New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


T VSin sto pp l05 Fields, Osgood, n Co
In This new version of the great dramatic poem VI
-, hoe ore,cd so tempting a field to several
ACCOMPLISHED German scholars IN England anu 'iiiS
conntry MI Taylor has aimed Mt the solution VI
problern that has been avoided by most "I 'he oNi
o,s translatofs of the work. With the exception vi
Mr. Cbatles T. Brooks, whose admirahie performance
has won HIGH praise from the most competent Judges
OIL which exhibited SO great degree of excellence
as TO induce MIR. Taylor to postpone the accomplish
m,nt of \ task upon which he had resolved III an
early stage Of his oary career. no English tr'is-
to- q Faust has attempted to reproduce the poem ~
IFS integrity and to preserve the form as wen Us tue
s,.irit OF thc original Lord Francis Egerton iLeNe
CON Go,verl shelley Anster ,Backle, ana olhei LII
6sb scholars have either given only detached rag
,peuts of Faust or have adopted meters ana lily ,n
ofthcir own in order 10 suit the eXigenceS Oh LhsSh
verse ,,.
yc.i,is o,vions 70 remark that work ofhiCh poet
;.tc,,;rs.depcnds mainly the form TO distinguish
:, fo,n a composition in prose DiveSt 1t OF the nat
r,I orh in which il has been arranged by the poet
A. fine iii expression of his thoughts or more proper
H. Of his feelings, it becomes like human Dody
which has lost its flesh and blood and been converted
into lif,le,s skeleton The glow of health has de
parted from the features the limbs no longer snow
the enchantments Of rhythmical motion, and dry
repulsye frame has taken the place of radiant forms
Of beauty. The Had, deprived of its poetical cos
tumc is only newspaper report Of battles and war
riors; the Paradise Lost becomes hard dsqusltion
on pcints of theology; and the sublime Thanatopslss
rednced TO a level with HeNeys Medtatlons
among the Tombs."
Considered purely as an intellectual production,
tbe literal prose translation by Hayward may give
the English reader a sufficiently accurate conception
q! the purport and character of Faust. AS a STUDY
in the German language it Is highly snccesSiul eN-
perimer. presenting model of skill and deNterllN
in the expression OF foreign ideas by the genuine
idiomatic vcrnacular without losing the significance
of the original OF forcing constructions on En-
glish usage No previous attempt had furnished the
German scholar with 50 valuable aid in the com
prchenson Of Goethe and for long time it has re-
tanned It's place as standard authority in the inter
probation of his immortal work. Though not free
from the errors of nadvertence and in some cases,
of imperfect information, il is still mastery spcci-
men Of conscientious and thorough work. marked by
equal scholarship and sense, and with certain see
uar vivacity that indicates the of the world.
rather than the pedant of the closet and less decided
sympathies with Faust than with MephistopheleS,
MI Brooks's poetical translation which holds so
eminent q rank among English versions Is the fruit
Of rare knowledge OF the German language great
practice in composition a cultivated gift of express
III.
recognized as one Of the classical productions of
American literature. its circulation perhaps has not
been equal 10 its merits nor has il pIeoccuped the
ptouad so fly rs TO leaveno for further efforts
IL the same kind
The task. which Mr.. Taylor has prescribed to him
self Was certainly OF no easy execution. demand
ing am extent and variety of literary resource, a
patience Of labor and loving sympathy with the
original author which scarcely consistent with
tie acvcf of a practical American scholar. He has
undertaken not only TO render work of singular
depth and cmuprchenSveHcssint into English verse but
10 make q faithful transcript Of the external form
which Goethe adopted as the most adequate express
sion q Dr., genius in the composition of the poem. The
traaslaon accordingly is intended to represent not
80 much what Goethe would have written had he
used the English language. to reproduce the spirit
of the original in the form and coloring which grew
out Of tie plastic energy Of The poets nature.
The great test of Mr. TaylOr'S vocation for hi
work is the Joyous sympathy with which he enter
into the spirit of the poet To him. Goethe is no
~ Iey the illustoUs genius of his age, but the in
t,lic,t ual bcnefictor, almost the personal friend
Ills own miad has found the richest nutrment il
the writings of the great German. The spirit Of the
latter has hrcathcd his pOetca life and opened
10 him perennial source Of inspiration. In the fine
original German poem. introductory to The volume
while hc urcsumes to call forth foreign tones from the
Masters harp the spirit Of alectonate reverence is
manifested which pervades aud anim&tcs the entirC
work This genial enthusiasm has prevented hi,
tasN from becoming burden. and converted the Ia
Dor itself into pleasure.
Sir Taylor, moreover. possesses peculiar adyant-
age in his familiarity with German * living Ian
guage He has learned it less from books than from
huaan lips With him. the knowledge Of German
IS not so much an acquisition, as a birthright, at
least 10y adoption. Most German scholars have
STUDIED he language as classic, and mastered the
difficulties Of Leasing OF Schiller, as they would tie
phraseoocy If Plato or Virgil. Hence, howey,r
expert they may become in the meaning Of words
and The construction of sentences, they seldom find
Themselves at home iuthe living forces of the Ian
Puace and lose the subtle spirit OF expression which
Eayors the original Nj. Tdylor's relations with
Germany on tie other hand have given him
the privileges of a native. lie is familiar with
The s0il and the people. He has imbibed the
aroma Of the language with the air of its
mountains. Not only its sounds, but lis spirit,
have become natural to him from experience Of the
emoi Ors which it expresses lie has used it as the
Lar guage of friendship and love well the
medium 81 knowledge, - the condition Of social in
teIcouso no less than object Of study, as an
ut.eIauce of feeling rs well as the expression Of
thought. In this manner, he has almost cone into
possession Of Two veInaculJrs and is no less Ccnvers
ant with hedeicae lights and shades Of the foreign
language than with the broad outlines of his native
toHgae. To the advantages of this personal expert
once, Mr. Taylor ADDS the habits and the attachments
Of the scholar. Ills excursions into remote lands
have not prevented studious devotion 10 the choic
es productions Of literature. He has cgitmated his
ciJ a. 10 the title OF poet by the numerous creations
OF his pen which have won cherished place in
20 many American households. He looks on nature
and human life with poets eye, and worshps the
manifestations of ideal beauty with poets heart.
No one then eau accuse Mr.. Taylor of PRESUMPTION