New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-19

DON ouixoTr IN A NEW EDITION

DON otixoTr IN A NEW EDITION
THE NorNqys 9gNrrgM{ASS I 5o ~ 9g .lSssI.;
S snav ID Mf SSSa into nas" Sy Henry Ga"%
Watts New Edition. %,,h N9 %c,svo o"yl W.
I"J n o' III London, A. G, Black. New-York'
Macmillan co.
| A small-noucd man IN sometimes taken Tor gen
! tlcman Chesterfield has often been rcckonod tn'
paragon of his timo But IN the presence OF gem
icman no mistake II possible ana II Is inspiring
10 zee how the noblcst OF them all energies unspo'-
tod from the rough usage given him by a dullard
world. We attribute tho usage frankly 10 the "o'o'
for no true "Cervaniista can for a moment peheVc
that the Ingenious Gentleman owed any OF MS MIS-
fortunes to the contempt OF his creator On IN"
contrary the task which Cervantes may have begun
in cynical humor az well as In satirica style ne
ended beyond a doubt. In the full tide OF deep
affection for his luckless knight Don Quixo'e was
the OCCASION the means whereby the aDsurditles oi
the old tales Of chvalry were rendered thousand
times more absurd, but Don Quxote himseif re-
mains a knight unmatched. figure more profound
" touching than any the annals OF history or ro-
nance. Is Bayard more valiant. Is Sidney winter
has there been any Amadis so splendid? ferhaps
in the serene beauty OF Colonel Newcomers charac-
ter there is something to bring as parallel 10 the
Spanish hero's career, but nowhere else In modern
! fiction IL he even remotely approached. The meo-
dramatic endurance and generosity OF a Jean val
| lean seem tawdry and pinchbcck beside the naive
rlghtness Of Don Quxote. No man in literature
lives as he lives. for none has his pure steadfast
ness none has his charm. The spell comes DacK Win
these new pages produced with such ardor ana such
care nv Mr. Watts Some years ago he first
brought out his spirited and strong translator Oh
rect simple diomatic. as his original always Is.
and animated by a Spanish tone wnich alone "oui
have given his work the place in which 1t is now
securely established The present edition aims at
meeting the requirements OF more popular audi
ence than that for which the first was issued; but
the rearrangement Of the text leaves the WORK. SO
far as we can estimate, entirely symmetrical
and while some OF the notes have been noulhed'
their number has been on the whole, increased, A
fifth volume will contain life of Cervantes and
photography. The edition is handsomely made, be-
ing printed on excellent paper in good clear type
and I'm It's attractive binding 1t presents the great
Spanish classic with commendable compactness de-
spite the erudition and enthusiasm which have
caused Mr.. Watts to be prolific OF appendices ana
even copious as to notes
For the erudton Of this translator We are CRATE
full. He wide field In which the curious
reader may delve and never fail of new and delight
full discoveries. But for the enthusiasm which MI
Watts has brought to his task we are Infinitely more
indebted. Let him who chooses pause TO trace the
thousand obscurities the thoussnd illusions OF the
author to their source. 1t is blither task to fol-
low his knight across the Manchegan plain Ger
vantes had erudtlon, less than his commentators.
perhaps but still enough to give them unceasng toll
He was VIGOROUSLY errant WRITER, Ho"e'ei' anu IL
is not as a scholar that he survives. Don Quxote,
we repeat is a masterpiece OF satire but still more
Is he q masterpiece of that creative genius which
brings a soul forth for its sake and not for
some Interior purpose which 1t Is TO serve. Don
Quixote who Is appreciated for the sake Of the fol-
lies he makes ridiculous. is appreciated the more,
is admired and loved for his own sake and for no
others No other type among the personages OF In
splred imagination Is more emancipated from the
accidents OF his surroundings. Sidney himself is
somehow garanded with the fantastic flowers Of
his age. The most sympathetic admrer Of Eng
lands hawess knight must admit this. The story
of Zutphen coming down to in all its strength Of
self-sacrihce cannot dissipate the atmosphere Of
almost euphuistic grace which hangs about the no.
BILE Englishman. He missed in some strange way the
brawny bronzelike distinction which belongs TO the
men OF that superb Perhaps in passing from
him to Don Quixote the comparison may seem
forced But II Is really just. Exactly such trap
pings as finger in Sidney's record are lavished
the subject OF the Spanish book. Nay they are
flung like Ossa upon Peon and with respite.
The trenchant blade OF Cervantes is never still.
The immortal prologue Is itself stroke OF invncibe
iconocasm and all through the enchanting
tive he hacks and hews at old ideals. At the
time he established new one, fixed 1t in impersh
able renown. The knight Is sadly entreated he
Journeys on, La Tolosa and La Molinera were
Wy damsels the very threshold Of his
quest but the end he keeps himself unspotted
from the world and not any OF the exaggerations
OF the book can make him less a gentleman The
innkeeper who dubbed him knight the Doors who
disturbed his first Vigil. were enough to have
dmmed the lustre of any other tale but this. and
the forlorn shepherd lad for whom Don Quxote in
terceded got his whipping after ALL with interest
added But what does that matter? The shield Is
still unstained. 1t Is for that that Don Quixo,e
lives 1t is for that that he Is winning beyond the
measure of any luckler hero OF romance. Externals
pass, the central fact stands firm, and the fasci-
Nan Only n.c So iptoc
penetrated with his chidlike sweetness of soul are
ali the episodes in his career that even the externas
from him Spain is pictured in that bleak yet beau
tifnl landscape The people their dress their man
coiors that cannot fade. Sancho. universal type,
is Spanish to the core and IN Don 3Ia1e himself
dignity Of the Iberian erandee NO portrait OF We;
oute invoke a more convincing figure. could body
forth a man more racy, o mere pea'ised. more
iiie ton OF unendIng interest. he looms with so
much piquant originality against me Spanish
squire in that panorama which Is forever being re-
produced before the readers eye acton mere mere scenic
baustlble in color In movement, IN romantic charm
than the record OF the knights efp ram bat TO re-
never possible to very far II IS 70 return to the
knights great brave heart the e eunessenss ni
CO rage which knows guile the flower OF that
couId dminish which strength Of wit could
throw. Cervantes wrote Wisely ,, when ne made his
tSe saricatured Ones were content to ape The
homey shield OF the most gentle sI'sht rings true,
lis apce never goes more unerrngly to the heart OF
the foe than when Is ShysIsa " Isre IGNORANCE
most IT, appaing contrast the mighty chargers OF
the roances OF chyary pns wh',. ~ history or
truth Is that the ridcue III WHEN Don eluxote
seems to be submerged Is pure pa'nos ~ It's snect
Ijon's knghily vaor, his Transparency and truth
No buresaue armor can sasno W. bravery OF his
proweSs IN the fray lie walks IN the calm OF an
| m. n,,rsa, aro liz fame needs no trumpet Ills
NE viii he told as Ions as men avs sll The record o.
tale who acn,,s himself with noticeable worthness
Is y man to thank aud such man 10 Mr.. Watts