garden=, =Anna Case= and =Geraldine Farrar=.

Germany and Austria too have produced numbers of accomplished actresses and singers who stood high in public esteem and thrilled vast audiences by splendid revelations of their art. The name of =Charlotte Wolter= is forever connected with the famous Burgtheater in Vienna as the greatest tragedienne in the history of that famous institution. To the many actresses, whose fame is not limited to their native countries but has extended to America as well, belong the following stars of the 19th Century: =Marie Seebach=, =Ottilie Genee=, =Kathie Schratt=, =Hedwig Niemann-Rabe=, =Fanny Janauschek=, =Magda Irschik=, =Anna Haverland=, =Marie Geistinger=, =Agnes Sorma=, =Helene Odilon=, =Francisca Ellmenreich=, =Fanny Eysolt=, =Irene Triebsch= and =Else Lehmann=.

As stars in grand opera and concert singers the most famous of the former century have been =Henriette Sontag=, =Pauline Lucca=, =Marie Schroeder-Hanfstängl=, =Teresa Tietiens=, =Etelka Gerster=, =Lilli Lehmann=, =Fanny Moran-Olden=, =Rosa Sucher=, =Amalie Materna=, =Marie Brema=, =Katharine Klaffsky= and =Marianne Brand=. Our present generation has paid tribute to =Milka Ternina=, =Marie Rappold=, =Alma Gluck=, =Elene Gerhard=, =Johanna Gadski=, =Julia Culp=, =Ernestine Schumann-Heink=, =Melanie Kurt=, =Margarete Ober=, and =Frida Hempel=.