New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-16

once describes the Tyre as curved. The use OF
the epithet is important in the sense that 1t shows
his lyric genius to have been pictorial rather
than musical fact which might be inferred
also from his manner OF treating the Sapphc
metre Mr.. Gladstone cannot always get the
adjective into his verse. But he succeeded NJ
least once so that Horace's popularity is not
o1,oge,ber forgotten In the ode 10 Mercury. tenth
IN the first book the wand OF the god loses its
golden attribute. and in the first ode or all the
arbutus is no longer green. but merely shady.
But Mr. Gladstone answer more verbose
iranslators. II they point TO omissions or thls
sort with III quOque, for even the woHdiest ol
them have sometimes neglected the words that
give color and detail to Horace's pictures. Some
times Mr.. Gladstone seems to have substituted
modern for an antique idea. In the fourth ode
Of the first book spring poem which is good read
ing still. though near two thousand winters nave
passed over its head. he makes Horace indicate
the time when it is proper to bind green myrtle
on the cleaning brow" Rhyme forced his hand.
but It is not easy to imagine that Horace was
thinking of the forehead when he wrote "nitdun
caput" More likely a sleek head OF hair. glossy
perhaps with oil. was the vision he meant TO
give his readers.
But these minute criticisms are not OF the
highest significance The main question Is
whether translator has given in whole or In
part the impression which his original gives 10
those who can read it. Mr. Gladstone has been
more successful in producing this effect than
many Of his rivals. No single modern poet can
give US all of Horace. The genius of the Roman
poet was too varied to be reflected in single
mirror Moreover great deal of his learning
is lost to the modern world. There remain only
a few fragments of Sappho. and only few
ola mod hiS nrnfN
type 1t is possible TO judge what Alcaeus must
have been from Horace's lyrics. but with the
poems of the Greek recovered Horace himself
might take on a new aspect. We can see that
bv coupling his own name with that of Acaeus.
che seems to imply" one critic has sad,
that he regarded his Tyre as equally tuned 10
the lighter pleasures and to the Steiner ana
more dignfed interests of life. i]ut as huch
as this can be learned from his own work MI
Gladstone gives the practical ana phosopilc
aspects of his original a more accurate lnterpre-
tation than the side of idle delight. There are
things In the lighter pieces that are shocking
and obnoxious to him, and he deals with them
very cautiously. But Horace's theory Of life,
his genial cOmmingling Of stoicsm with Arls'ip-
pean gayety is revived with the same dignity
and moderation which he would himself have
shown if he had been modern country gentle
man. instead Of an ancient holder Of Sabine
farm In giving titles 10 he odes Mr. Glad
stone has often neglected trad' ion, and partcu-
larv has connoted the reflective poems In some
cases with the same words, PHILOSOPHY Of life.
1t will not he easy to find these portions or
Horace better said in English than they are
now said by man who is not supposed hther'o
to have given much of his life 10 verse-rnakihg
In metrical snoothness and in rhyme Mr.. Glad
etone set himself the task of being unimpeach-
able His rule to limit severely his use or
rcentious and imperfect rhymes. may nave
troubled him. but he has kept II faithfully his
metres are English not Latin or Greek Those
who desire TO catch the echo of Horaces own
rhvthms will still be obliged TO find them In
Ruwer's limitations. But for the sense OF Hor-
ace his terseness and not little Of his verbal
skill the new translation ranks among the very
h..Sf