The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-22
BURNS POETRY IN FRENCH.

There are many purposes for when tne
| French language Is eminently fitted. but
one OF the uses for which 1t plainly was
not designed Is that OF recording the In
spirations OF Scotch poets. An enterpris-
ing Frenchman Is. however. OF different
opinion. and he has accordingly essayeh
the task OF transating Burns into French
The translator is NJ. Auguste Angeiiee
and, though we have not seen his volume
we are Indebted 10 the New York Sun
for some entertaining extracts from H.
NJ. Angelllcr thus renders willie Drew q
peck ~ maui:
30! Willie a brasse un demi-ooissoh ue
malt,
Et Rob et Allan vinrent lie gouter;
Pendant toute cette mutt, trois occurs plus
joyeux -, -
vous ne les aurlez pas trouves dams lie
chretiente.
..Nous n'etions pas tres girls. nous n'e'ions
pas tres girls,
Nous avions juste une petite goutte dans
rOeii.
1,e.coo peut chanter. lie jour peut so mon
Toutours nous goutons la liqueur d'orge."
Here is the original as 1t came from
Burns:
'Wflle brew'd peck o maui.
And Rob and Allan cam 10 pre-;
Three bnther hearts that lee-lang night
Ye wad ma find in Christendie'
I'VE are ma fou, we're ma that fou.
But Just drappie in our e'e;
The cock may craw. the day may daw'
And ay we'll taste the barley bree.
The Sun retranslates the French as fol-
lows:
90 Willie has brewed peck OF malt,
And Rob and Allan came TO sample H.
During all that night three hearts more
joyous
You would not have found them in Chris
tianity.
1--WE were not very drunk. we were not
very drunk.
We had Just a little drop in the eye;
The cock can sing. the day show itself.
Still we taste the liquor Of barley
Here is the address to the De'il' as
Burns gave it to us:
But fare you weel. aud Nickie-ben!
O wad We TAX a thought and men!
Ye aiblins might dinna ken
Still hae a stake
I'm wac to think upo yon den.
Ev'n for your sake!"
Which our Frenchman renders thus:
Gallons. bonsoir. vieux Nick.
Je desire que tn rehechisses ct que tn
tamendes.
Tu pourrais peut-etre je men sails rien,
Avor encore une chance;
Celia me fait chagrin de penser a ce trou
Meme pour tot"
The Sun retransiates this as follows:
Let us go. good evening. old Nick.
wish that you might reflect and mend
yourself.
You might perhaps. know nothing about
it.
Have again chance;
II grleves me TO think of that hole
Even for you"
A verse from Tam O'Shanter comes in
for the following treatment:
"Quand les colporteurs quittent la rue
Et que les voisins alteres rencontrent les
voisns;
CONNIE les jours de marche trent sur lie
tard,
Et que les gems commencent a reprendre
la route;
Ouand nous sommes assis a boire l'ale
En- train de devenir girls ct parfaitement
heureuX.
Nous oublions les longs miles ecossais.
Les maras. les ruisseaux, les sautoirs, les
barrieres
Out sOnt entire nous ct la maison
GU est assise morose ct mauvaise notre
dame
ses sourcils CONNIE un orage
s'amasse,
EFT soignant sa colere pour la tenir
claude"
Here is the original:
when chapman biilies leave the street.
When drouthy neebOrs, neebors meet,
AS market days are wearing late,
And folk begin 10 TAX the gate;
While we sit housing at the happy
An getting fou and unco happy.
1--WE think ma on the lang Scots miles.
The mOsses waters. slaps, and styles,
That lie between us and our hame,
WHARF sits our suiky, sullen dame,
Gathering her brOws like gathering
storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep 1t warm"
All things considered we are con-
strained to say that while Talleyrand may
have gone too far when he said that
language was designed to conceal ones
thoughts. he would have been perfectly
safe in saying the French language was
designed to conceal Burns thoughts.