The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-30
Victor Hugo in English.
GFron the N. 2. EueI,tng Post.

The following observations on HARPER's travesty
of sIes Travailleurs de Ia Mer," are from the pen
of Gen. G. CHusERET:
Since 1880 no man has evinced more powerful
originality in literature than Victor Hugo; no man
: has remained more completely himself Like
Victor Hugo or dislike him, accept or reject him,
declare him to be the regenerator of the French
language, or it's destroyer-all that is q mere
matter of taste Or individual appreciation; parties
are divided. I refrain from placing myself on
either side. No one has had more imitatcrs than
Hugo. All the writer's who we're young in his
youth, and number of those who have followed,
have sought to initiate him without success. Like
Raphael and Rembrandt in the world OF art, ne
has remained spart-a type to be respected,
not :dmired, and which it is indecorous to DIS
figure by any manner Of trdueStissenent.
This, however, has been done, voluntarily OF IN.
voluntarily, by the translator Of the edition OF
land, and here -epublished by Messra. Harper
Brothers. Either through haste, Ignorance OF the
French language, or an honest desire to outdo
Hugo and correct him, he has presented tz thas s
author to the public completely travestIeo ana
clad in the translstor's clothes.
Being acquainted with English in France ls
about the same thing as what is called knowing
French in England Notwithstandlng+ l, DOUBT Pno
ish, would consent that pate d'oae should by
translated hat-foot: Pohe dole in French meane
the cluster of wrinkles which meet at the corners
Of the eyes Il do not give this explanation Tor any
over thirty as the cartilage CT the loot Of goose
terminates at its tibis. 1t is by an analogous
image that the name Of pates dole is given to did
ferent forest paths radiating towarda common
centre. In English, cro,o's foot is the term used
to qualify this result of advancing years. Victor
Hugo in comparing the pate dose OF Rantalne-
craven upon his face by every vlce-to q Yultures
claw, uses powerful image, and carves the sem
blance Of his own thought upon the tablet OF the
readers mind, while in the comparison OF the tot-
foot of Rantaine to vultures claw, csn discover
only double platitude-that OF the translation and
that OF Rantaine's organ Of locomotion
Entire lines, four or five at time, containms
original and beautiful images, are sometimes sup
pressed, while additions have been made by the
translator who, in exchange for Hugo's satsyecu,
generously bestows upon him comparlso ns whose
age that author probably looked upon as enhtling
in the description Of Deruohette: What could be
loyelier then Hugo's phrase-ssEle est de ra'rore
ayart la figure hlnaaine." .'She is morning with
ahumani face" Bnt, probably thinking that some
ignorant Englshman had never heard OF Aurora
with capital AZ, the translator compassionateIy
brings his NEUROLOGICAL knowledge into play.
Elsewhere expressions, similes, entire passages
are completely made over IN the taste OF the Trans
lator, whose incontestable talent should have
made him an author, but who is no translator.
Boileau very sensihlyi says: "Beia mason, II
your talent lies in that direction, rather than
ecriuain du con,nstn ct poete u,agatre." i will
aauesissaM translator What ths public Grave is
Victor Hugo, what they pay for is Hngo.s work
given in English, not the offspring Of the tfansla-
tors brain.
this translation; the quotations make are from
few pages, cut open at hazard. I leave the pub
lie to judge whether they have beep supplied with
translation Of the "Travailleurs della Mar," and
whether they. are able to- form any Judgment
me, protest, and think that as regards taste as
well as honesty q translator should respect the
author in his hands. and present him to the
public as he Is. Ido not think that Hugo loses by
1t. I have seen scropulous, unamphhed, yet
graceful translation OF his style but to make such
an one it is necessary to be thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the French language. y
The following are specimens Of the new Hugo:
French-H duaI entire les deu1 ye,sr cette tSere.
ride rNticale de phomne hdrdi ct perseuerant.
Translator-Between his eyes he had that proud
vertical hue, which indicates in man boldneas
and perseverance,
Will some benevolent friend have the goodness
20 inform me what o Vc< teal hue.ts2 Ride IN
French means tc7taR1e. s.-T-V
Mess Lethier-y, the uncle Of Deruchette. Hugo's
heroine, being issea-faring" man, is somewhat
wanting in reverence. When making any oath
which he considered, 3 solemn bond upon his own
honor he was, writes Hugo, in the habit OF saying
ssJeu donne ma parole d,honneur an bon Dieu:
ssMd parole Ghotlne,n au bon Dieun means exactly
this, My aoord Of honor to the good God: An co
centric if you will an irreverent oath, but binding
to the death. : -
Translator-sI give my word of honor to do il
with Gods help" What is there characteristic os
Mess Lethierry in this utterly commonplace
phrase? Can any one do anything without GODS
help?" y
La Jacressarde the ghosts Of human beings, the
filthy chrysalis Of the human butterfly, Hugo saws:
0L 'orde social se complique de ces iarves." $50
, cial order is complicated with these lary@.)
Translator =" Creatures Of this kind form
part Of the social fabric"
In describing Clubin, at once villain and hy-
0f ba an
so despioable :" II await sur le dos des ahes
DANCE, ecrasantes pour -un gredin." Z" He had
upon his back angels wings crushing to scoun-
drel."
This brings before the reader in single line
man reverenced where he. should have been
Ioathed.
Translator had worn those angel wings
that the devils fuG so wearisome in their fallen
state'
Hence we learn that devils in their fallen state
have angels wings, and are annoyed thereby
by. This may be reminiscence OF Milton or
Dante, or revelation made IN dream to tnls
English translator, but it is not to Hugo.
Again, when Clubin stands on the very pinnacle
OF triumphant vice, Hugo says:
'n respira son crime pleine poitrine." Res
pirer pleine poit,'ine means to draw full long
breath, and after saying that Oubin aired the
soul which he describes as 30 hideous, Hugo, oon-
tinuing the singular image. says: "He inhaled bis
crime in full breath" = :.
Translator-"He reyened for that moment in
the open air."
But what is altogether cruel is the way in which
Victor Hugo's drollery (he condescends to be
.droll in dealing with superstitionl is treated at
the beginning Of this translation. This airy fight
of fun is arrested; it is dragged down to earth
and shod with leaden shoes "Alas, poor Yor.
ickr Little doth it avail thee TO be 'a fellow OF
excellent jest"
SypERNUMERARY F1NoERs.-A discussion upon
the subject of supernumerary fingers, which TOOK
place at recent meeting of the Surgical Society
OF Paris, was somewhat. remarkable for the dis
crepancy of opinion which was elected as to the
frequency of the occurrence, and is on that &C
connt interesting as going to illustrate the freaks