New-York tribune., 1905-01-21

Rhyming ana Other translation Methods. with
Notes Comments and Examples. BY Slarehoe
Cary. svo. ppD ne Privately printed
In this volume Mr.. Cary has made a contribu-
don TO the vast store Of Horatian literature
which Is exceedingly interesting and not with
out perusneut value. 1t is always a pleasant
thing 20 see a man immersed In proIesslonai
or business labors redeeming. from his scahty
leisure time for the pursuit or delightful studies
and we wish 70 testify our admiration for the
rare enthusiasm which this original and In some
respects curious book exemplifes
The author has exactly described his purpose
and effort on his title page: Horace: His
Life. Friendships ana Philosophy. as Told by
Himself, in Unrhymed. Metrical Translation"
That is 20 say, Mr.. Cary has selected from the
writings OF Horace many passages which de-
nneste the Roman poets character, habits OF
mind and course OF life. and TO these has ap-
piled his own theories Of translation. He is
under no Illusion respecting the difficulty Of the
task attempted and the imperfections Of the re-
suit attained. The metaphrastic method Of
translation here adopted" says the preface. is
novel as regards a faithful adherence. not only
10 the line, but largely 10 the word, as well as
phrase order. Of the original text with which
close comparison is invited and which he
supplies on opposite pages That claim the
comparison 5ustihes. Nr. Cary's renderings are
remarkably compressed. Indeed, he has accom-
plished veritable feat IN avoiding the expan-
sion which translations from infected into
prepositionsl language seldom even attempt to
avoid. In every case his renderngs contain the
precise number Of lines contained in their orig
inals, though more words are usually. If not IN
var1ably Indispensable. In structure Mr.. Cary
has wisely sought "to do no more than fairly
approximate the dificult metrical forms of the
models" which It is impossible to reproduce in
English.
In seeking" says Mr Cary. ito avoid the
distortion, personal obtrusion and irrelevant jim
gle which, in one form or another. so often
attend the rhyming translations and. well,
the colorless aloofness necessarily characterizing
mere prose versions. whatever risk there may
be OF certain mechanical effect, or Of occa-
sionaI obscurity. has been frankly accepted"
In these words and elsewhere Mr.. Cary con-
fesses that he holds a brief against rhyme.
Indeed. he has taken care in an interesting ap-
pendix 10 cite well known authorities in support
OF his judgment that rhyme is not only in
Observation-Disclosures. but actually impertinent.
His quotation from Milton on the subject is
familiar but we never could see any necessity
for regarding such testimony as conclusive. OF
course. rhyme is artificial but is It any more
artificial than metre, without which a poets
occupation would be gone? II is a mystery
that one sound should be more agreeable 10
the ear than another, or that certain combina-
tions Of sounds should be delightful TO most
Intelligent beings. We persuaded that
rhyme IS incomprehensibly pleasing 10 a great
majority OF English speaking people at least.
and that they have no reason TO be ashamed OF
their preference. To cite Milton against him
self. for every reader who has honestly enjoyed
Paradise Lost a hundred have been ravished
bv aI,Auegro." We should like Just here 10
IL, -, with Ternvson.
The splendor fails on castle walls
And snowy SUBMITS old IN story;
And he Wild cataract leaps in glory.
s,,nnoss that instead OF those lines Tennyson
had written these:
The goTg fails ,2,. on caste a55 n towers: syo
The long light shakes across the u1eresS
And the wild cataract leaps In splenoors
With due apologies TO the authors immortal
spirit we are prepared TO maintain that nothing
OF value but the rhymes has been lost IN this
- atrocious conversion The alterations are other
wise harmless. We have transposed "splendor''
ana glory but each is intrinsically eppro-
pirate IN the new place as in the old Two
words have been cropped and two others sub
stituted. but the words walls and lakes" are
not more poetical than the words towers and
''meres." OF both Of which Tennyson
trernely fond Yet the one transposition and the
beauty Why? We cannot conceive Of any
other reason than that they obliterate the
rhymes. We know there is much IN the associa-
ton OF words and ideas "PimpIe" is as melo-
dious vocable 'dimple' 10 the foreigner who
does not know the meaning of either. But that
explanation VIII not serve in the present case.
Mr. Cary accepted in advance the risk Of
producing "a mechanical effect" through the
employment Of his methods Of translation.
With great respect and kindness we must say
that It was a fatal risk. The language in which,
with remarkable verbal literalness and metrical
ingenuity. ne has articulated a skeleton Of
Horace is not always even the English language.
Here is his version of the famous ode TO Pyrrha
-Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa-which has
tantaIized and baffied translators without num-
Der. and il is as favorable a specimen as we
could find:
What slender you young stTiplinEg: amidst many roses
PyrEEha: Ea: IN IN grotto s5 delightful
With art OF the simplest? Alas how oft faith. and
Mutations OF gods-when his erstwhile calm ocean
Is roughened by blackest Of storm winds
Who eTedulous, precious as gold now enjoys thee.
IgnoTing, thus ever The tenpests
,-.sss Decettql; illIs An, wretched are those who
The sacred wall shows, with my stin dripping
Suspended beneath it 10 him that is potent
Ny robes-to the Sea Cod
Doubtless the bare meaning OF the original is
set forth in this translation but its appeal 10
the mind and heart Of every age and its fas-
cination even for alien ears have altogether
vanished A classic vase has been shattered
and not even the scent Of the roses clings round
it still II is interesting 10 turn TO the last page
Of Mr CaTy's book where he gives US in his
earlier version OF the same ode.an illustration