New-York tribune., 1877-01-02

FRDTUJoFS sAGt. BY EsMAs TFGyER Translated by
l9uio py 2l3. Chicago: = c. Gilgss Il Co.
We quote the titlc-page as il is printed, and
must hrn y entering 0ur protest against the Of The
older form of the uaae, when Tesntr himself wrote
"F.iiji0' Il i perhaps moi so bad as stephens arb
tIy change Of Ingebarg" into iagCGJe, but assumes
q right Wiich translator possesses We have caiC-
fully examined the work ilr and Mrs. HolcOmh, ard
have no hesitation in lrononcng il the bsst English
translation o. fIii0Cs Saga which has yet been made
Their succcss springs from two c8uses.a sympathetic
ns:inc, ot the feeling and atmosphere o; the on nI
and CONSCIENTIOUS adherence 70 the original meters.
This is 10 glt task; for the II divisions Of Tie poem
vary in 1ru throughout, and in three four of them
the author unnecessarily added lis task by selecting
meters 5yich not agreeable in proportion - their
dmculty. With all lie delightful rlythmical
ccuus. TcgUtr sometimes pTe-NngncItc
in h!s poctIy,-too consciously and deEbcra ely
seeking tcr movements which should suggest bis sab
ici None the less this distinguishing cature Of his
I.ith;ofs SAGA ana IT, cannot he omitted without lose
The aaug ~ retaining It gives 10 the Gloom5 ala
ron great deal Of the true character al the POcHits
ancient h-Tsism ana modern sentiment It's picturesque
succession OF tcotc st. few, cearlyoutncd characters
It, ul0niiyo or m liant The work u honest aud
thorough lacking only here aud there those fnor touches
witch seem to require secondary inspiration. The
sweet oncnng dyi Fithiof and in n,rhorg" is not
fortunately rendered some of the following scenes
II VIII hardly answer to say of the crown o! the Oakttec
.lic helmet plume" when the Original if is rounded
Iic q helm" And the ,ouple: "But Spring which the
rose for.cts still lies in the bud and Dreams" receives
scaut Justice in:
And surine which in the buds lies dreaming
St.l Wait. with gems 10 set them L'cainls.
"Thc Parting" "1hc Return ana q" FrithiOf and
Ijo:n" also lose NOR tiau necessary Tor The skin
d<.rci IN many parts the Translation makes "a less
tolerant uf .i.y shortcomings For this must
cxprce. onr oIrion that tie authcT have not given
clrulcr lsd;iseactora transl OH they themselves
are cal,a.le OF furnishing. They have taken murn
trouble aud Doubtless spent much tnnc upon il, but in
worh Ike ls there abs0Gcly no limit tn either Only
when al; she capacities Of the D9lsh language cX
hau,t d. dare The translator pause The Courishp. the
P0!! A. Sea, the Temptation, with Ku@ RI S. Dra.h
and Dr,pa" arc all exceedingly well rendered. the last
two remarkably So The Wiling Code" fads viGor
O,y as the original, anl the ia1bic trmtjer of the
coeia sccnc il successfully reproduced Some Of the
more dM,rlt metres in lac', satisfy ms better than the
gi.r,I Cios the cn, ct OF which depends more upon
efIiiufc:t and music. The Return" for smp'r, La.
SIT hca,e anG glide like tiat oi CLASSY Oceali-s~oi
rrd tie ,,ceucss the lines lin long u9on the
Ties. exceptions, however, which wc EaIc felt cOn-
st:cI 6, u; r, cannot lessen satisfaction ~ r."
coly.ne -ucl work and from such a quarter Of the
country !. is the evidence. bcth Of literary interest and
rG.,, ..sUr. 10 cUtyaf, H. which the busy West has
iprctcn,rc a"lCf. She win hcnceUrtn raise hcr own
raec ~ scaoa.s aui authors.