New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-03
A TALK WITH BODENSTEDT.

PERSIAN POETRY AND HIS OWN TRANsLATIoSs
his NEW POEMS.
Friedrich Won Bodenstedt the German poet.
whose "Lieder Won Mira Shafy" have gone
through over eighty editions in his own country,
and have been translated into every language OF
the civilized globe, is living quietly IN Hoboken as
the guest of Mr.. Stiasny. He purposes remaining
in this country until May next, not wishing to cross
the Atlantic nWinter and desiring besides to see the
beauties of Spring in the New World. He will soon
make journey 10 the West, visiting Cleveland,
Cincinnati, Chicago and st. Louis. and delivering
lectures in German in those cities In the course OF
a recent conversation Herr Won Bodenstedt was
asked TO say frankly what popularity of Amer-
can life pleased him most, and what most dispeased
him. He replied:
"Wbat pleases me most and what greatly aston
ishes me, too, is the manner in which ithe people
here govern themselves without soldiers to make
them behave, and the good order. security and pro-
prietv that characterize the street.-The. Here
young girls can go everywhere alone. without fear
of insult. Why, even in our smaller German cities
like Hanover. a lady would not venture to walk a
single square unattended at midday. Now if you
insist that shall tell you what most dspleases me-
will say II is the rapidity with which people move
about Everybody seems 10 be in hurry, aud to
have time to enjoy life. To an Old man like me
10 Is not agreeable to all the world rushing past
him and away from him."
"Are yOu not annoyed by the lack of poteDess in
America"
NO. because | see that the people here have no
time for all the forms Of European manners. and
because i find that, while the bows and grimaces
and prctestatons required by our European eta
qnet are omitted. there is more genuine courtesy
and kindness of feeling here than there"
The only journey Herr Won Bodenstedt has made
no IN ola fvvo -
aga was to Washington. where he was the guest of
Secretary Schun. In naTating his experience at
the capital he speaks Of his surprise at the absence
Of court restrictions aud iormalitics at the White
Ileusc. When Mr. Schurz proposed to take him for
& call upon the President the poet asked What he
should wear. surprising that there must be some
particular toilet prescribed for an audience with
the head of the Nation. Wear" repeated the
Secretary. "why just what YOU have now"
They went to the White House and were admitted
by servants who wore no livery and who informed
them that the President would them at once.
"What shall We do with our overcOatS p asked the
poet seeing that his guide whose pockets were
stuffed full Of papers ard who carried bundle of
letters aud telegrams in his hand made no move
ment toward laying aside his outer garment.
Never mind your overcoai" was the answer,
come right ~" They went straight to the Presi-
dents room. Mr.. HAYES greeted his visitor
cordially asked him to sit down, drew a chair up be-
side HIM and engaged him in a conversation which
lasted full half hour. The poet whose experience
with European rulers had led him to expect nothing
more than bow and few empty phrases. was de-
lighted ut this reception. lie says Mr. Hayes i'm
pressed him az gentleman of unusual intelligence,
great eniabilty and strong character.
Herr Won Bodenstedt has two new works In press
In Stuttgart. which will be published shortly after
his return. One is an original poem Of considerable
length called "IIermannshol." IL is In narrative
form and love story through IT, but its under
lying motive Is to picture the development of mod
ern ideas the changes in modern life, the supremacy
of intellect over caste and rank and the rapid spread
of democratic principles. 1t is pleasure TO
hear him read portions of this poem. lie has
great deal of dramatic talent and recites the
Gus lines with an intensity of feeling and an album
dauce Of appropriate gestures that make them
doubly impressive. Like all his other
poems Hermannshoa is characterized
by great warmth and richness of poetic sentiment.
and at the same time by remarkable cOnciseness
and exacness of expression. IL il difficult to find
IN any line superiiuOns word. and yet there is no
sacrifice OF funess Of meaning TO tins coInpactness
of form
IL is not ~ easy 20 persuade Herr Van Bolenstedt
10 talk about his original poems as about BIS TRIMS
laions from the Persian. His long residence In
Tiilis enabled him tc become familiar with the Por-
sian language and literature, and he is enthusiastic
In his admiration OF the beauty aud wisdom CON
tanned Ia Oriental poetry. His second work.
which II shortly to appear, is translation OF the
poems OF Omar Chaj am--oI Khaydm. as the name
y sometimes spelled-who fourishcd In the latter
part Of the eleventh century, Chronoiogeally
Chajjain the Spenscr of Persian poetry There
was Persian Chaucer before him. and after him
came HAITI, Saadi. aud many Others better known
than he, who drew their inspiration largely from
his works. The form Of verse he used was the
rHbay or quatrain. The second line rhymes with
the FIRST the third is Independent, In its ending and
- .a.Ha h and In all
holds all four together. In these quatrains the
translator fluids not only poetry Of high order,
put nIu n ns so aq 1ha. nc s INNS
TO prophecy many OF the great discoveries
of modern times. Even Dsrwiuism is pre-
figured IN the Ancient sea. which gives birth to the
first LIVING creatures from which all animal life has
been developed by successive changes he infiu-
ence OF the Christian religion IN Mahometan
countrieS where il takes form that is legendary
ratl,r Ian dOctInal. IL shown in many OF Omar
Cbs iAr''. s,anass. Here. for example. IS the Ger
Nun ist -, g.. die Welt sich sc5mtckt init Grin,
Mowle X $50 Hsnd allie zweigc bian.
WO pntEz"e srfosscn vic Won Jesu Odem belebt
lind die w z. weBeud SIGH solbst Degrabt.
VIE tlJteh lass Euch JodesbangeD qualel
Aue ienen his iayor kueh ersn, wdchst allies.
Esft Jrsu itsl ch bcebt hat nIenc Scclc
kind Tod uud Sichs mir WortC leeren Sohalles
A literal translation into English would read as
follows:
Now Is the time when the world adorns Itself with
whenilc MOsess hand all the branches bloom,
When plants spring up "A ~ stirred by JesCss BREATH
And weeping clouds entOmb themselves.
ycw foolish tine fear of dea h that troubles you.
Out OF that nothingneSs which frighens you grows
everything,
since Jesus. breath has given life to my soul
Death aud nOthngness have become 10 words OF
empty sOuud
The reference 10 Moses's baud in the first stanza
H. To a Persian legend which says that occa-
sion Moses thrust his hand into his mantle and
when he drew it forth II was covered with flowers
like blossomtng bough. Evidently this IS fabu-
lous version of the Biblical account OF AarOn's rod
the con versafion above referred to The greatest
of al epgrammatic Eastern poets died about hun
rcd years after EIrdus the great epic poet OF the