, 1873-11-23
THE ROYAL LlTTERATEUR.
Tho Laso Saxon King, md His Trana-
lntions of Bryant nlid Otl1cr Amer.
ami srr3 ut ESnCya.


Dr. Rudolph Doeh,s, in tho Ptcnna Pres,
King John Of saxony lad some timo ago ex-
pressed his dosro to read to mo his translationa
into German Of Bouthey's, sholloys, Burns, and
Bryant'a masterpieces. When called ut Pilnitz
last month found that tho royal translator MAS
too nick to receive me, But my card was deliv-
cred to him, and SO I rcceired few lays ago
another request to call upon him. -,
I found the genial old man in an oasy-chair
at an open window In his library. I beioye that
thero ia hardly q literary man who would not be
envious upon Visiting that library, It 10 full OF
tho rarest literary treasutes, and everything In
the quaint, old-faahioned room la 90 oauvenient-
IL arranged TINT the book TINT Is unntod can DO
found in a momont.
Tho King looked nan aud worry palo. uo mado
an attempt to rise, but aooing that Lo was worry
feeble, haatenod to bog him to koop his seat.
"You have boon very sick. airo," said, rc-
npactfully. 49,. =. -
a low tone, !" aud yet q month ago, I thought
would live several yca1s yet"
1attempted word OF encouragement, but he
intercepted me BY sad smile, Hiaxing his head
once or twice.
Thon he brought mp the subject of his trans-
lal1ona. Everybody pays homage to his splen-
did trapBlations OF Danto, which will always re-
main 3 standard work In Gorman literature.
The moro anxious I was to hear some Of Ills
translattons from tho gscat poots Of England
| and America. lie handed mo several largo
sheets Of parchment, OIL which ho had writtou in
| bl1o ink, in unusually large characters.
IL so doing ho ron'arsoa smllingly:.
croat exteut. But still 10 not use glasses. I
I'M writing in regular lapioary style, though, Us
you eet."
Tho shoots I read contained translations Of
some Of shslloy's minor poems; read them
carefully, and compared the rendering with the
| 0rlglnnl
Tho King pointed out tho difficult passages,
and consulted mo to tho felicity Ut Ills trans
lasion. gayo him my opinion frankly, and ho
II mot poor Shelley In Italy, many years aEo,
and passed two days with him at Sorrento.
Ticok was with me, ana rms amused at tho
rather excited discussions tho two had about
| Tieok was then tranBlatlng into Gormnr.
II was told I remarked, THAT Your Afniesty
Of 8lnkspaaro's plays"
"Only Romeo and Juliet" ho replied; but 1
am dissatisfied With my work, and shall not allow
Ho told mo then exactly what he had rcady for
tho press-some Heventy pocnH. About ono
poats. .-......
"1hc English language caused mo great deal
OF difficulty! WHOM attempted to learn It first.
That Was forty years ago, when s.pont tlroe
| mGQ[QH
6flli 20 familiar With italian, Of which
was J, passionate1y :: fond in my youth,
that the strong, ill., tor to1se Dritiah Ii1 toagus
rather 3of ny spo;ed sautho1
1860 rcsumod the study OF tho language, md ]
hava now grown very fond Of it. I read En-
gliali papors eyory morning, and tor yoara at ou1
receptions have been able to converse with
Englishuaon and Americans in their own Yer.
| nnGi11ar"
/ expre.ssa to tho old King my gratitude for
tho appointment az Professor Of English at tue
UnivcrBity Of Leipsic.
ho said, in roply, "not to havo nasio such 4 IN
appointment long ago. Snoo 1850, at least ono
fourth Of the irade OF 6a1ony Inns been with
England aud Americn and now, thank God
evory pupil at our fyoenms who reaches the sec,
ond Glass hns to learn to speak Dngllsh!''
The King acnt for gefroRhments, and slipped {
little champagne.
ut is tho only wine can stand, he said. "1
T. The Poets %ns How ,ah different from tht
80 high1yl Had tho gonial Roman known cham
pagnee, believe 10 would have despised Iii
falorian Is wo do"
Tho King rose, and / thought it waa slgnn
| for mo to depart; but lie restrained Me and snid
'fKeep your seat, and look over my tranastlons
II you find anything to alter, noto 1t down OF
thiu sheet. am going to lio down. II docs nj
good to aleep al hour or two at this time Of th
4
fIo shook handa with mo, totterod feob1y on
Of the room, and left mo alonc at his desk.
performed my work conacientiousy, ant
found good deal to auggeas: When ! pausct
during ny york, could not help wondering 9
the ohlld-like confidence with which tho oil
King had left mo at his own desk. But I ofto1
heard similar traits Of llig. I looked awhile q
tho old dcsk. It aeemed to hayo stood thor
tho lifo and death Of many, had undoubtoll
been aigncd on u. A curious foature was tll
outs himself. !Ihoro lay aluo tho old penknif.
whIol. he uHos for that purpose. No aohool-Ro,
would give moro than few contH for 1t. On Il,
door, beside the Kings CHAIR, lay copy Of Vic
tor Iugo'B 'Annoo 1orriblo." Iiad Ills Mateat
thought Of tranalating the torrible book OF til
| republicau bard OF Trauce2
WAon my work was done roso and q ssryan
from tho nnte-room stepped in and informed m
that my own conveyance Ind been Eont baok
tho city, and that QUO OF tho royal carriages wa
waiting for mo.
/ Ilph VontflRt4On.
A proloat againat drunkenness has juBt bee
| 1,v dfafiluphttnn EnrntR0 which InRArFn