New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-27
RUSSIAN INTO ENGLISH.
rnGENF scHIYIER As A TRANSLATOR.


money of Lacedemon 1t has no circulation OUTSIDE Oh
the country where It originates" The observation NJ
the time made accorded perfectly with the fac1s
but the rapidly multiplying TRANSACTIONS OF RUSSIAN
authors which are appearing In France, Germany,
England and even in America, are PROOF that the M
teecual coinage Of she great Northern Empire Is pegn
ming at last to meet with foreign appreciation The value
Of Russian literature would have been universally rec
ognized long ago there been any possibility OF max
ing its acquaintance but the language in which was
embodied presented such almost insurmountaDie UNI
cutes that few Western students were resoute enough
10 attempt it's acquisition; and until Schuyler turner
and Raston began TO translate the novels OF Turgenen
1t was hardly suspectedat least by the general pubic
that Russia had literature Within the last hve years
however the II not the works OF most OF the lead
ing Russian novelists have become familiar 10 cur
tured readers in other countries and the interest," ies
ness and originality of Russian fiction have met WIN
general recognition and appreciation. This has been
due chiefly doubt to the power and genius OF Turgene
whose stories OF Russian life have been widely
read and much admired both in Europe ana
America; but the mistaken impression seems TO
prevail that Turgcnef is the only great noVenst
whom Russia possesses and that II he had never WITH
ten, Russian fiction would have deserved OF re-
ceved any serious attention outside the limits OF inc
empire BY this suppostlon great injustice Is done 10
tnree or four living writers who-n the Judgment OF
Russian critics at east-are fully Turgenes equals The
names OF GOncharoi, Tolsoy aud Dostoeysh are quite
as well known in Russia as that OF Turgenen; ana
Anna Karenin oblomof," A Common Story " and
Crime and Punishment are widely read and as
highly valued at home as Fathers and Sons" Liza
or On the Eve" Turgoncn the first author to be
translated simply because his stories were short ana
manageable while those Of Tolsoy ana DOstocvsRi were
40 long AS To make their translation work OF great
labor and their accepsnc, by an English OF America"
publisher extremely doubtful.
The success, however OF TurgeneTs stories has en-
Inv In
make further experiments IN the same field, and Mr.
Schuyler the translator Of Fathers aud sons again
leads the way with English version Of Count Tostoys
"Cossacks" cannot but regard II as unfortunate that
should introduced this talented author TO ihe
American public with the story sketch above named
Not that IL unworthy OF Count Tostoys reputation
not that it does fully deserve the high praise winch
Mr. Schuyler says TurgeneT himself bestowed upon IL
but 1t from its very nature untransiaape
1.-THE Cossacs" is not, properly speaking novel; Ill
not even a story; IL Is simply beautiful ana artistic
study OF Cossack life 10 has no ploti no nero
in the conventional sense OF the word; ana
no denouement. Itis merely sketch aud It's claim TO
admiration rests entirely upon ITS naturalncss and
fidelity its perfect reproduction Of Cossack idons and
SLANG and ts skilfu and sympathetic delinoatiOn OF
Cosack character But these precisely the features
OF story or sketch which II is most difficult to pre-
servo in a translation novel whose Interest depends
upon n skully plot, or upon the dramatic eneet
OF striking situations may be reproduced IN another
language without losing much OF Its force; but simple
study OF human life and character In which the author
gives verisimtude aud reality 10 bis figures by count
less delicate and skifu touches every OF which is
essential 10 the general effect. and every one
OF which dehes reproduction or imitation, can
not be successfully translated. Attempting to trans
lato IL Is like trying to reproduce dencate
etching upon cartridge paper with ornyon and stump
For this reason IL seems that Mr. schuyers selec
an tfufu
In its English dress The Cossacks does not Justice
10 the authors genius and must inevitably disappoint
every reader who goes 1t with expectations heightened
by the favorable opinion OF Turgeneh quoted III the pre-
face express this Judgment without reference TO the
merits OF this particular translation mean that u was
antecedenty impossible for any translator to do justice
TO work OF this character simply because the English
language cannot be made 20 adapt Itself to Cossack
idloms.
1.-THE Cossacks was published originally as single
magazine article In one Of the Brobdignaan numbers
OF The Russian heSseHGer-the number for January,
Is63-and at acquired wide popularity IL Ia. as
have said study OF everyday Cossack life ON the
Asiatic frontier. young Russian no0leman named
oenn who up TO his wentyfourth year has lived with
out any serious aim occupation 10 Moscow, enters the
army az ynker goes to the Caucasus ana Is stationed
nj one OF the Cossack post what formerly known
rs The Armed Line Of the Terck." This was chain
of Cossack settlements and forts extending along the
base Of the Caucasian from the Darrell Pass to the
Caspian Sea- ana established for the purpose OF de-
Tending frontier against the ncursons OF the hostile
mouuiaineers OF Daghestan aud Chechnia. In ono
of these sem-militsry villages Olenin domices
himself and enters with joyous enthusiasm into
the pursuits, amusements and lifo OF the Cossacks
The author sketches with almost Photographic minute
aud fidelity the settlement Of Noyomlinsk where
olenins regiment is quartered. introduces several
original Cossack characters. who allowed 10 reveal
tha IN ne in raeV
gives wildly realistic description OF the night biyOuac
OF small scouting party the bank OF the Terek, and
the killing Of hostile mountaineer who attempts,
under cover OF floating log, 10 swim across the river
where the scouts posted. This Is almost the only
incident In the half OF the book which rises above
the level OF the commonplace The next seventy pages
are devoted 20 the delineaton Of Cossack character
and are filed with rscy idiomatic dialogue, which
dees adequate translation. Through this dialogue
become Intimately acquainted with Oienins friend
the young COssac Luka. the hale, jOvia, whitehaired
old hunter Uncle Eroshka, and the other original char
acters Of the little village, II VIC had personally known
them ALL The conversations are strung on the slender
eat possible thread OF narrative but the pOrtrature
Cossack life Cossack character Is simply admirable.
The latter half of the book Is almost devoid OF
striking incidents the first. Oenn takes q hunting
excursion with Uncle Eroshka through the forests
bordering the Terek and aftcrward gets lost In the
woods the brother OF the mountaineer who had been
killed by the scouting party 10 the station with
flag Of truce obtain tho body; Oenin falls love
with the young Cossack, Luka's sweetheart who al
though she does not reeprocate his passion, finally
promises to marry him and the book closes
with graphic aud foreible description OF q
fight between the Cossacks and small party OF hostile
mountaineers, In which Luka Is mortay wounded. and
the mountainecrs are killed 10 Lukas mIsfor-
tune revives the love which his sweetheart really felt
for him. she refuses to oenn the latter asks TO
be transferred another post leaves Soyompsk for
ever, and the story ends.
1t will be from this hasy resume OF the book that
II has none OF the characteristics Of novel II is sim
ply sketch OF frontier station life IN which the talk