The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-11 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Bi.graphies Distiegotislud &kali* Men. By
Ease cirri AR M;•ITIWT of the Institute. Trans-
latest by Admiral W. IL SMYTtI, &Rota.
Rev. Batas Pownts NIA-. ER-So he- ;
don : Lon
GIANT, Esq., M.A., F.R.11.8. Long-
man and Co. 1837.
This is • book which the general and the scientific
eerier will lay hold of with expectations of great
thawsl and their eagerness will be increased when
they Idea *sing the columr, that Arego is him-
self among the scientific men " whose memoirs are
here ealleeted. His autobiogrlphy occupies the first
• pages. under the title of 'The History of my
Tooth ;" but it extends to 1830, when he was 44
years et age, so that the reader sits down to it as to
• rare treat. Everybody likes autobiography ; and
the history of such a man as Arago justifies the
highest anticipations. We fear, however, that
readers of all orders will find it a disappointing
book. English habits of mind may be answerable
for scene of the distaste which grows upon the reader
as be advances ; but the rest of the blame mast
be divided between the writer and his trans-
lators. In the first place, the English arc
not accustomed to the open 'expression of
such self-complacencies as were natural to Arago,
and the oonsional reprecation and lip-humility
under which they are conveyed do not render the
vanity more agreeable. 'rhe French form of Ave
in presenting the biography of eminent men does
not suit the English taste. It is hardly probable
that we shall learn to do our neighbours complete
justice in regard to this form of composition, but if
we ever do it must be by reading such works s
in the
authors' language. Every trundation of pduc-
tions so peculiar must be an injustice and a failure.
In the present case, the translation is throughout so
remarkably bad that, to say the truth, we do not
know what to make of it. Three eminent name*
stand in the title-page as eesponsible for the transla-
tion ; yet there is an uniformity in the badness of
the version which would lead auy reader to suppose
that the cheapest hock
procurable had been
charged with the serNice. The French con-
struction and idiom are reproduced as broadly
as in the meet hasty versions from French
journals in our newspapers; and this literal-
ness in the rendering of sentimental eulogy is sin-
=displeasing to English readers. The volume
in even gross mistranslation. We have not
the original before us ; bat the errors are abundantly
obvious without reference to NI. Arsgo's own lan-
Thus the cock (in the basrecour, the poultry
F., called " the king of the lower court." (P.
.) A disposition which is not, and health which is
akerh, is said to be " altered." A man who adapts
himself to circumstances " takes the ear of MR is
• right direction." Galileo's celebrated method
sentence is given as "e per mi wattore." We have
the everlasting "knew how," "attract a look,"'
"devouring arenas," "sacrifices full of glory," and
soon. A sentence or two, presenting itself wherever
we open the book, may justify our complaint.
Foarier's decision in favour of the military school
instead of the cloister is thus commented on. "It
would be necessary not to know the human heart to
suppose that the monks of St. Benoit did not feel
=l., upon finding themselves so abruptly
to imagine especially that they should
rive sap without lively regret the glory which the
order might have expected from the ingenious col-
league who had just escaped from them. (P. 246.)
Again. "Unfortunately these struggles of the forum,
in which so many noble lives there exercised them-
selves,
were far from having always a real impor.
tone'. Ridiculous, absurd, and burlesque motions
injured incessantly the inspirations of a pure, sin-
cere, and enlightened patriotism." (P. 249.)
The most -familiar names are given wrong, es
Eseassilli for Bernouilli, and Wyndham for II ineh-
beis. when the Minister-at-War is spoken of This
b meengh. Innwill be evident to all readers OM
BOUT Arago.or the great men wham he describes
tea be fairly judged through such a maim se ifs
Mime es.
The memoir of Arago himself is an odd piece et
isknee, with enough of levity and extravagance is
Tia UM to memo a rospiciou that It is partly a joke.
WO believe him to be in earnest, however, Wt....
bane at the outset that his reason for giving hie
Wee, is this—" Some biographers, venting off-
bed and without authority, having given details
.t 1•1 this subject utterly incorrect, and of a nature to
negligence on the part of my parents, I con-
myself bound to put them right."—(p. 1.)
TM levity of his manner, also, though most
Wain is has narrative of his youthful adventures,
beteht tleesgh the restraints of the style of the
aim mei dersoially where his active and ready
spirit of tenuiftda news There is sincerity,
too, in the in the emenit of glory, which is
the hereto et widebieraghical strain. On the
we believe it le be a imseine autobiography,
it IS libeessamly Tie a burlesque novel, the
Urea( which is mob to tell hie own tale. A good
idea et ear hero's gamier may be obtained from hie
method et his examination as a candidate for admit•
die le the Polytechnic Selo&
nem Ibis =met leedl mutt tor the Astllhey
WI" th thee elm ssiYdr awl es 1 Wbed Art IS
/110/1•11104 =Welled m
lee%s bathe, mod deweeP I
deemil me &et beers dash to sele et um
asermadmieln The eset mo theetbe I wealvetiess= walking
la the Eris et the OW et Piedmin waft by thee
thee Awe& warbler to par on INN woks to rxabir,
sour Is be sea d bike We le slieettlia isewiseirboto tet
aq *Mee led bees emboli At bat the moths et ctrl-
mike ealveti and I wet to Tethers is ellit •
theillthe Who bed studied at the paths seams. was tbe
bet Melba pupils ken theykrale MI seemed at the
=rMy MW m ade vas cempiedy
iles I mild saw - to the bred, • way
*Om asimaillea tett shies beim 11. Moms (the
themlow) rl ma
perszle. terater like year coalisito, it b ostler
kr anis
Wag tieneserthee• weak wee Ara le bee thews;
begs men le arm temete *ea le; lithwhat palate
jthit NU tor thishe weN oat Elyalth me at
n=lly Y shears the errs et the imemat ;tt is is
moo yea bon the *me at • diet Art-1 meth yes the
proposal at eth estrabilecth."
- "1 how dna molar door than that whkh ages new
best masa ' yes be et good ea to gar usf
lity row deity."
Tea may game Iblgh, eta. We shall sot pro-
aoMg odsathar ilia la(pine grids."
Aced, dr; I wit Ith yea"
tiro yes to the •
1 eseve la web troy se Cl=
is
Pion sada la swedeo Iso a gosedaa Algihrtsha maw
lima a anialrissi emeekre. IMI Mee* et
eizj.dM tai; I mimed all the Loa
Sid their siquervidadildids. Notheetsmsibel,
of neemelay eras, is medal of ft mar, the
anew d orthread keetlase--en wee IMO&
tmew hod Wad • sokslaser. Maim ever
-w helm jmet lded ra.4 hem
th.,neasa at as era ell,
sea Mem% ea `
tea awe girdle&
lie Melee et • waned to the =
le • begeat war noshed_ ape Ate
min am olio therm et eaeMethese vtieli 1 WI
=re °Paselbee Arlykre"
se, hew to yes Islamise* teia
thee alga at width • hinter media le sir
NAM th
reline eceaseleg the othell
I'ethe its
teasigeo Andynees."le It was elm
, cinched el the coos se mg ses,

.Aen beam sal aas at the beard. X.
ssa ems semis is es Wear, got erase
al me, sad sem* deems. that u
Ip, should
411.fieltes sa his eh Mel I mei it f Ma-
cßae email 1 bed bard the Ton-
, emillistem semeg se way lesearshe mom= au
r leralessa, sod vas meelpally fee ths
le my _em lova astX. None, baba-
A isardiseimilem ummeemed
For his adventures in Spain, Algiers, and on the
Mediterranean, we must refer ear evaders to the
--- where they will find incidents sad descriptions
looked for rather in the itedly Maws of a
i-ecaram youth, seeing the world before be
, than in the narrative of such a man as
written when he was, as he says, "old and
..., my legs scarcely able to sustain me, while
thoaOta revert involuntarily to that epoch
• life when, young and vigorous, I bore the
t fatigue The best consolation which the
ass have, if disappointed to find such wow
adventures told in somewhat braggart style`
or in mind that the hero's errand one d
o inquiry, and his bottom that of eemplete
trisacalation cut sheet by Or alb at
in epain—a remmkable trait to be
_to a youth of twenty. It mph*
Wert to remember this as we are led
tee, adventure to another and invited Is

Rll
lig
st
Ile soma
SOW le Wiese
millibs
remeareer
11. wig the em=
elate ins m
poled ?" I lei
empeawdel la
that Lep.
• ▪ limitless I
3111"..••=1
wag hoe=
Mika midi
do pages he
ellaitmami
Vim est deal
For hie id
Nediterrane
book, where
to be looked
!Arum-es:arc
eettlea, tha
Arago, writ
infirm, ray
thooih
0 or my lite
' greatest Eat
reader can
dared ads*
is to bear it
nimbi& in
int the tr
Wails LI
sodded t
same doe
ea fres cc