Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18

cuted like these longer considered among de-
the of transations; as poems they have
intrinsic and substantive merit their own but
latons ourselves disposed them very light
ly They not limitations Of their originals; they
are at best mere paraphrases.
But before ntimated with this increased fastidous
of the public taste in the matter of translation there
has been manifest ndispostion the part of our best
poets engage in it, and marked deterioration in the
value attached this department Of letters Is be-
wiser perception Of its difficulties and require
has deferred the better class Of writer's from at
tempting that which may prove total failure ana can
best be crowned with only partial success! Has the
education of the wrought its natural results in the
dimnuton of genius, and has the poetcal mind been
smiten with inability execute any longer what IT
conceves These at least questions worthy OF cam
did consideration bearing they upon the much de-
bated relations between genius and criticism. However
they may be decided the fact remains ncontesble that
batting the ustrious exception Of Colerdges Wallen-
stein" and perhaps may add of oiGeS3s Juvsna
the pcctcal prodnstisBsf these been re-
markaby barren N this particular field OF literary labor
Sprghty versions Of ballads and songs like those in
which our own Longfelow greatly excels, however
beautiful poetic gems not quite enough to Justify
in pronouncng their authors equal to the task of
lating continuous poem. Translations, accordingly,
are nowadays done, houses built by contract
Versions in prose and Of such authors enjoy
lebrty at home must be had in way in order
the demands Of age Literary loungers and blue
stocking spinsters have heard of the fame Of Goethe;
read German they cannot, learn German they viii not
and yet to confess themselves ignorant of Goethe they
would be ashamed They are accordingly compelled to
introduce themselves to his acquaintance by entering
the back-door Of translation, which most probably
furnished to order by ourneyman poet in the employ Of
publishing house, perhaps by apprentice at the
trade Since poetic transaons have thus fallen into the
hands of anonymous authors the more disposed
accept with favor welexecuted translation in prose-
lieu of the slop-shop poetry with which likely
be regaed by poets whose ''vsion and faculty divine
has such limited sphere of usefulness The argument
in behalf of the prose translation Of poetic works has been
most strongly stated follows No poetical translation
can give the exact Of author perfectly
prose rendering neither give the rhythm and
rhyme Of the original only substitutes for these the
rhythm and rhyme Of the translator and for the sake of
this substitute, we must renounce some portion Of the
original sense and nearly all Of the expression; whereas
by prose translation arrive perfectly at the
thoughts and very nearly the words Of the original
We have nothing to say against this far it really
goes and yet, with Colerdge would rather poe
try attempted in so capable language ours" Les
sng who should have been partial prose if any man.
since he is the acknowledged master of German stye was
nevertheless advocate for prosac version Of poetic
works, which he likens drunken dancing with
out music Closely connected with the controversy
corning ransations into prose is the battle
between free and literal versions" This Mrs Austin
thinks in her characteristics of Goethe has for
decided by Goethe himself. There two
inns Of translation says the poet the requires
that the author of foreign nation be brought in
such manner that we may regard him the
other the contrary, demands Of that transport
ourselves him. and adopt his situation his mode
of speaking his pecuares" The formeris the liberal
translation; the latter is the literal "Each, adds Mrs.
Austin, ''s good with relation its end the one when
alone is to be transferred the other when matter
and form" The German reader in this connexion, must
be reminded of poetic line of Schillers in which he de-
clares that in poetry alone it is the form which gives
the value:'
In der Dichtkunst ALLEN maeht das Gefas den Gehalt
Its pertnency the point in question needs
of eurs.
The versions Of " Faust" in English verse too
tedious to enumerate" We have met with nine in our
efforts keep up with the literature Of times this
topic How many more there are which have not come
to our hand unable state, though think it
likely they amount altogether to full bakers dozen.
The Faust in fact, has at aured and defed the
transaors 1t has been truly said that there
thing attractive in the very aspect of this literary
ignsfatuus so much and exbility both in flow Of
and turn Of thought in various parts and especial
in the earlier scenes that reader who has the slight
est propensity towards versemaking scarcely refrain
from trying his hand at translation almost he
has opened the book fact which verify from
experience, since the writer Of this in his younger
days ambitioned to overset" the Faust time when
his knowledge of the German more imaginary than
real and when his knowledge Of English literature had
been carried far enough acquan him with the fact
that least six others had then already foresaed his
pirations; much good people among at pre-
putting their heads together give the English
world translation Of the Bible these good people
being presumed to know that the old book excel
lenty rendered early the time Of King James and
that such version has been generally received But
it, as above inmated the earlier Of the Faust
easily transferred into corresponding English
and rhymes the progress Of the poem conducts the
rhymng translator into difficulties which appa the most
aborious verser The boom-like beauty Of the songs,
in particular Mr.. Hayward justly says vanishes
the bare touch Of any translator and very high poetcal
authority has declared the beautiful Of these mei
fuous snatches-" Mein Rahe isl to be utterly
untranslatabe."
With the parsonage partly historic and partly mythc
who gives to this dramatic mystery" we may
presume all readers to be at least partially acquant
ed Johann Faustus, in fact has been made the central
figure and principal character in crowd Of works both
literary and aristic having different periods and among
different nations made the subject of history
dy legend pantomime, puppetshows, OPERA and paint
ing The fable Of DR.. Faustus travelling scholar
magician and thaumaurgis has obtained wide preva-