CHAPTER II.
HOLLAND—DRAMA.
introductory—mediæval drama—problem connected therewith—the moralities, histories, and farces of the chambers—renaissance secular drama—the eglantine—coster and rodenburg—brederoo—hooft—"quarrel of the players"—coster's academy—the "amsterdamsche kamer" and new theatre—vondel—development of his drama—individual tragedies—characterisation and criticism—failure of the romantic and classical drama—jan vos's 'aran en titus'—later plays.
The history of the drama in Holland in the seventeenth century is the history of an effort which was Introductory. not fully successful. The same elements were present as in England and France. The Morality gave way to the tragi-comedy or dramatised story-play, romantic and historical. The classical drama, represented especially by Seneca, Plautus, and Terence, was studied, admired, and imitated by a band of young men eager to elevate and refine the literature of their country. But the elements never succeeded in combining to produce a living and great drama, on either the English
