The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-02
Snerne puce'

-------"Nec dulces amores
Gperne maori
At me mature axe Of eigbty-hVe, the
ex-premler OF all england mas RETURNED
M HE first love. and rs still as busy rem
dering his beloved Horace as When, III
iocund youth he was the PRIDE Oh 'hs
ifth-forna boys at Eton. The Good oIu
English fashion Of cQmDlns t tne 5tatTs
man and the man OF letters sun oplah,s,
and no politician OF eminence ma! nc
said TO have duly rounded ms career Win
out leaving behind some evidence thaI nc
mas daiiied with the classic muse; ne
ngt is a long one, and this last edition.
fresh from Howarden Castle, gives peas
ant gimpses Of a retired statesman
recreatiobs, nor is it surprising that
statesmen and poet should alike turn 10
the same elegant fricnd OF Augustus ahu
Macaenas, for while the elegant tnlSh OF
his verse deiicS reproduction, theIe -
modernness in his manner OF thought
which lures the unwary to attempt H.
The "Ode to Dellius' comes as iresh-
IL across the centuries to-day as Wheh
he sang "Acquain memento feDus III
ardris Seryare mentem;' ana gave ,'r
touch Of his happy heather grace to our
sad and harsh asnostclsm.
1t is needless to say that Mr.. Giad,
stones version is scholarly. and VIII
be warmly welcomed wherever a we'll
worn original is still conned and quoted;
There is little regard for Identity or
metre. but the feXibility OF the English
tongue has been taxed for compression
preface decides to be the chief Horatian
characteristic, too much neglected by
translators. He cites Milton and MIR. COY
Ington, as distinguished Tor that quaii-
IT, without which, in my opinion says
he. "a translation from Horace, what
ever it's other merits, ceases 70 represent
the original : = Everyone OF the Odes'
as a rule. has a spirit genius and move
ment Of its own, and | hold that the
translator from Horace should both claim
and exercise the largest possible freedom
in varying his metres, 50 as 10 ADOPT
them, in each case, to the original with
which he has TO deal"
The most finished and poetic WORK done
fter the method thus defined may be
found in ode I-IV where the lghtness
ard felicity Of touch almost DISCUSSES.
except to the scholar, the excellence OF
il is evident that Mr.. Gladstone would
challenge comparison with Milton ana
Conington alone. II is but justice TO
show how well he bears the lest even
with those who are over aWcd by the
great name OF this master OF English,
BY giving an example from each.
This is Millions rendering of Horace,
Book l.. ODE V. Quis graclis Puer:
What slender youth, believed with liquid
Courts thee on roses in some pleasant
Pyrrha? For whom binds.t thou
In wreaths thy golden hair,
Plain in thy neatness? . how oft shall he
on faith and changed gods complain, and
secs
Rough with black winds. and
TnWonted shall admire!
Who now ENJOYS thee credulous, all gold.
| who ALWAYS vacant. always amiable
Homes thee, of iflatte.ring gales
| To whom thou untried seem ST fair! Me,
Picture. the sacred wall declares to have
! huns
My dank and dropping weeds
70 the stern god Of sea.
Mr. Gladstone thus translates these
| beautiful lines:
What scented stripping. Pyrrha, woos
In pleasant grotto all with roses fair?
] For whom those auburn uesses bindest
With simple care?
Fun oft shah he thine altered faith be-
His altered gods; and his unwonted
| gaze
Shall watch the waters darkening to
| the gale
VINO now believing gioats on golden
who hopes thee ever void, and ever
| kind
Nor knows thy changeful heart, nor the
|
! For me, let Neptunes tempe-wall declare
| How. Safe-escaped. i'm vOtive Offering,
My dripping garments own, suspended
Him Ocean-King. p. II II.
| ABOUT WOMEN: What Men Have
| Said Chosen and arranged by Rose
Porter @. L. Putnams Sons. New
! York London. For sale by West
Johnston d CO.
Miss Porter's book Is a compilation, OF
course presenting to us quotations rela-
tive to Woman" from men whose names
are Synonymous with fame.
| Shakespeare, MiltoE Byron, Scott
! Words worth, Carlyle, Coventry PatmOre.
| Victor Hugo, Robert browning, VIM.
| Makepeace Thackeray, Tennyson, and
/ Rusiin. twelve i'm all. are those to whom
| Miss Porter gives a place. Each of the
| one of these. with a quotation for each
| day in II, the whole making one Of those
| books. that without a single new thing
| between their covers; will always remain,
| like the motto calendars exceedingly pop
| uar souvenirs Of the holiday season.
| Miss Porter going on the principle That
| a good thing will bear repeating, gives
| ample evidence Of her ability to per-
! ceiVc a good thing, her selections being.
| without exception, among the very hnest
| upon her theme from their respective
| authors. She evidently appreciates. with
| Mr.. John Ruskin, Coventry Patmore's
|
| the most beautiful quotations the book
| contains are from that gifted English
! man.
1t IS somewhat late in the day to give
! the gentlemen represented in the volume
| a certificate Of ability. That has been
/ done for some years.
| The book is tastetully and well bound.
| faultlessy printed, and admirable is
| every detail of mechanical workmanship.
NAPOLEON: by Alexander Dumas.
1 at. 4 10 oh hKs
| John Il. Larner G.. T. Putnams Sons.
New York. London. For sale by West,
| Johnston u Co.
| We return
| Orcstes TO Electra, in his urn"
Thus Mrs. Browning, in figure whose
! beauty and force is evident, expresses
the love indeed, the alteration, of the
| French people for Napoleon Bonaparte. In
| reading biography of the great military
genius written by Frenehman, then:
| we should anticipate a decidedly b!aSSed
| presentation of his character. The pres
| ent Volume, however, translated into
| English by Mr.. Larner. is. while 10
! certain degree marked by the true French
/ spirit where their Idol is concerned, sur
| prsingly free from extreme partisanship
and consequent extreme injustice The
! powerful personality Of the man has
| been the subject of so many books. aside
| from history pure and simple. that We
| are all familiar with IL, and concede 1t
to be that of one of the greatest generals
| of 81! time. II is somewhat novel, how
ever to note II. Dumas statement that
ne was a merciful a humane man. That
Is statement which history does not
bear cut. and although NJ Dumas cites
one or two instances when the insaliate
conqueror did display the qualities of
humanity and mercy, these were pain
| fully isolated and lost in the record OF
his selfish sacrifice of all that lay be-
tween him and the attainment Of his am
| btion.
With regard to the final treatment of
Napoleon, by the English, Dumas is just