Translations of German Poetry in American Magazines 1741-1810Davis, Edward Ziegler
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Translations of German Poetry in American Magazines 1741-1810
Davis, Edward Ziegler
American periodicals -- Bibliography; German poetry -- Translations into English
His speaking eye of azure hue
Seem'd ever softly suing,
And such an eye, so clear and blue,
Ne'er shone for maid's undoing.
His face was fair, his cheek was red,
With blushes ever burning;
And all he spoke was deftly said,
Though far beyond my learning.
Where'er I stray'd, the youth was nigh,
His look soft sorrows speaking;
Sweet maid! he'd say, then gaze and sigh,
As if his heart were breaking.
And once, as low his head he hung,
I fain would ask the meaning;
When round my neck his arms he flung,
Soft tears his grief explaining.
Such freedom ne'er was ta'en till now,
And now 'twas unoffending;
Shame spread my cheek with ruddy glow,
My eyes kept downward bending.
Nor aught I spoke, my looks he read,
As if with anger burning;
No--not one word--away he sped,
Ah! would he were returning.
_Port Folio_, I-189, Mar. 29, 1806, Phila.
PASTORAL POETRY.
From Gessner's "New Idyls."
THE ZEPHYRS. [b].
[Prose translation.] _Weekly Visitant_, I-158, May 17, 1806, Salem.
[S. Gessner, _Die Zephyre_.
W. Hooper, _New Idylles_, p. 16.]
From Gessner's "New Idylles."
THE CARNATION.
[Prose translation.] _Weekly Visitant_, I-159, May 17, 1806, Salem.
[S. Gessner, _Die Nelke_.
W. Hooper, _New Idylles_, p. 7.]
THE NAME UNKNOWN.
Imitated from Klopstock's ode to his future mistress. By Thomas
Campbell, Esq., author of Pleasures of Hope.
_Evening Fire-Side or Lit. Misc._, II-165, May 24, 1806, Phila.
[F. G. Klopstock, _Die künftige Geliebte_.
The above imitation appeared first in a newspaper, _Newport Mercury_,
No. 2160, Aug. 30, 1803, Newport.]
THE FOWLER--A SONG.
Altered from a German air, in the opera of "Die Zauberlôte."
A CARELESS whistling lad am I,
On sky-lark wings my moments fly;
There's not a _Fowler_ more renown'd
In all the world--for ten miles round!
Ah! who like me can spread the net?
Or tune the merry flageolet?
Then why--O why should I repine,
Since all the roving birds are mine?
The thrush and linnet in the vale,
The sweet sequester'd nightingale,
The bulfinch, wren, and wood-lark, all
Obey my summons when I call:
O! could I form some cunning snare
To catch the coy, coquetting fair,
In _Cupid's_ filmy web so fine,
The pretty girls should all be mine!
When all were mine--among the rest,
I'd choose the Lass I lik'd the best;
And should my charming mate be kind;
And smile, and kiss me to my mind,
With her I'd tie the nuptial knot,
Make _Hymen's_ cage of my poor cot,
And love away this fleeting life,
Like Robin Redbreast and his wife!
_Mo. Anthology and Boston Rev._, III-591, Nov. 1806, Boston.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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