The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Vol 2 (of 2)Coleridge, Samuel Taylor
General
The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Vol 2 (of 2)
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor
English poetry -- 19th century
wholly overclouded the beauties of the Scene in the first Act of
the first Play between Questenberg, Max, and Octavio Piccolomini.
If we except the Scene of the setting sun in the _Robbers_,
I know of no part in Schiller's Plays which equals the whole
of the first Scene of the fifth Act of the concluding Play. It 50
would be unbecoming in me to be more diffuse on this subject.
A Translator stands connected with the original Author by
a certain law of subordination, which makes it more decorous
to point out excellencies than defects: indeed he is not likely
to be a fair judge of either. The pleasure or disgust from his 55
own labour will mingle with the feelings that arise from an
afterview of the original. Even in the first perusal of a work
in any foreign language which we understand, we are apt to
attribute to it more excellence than it really possesses from our
own pleasurable sense of difficulty overcome without effect. 60
Translation of poetry into poetry is difficult, because the
Translator must give a brilliancy to his language without that warmth
of original conception, from which such brilliancy would follow
of its own accord. But the translator of a living Author is
encumbered with additional inconveniences. If he render his 65
original faithfully, as to the sense of each passage, he must
necessarily destroy a considerable portion of the spirit; if he
endeavour to give a work executed according to laws of
compensation, he subjects himself to imputations of vanity, or
misrepresentation. I have thought it my duty to remain 70
bound by the sense of my original, with as few exceptions as
the nature of the languages rendered possible.
LINENOTES:
Title] Part Second. The Death of Wallenstein. A Tragedy. The Death of
Wallenstein. Preface of the Translator. 1828, 1829.
[10] notion] idea 1800, 1828, 1829.
[21] conception] idea 1800, 1828, 1829.
[41] the excellence of which] whose excellence 1800, 1828, 1829.
[60] effect] effort 1834.
[66] sense] _sense_ 1800, 1828, 1829.
[67] spirit] _spirit_ 1800, 1828, 1829.
[68] compensation] _compensation_ 1800, 1828, 1829.
[After 72] S. T. Coleridge 1800, 1828, 1829.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
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