New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-29

"
! do just the cat does with tue MICE
The unpleasant effect of occasional evidences OF
such mediocre bad taste is aggravated by the trans
laor's prudery, which leads him to dilute OF sugar
passages harmless in themselves if q little unpeas-
ant to the ear, and which are justified by their re-
lation to the theme. Taylor meets such occasions
nobly and is as incapable of offending due proprlety
as he is of distorting his original
If Professor Blackie had not lost part OF the
spirit of the peasants dancing song one could IKE
it for the literal chorus; but. in the songs and
choruses with which Faust" is richly adorned
he ia weakest. while IN them Taylor shows his
greatest strength and frequently equals the master
One scarcely knows which to admire most, Iaylor'
version of Is war elm KONG IN Thule" or the ORG
iual The two last verses ring with glorious
movement:
There stood the old carouser,
And drank the last lfe-aow;
And hurled the hallowed goblet
Into the tide below.
He saw It punging and filling
And sinking deep in the sea;
Tbenfell his ey elids forever
And never moro drank he!
While Professor Blackie sings out of meature and
out OF tune:
There stood the old carouser.
And drank his LIES last glow;
Then flung the goblet over
Into the sea below
lie saw it fall and gurglnG
Sink deep into the sea;
His eyes they sank In darkness
No bumper more drank he.
One moro comparison involving extra difficulties
for the translator, taken from the scene between
Faust and MCphistopheles in the study. First Pro-
fessOr Blackie:
Fdust-But will.
Mcph.-There You are right;
One thing alone gives me concern,
The time s short aud we have much TO learn.
There is a way II you would know III,
just take into your pay poet;
Teen let the learned gentleman sweep
Through the wide realms Of the imagination,
And every noble qualification
Upon your honored crown upheapS
The strength OF the lion,
The Wild deer's agility.
With the North's durability.
Then let his invention the secret unfold
To be crafty and cunning. yet generous ard boldi
And teach your youthful blood. as poets can,
To fall in love according to plan.
Bavard Taylor translates the difficult passage with
remarkable fidelity to the original. and with how
much more dignity ami grace the following viii
show:
Fdust-Nay, bat will!
Meph--A good reply
One only fear stlll needs repeatnS:
The art is long. the time Is feetng,
Then let thyself be taught. say !
Co league myself with poet;
Give the reign to his imagination;
Then wear the crown, ana show u,
OF the qualities OF his creaiiOn-
The courage Of the Ions breed,
he wild stag,s speed.
The Italians fiery blood,
The North's firm forth ude!
Let INN ind for thee The secret tefher
That binds the Noble and Mean together,
And teach thy pulls OF youth aud pleasure
To love by rule and hate Try measure.
If Bayard Taylor had not won high distinction as
an original poet-and he has written things OF
durable fame-his translation of " Faust" would in
itself have insured him high and secure place IN
the Republic of Letters. 1t is safe to say that
man was ever better equipped for the task of
translatlng Faust. AS English poet he possessed
a graceful and lyric style. The German language
and its forms of thought had become to
him a second nature. GOethe's grand theme
made his sturdy Saxon heart glow, and awak-
ened responsive intuition. His mind was so
fortified by physical endurance that the enormous
difficulties of successful translation of Goethe in
stead of wearyng only stimula, d him and absorbed
him in his task He loved thor' 'hness and fidelity
10 meaning as much grace an[ the lyric tonc and
possible he woud have BOTH When he fails TO re-
produce a passage in its full beauty. the. English
tongue is at fault and he frequently aided by the
richer English. lends new beauty of expression 10
Goethe's theme. After all. the test of translation
Of work of genius is continuity of thought feeling
and individuality. Goethe's spirit moves through
his work like a steady south breeze; in Taylors
the breeze is equally steady; but 1t has
moved point southwest, and is trihe stronger
and not quite so warm.