The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-11-12
RucH.rt.. Wisdom or Oh. Brnnm,n.

To Mr.. CHARLES +. BROOKS, who Is we'll
known to American readers by his Transitions
from the German. we are now indebted for u
poctical version Of the first six books OF Rttok-
eifs Wisdom Of the Bralmin. Roberts Broth
ers. 1t was apparently the success of Mr..
Arnold's Light Of Asia" which suggested to
the present translator the expedency of pub
fishing an installment Of the remarkable poem.
tho whole of which he had reproduced in Eng
lish verse some two three years ago. Mr..
Brooks is unuuestionably right in assuming
that Frederick R0ckert is less known among
than any other German singer OF equal range
and quality. yet he is one Of the few poets who.
like Goethe and our own Milton unto q CO.
pious and accurate erudtion to great imagi-
native power. He was for some time pro-
lessor OF Oriental literature. and he en-
bodied in the Brahmin the outcome OF his
prolonged and sympathetic study Of Hin
du philosophy and poetry. Tho result. how
ever. is not translation. even q
TRANSMISSION. OF Oriental sentences. Hindu
thought and fancy are not transplanted or i'm
itated. but assimlated by the author. who re-
produces the essence OF the best Brahminic
wisdom in forms created by the most accom-
plished European culture. The Brahmn. in
short is a poem expressing in twelve-syllablo
iambic rhvmes. the world wisdom of the East.
and Mr.. Brooks has been careful to reproduce
the metrcal form with sedulous exactitudc,
while striving with o noteworthy degree OF
SUCCESS to catch the spirit OF the original.
The poem is not only of vast range, but its
themes are treated in an extraordinary variety
of ways. being. prese nted now in apologize and
parable, now in apothegn and epgram. and
now in psalm-the author passing abruptly
from the nomely sense of a Poor Richard to
and the highest lights of philosophy We
quote one OF the Apologies:
4 certain King had oncethe legend tells us,-s,ored
Aud when he journeyed a hundred cam.is strode
A. last he grew aware-how could he fail to be'-
70. -ass % 1 qs sS ssss
\, trGysins library extract from oil these pages
Went lonrneyinr one stout mule could carry easily
hut he must have his things more snugy packed he
And OF the abstract they another abstract made.
WSn IN n. HIND md The RnE ,oad hear
The abstracts abstract now they must abstract once
So from the extract book they set themselves
p p,s h @ "a, rs lh shSr n mps and compact
hna by sads hi 40 soul and rSsg1,s his reign
To thr-that himself the ahstr,c, had not made
Ma from the waste Of tO 5ooks sueh abstract
make.
Here, in six lines. are offered different view
o. ratl,nIe from that taken in the ey1ical
being merely lively sense of favors to come:
sehin,erestis. with most, the source Of gratitude
nr Wh"tsos sr thou dost or hast done FOR their sood
Which thou with gratitude shoudst take, and
BE thankful for the thanks which selfin;erest
brings
That from so base a soil shoot noble syringe
And here are some specimens of RGckerts
apothcsms:
lie finds who seeks-r true; only not he who blind
Seeks where not even Gods eyes the thing he seeks
could lind.
New sandals pinch the fee.-srown easy. they're all
When you get thnys right, their you have
mourn
The dog will and whine from thee his meat
Where beggars are ashamed TO ask. receive
Nusf not the bohnteous he less ashamed to givcs
The has magic power brings the matter forth;
Take need, then not 10 give bad thing oral birth
Once give thy wor,ls-thou art relieved OF il;
Once N'e thy pleasure woris-hou art bereaved of IT,
rhc wife carry out in her small APRON more
Than IN ms cart the man can wheel III ut the door.
What il esteemed in man. IN woman is despiscd;
The hen that like the cock viii crow is sacIihced.
In the following lines Rnckcrt has something
To say about the watchful reserve which is
Thought to DO ono Of the attributes Of worldly
wisdom:
Heart he not thou the grape that underneath the leaves
hi's nat u ma. not be the prey OF garden thieves
NO thet has tound that grape; but ah no sunbeam's
Has reached ~ dark retreat and grape souri,
We shall make but one moro citation. In tho
following voiScs are contained an obvious al
fusion - the species of shyneSs AID exclusive
neeS not uultruuontly observed in men Of
more thai ordinary culture.
This Thy business. Of cultured he al and heart
To speak ont what thou tcelst and show forth what
thou
To what they are all things do struggle here
ihCu should clear thi- ia
10" far once clearly seen all things On earth wond be-