Page:Selected letters of Mendelssohn 1894.djvu/73

Rh of Italian provincial life, and have found much entertainment with the doctor, the apothecary, the magistrate, and other of the inhabitants. There were lively discussions about Sand, and some admired him greatly. It seemed curious to me, for the story is somewhat old, and people have almost left off disputing about it. They talked also of Shakespere’s plays, which are now translated into Italian. The doctor affirmed that the tragedies were good, but there were certain tales of magic among them, and these were very childish. One especially, “The Midsummer Night Dream.” This introduced the antiquated subject of a rehearsal for the stage, and the whole of it was full of anachronisms and puerile ideas. All the company agreed it was very inane. I should do better not to read it! I was mournfully silent, and attempted no defence.