Pro commoedia commovente

Pro commoedia commovente, title of the inaugural lecture delivered in Latin by C. F. Gellert in 1751 on taking up his professorship at Leipzig University. It was translated into German by G. E. Lessing and published in Die theatralische Bibliothek in 1754 under the title Des Hrn Prof. Gellerts Abhandlung für das rührende Lustspiel. Gellert's essay puts the case for refined rather than for uproarious humour and reserves a place in comedy for tears.