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IN

ENGLISH RHYTHM.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE BRITISH POETS, FROM

CHAUCER TO COWPER.

BY THE

REV. ROBERT CORBET SINGLETON, M.A.,

FIRST WARDEN OF ST. PETER'S COLLEGE, RADLEY.

A MANUAL FOR MASTER AND SCHOLAR.

•BODE

"Hic illa ducis Melibai

Parva Philoctete subnixa Petelia muro."-ÆN. III., 401, 2.

"Sweet Poetry's

A flow'r, where men, like bees and spiders, may

Bear poison, or else sweets and wax, away:

Be venom-drawing spiders they that will,

I'll be the bee, and suck the honey still."

BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER, Four Plays in One.

SECOND EDITION,

RE-WRITTEN AND ENLARGED.

LONDON:

BELL AND DALDY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.

1871.

298 £23.

NUSIT

LONDON:

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET

AND CHARING CROSS.

PREFATORY REMARKS.

Ir would scarcely seem to need any proof that, when the work of a Poet is to be translated from one language into another, the poetic character should still be observed; nor is it less obvious that, if the object of the undertaking is the benefit of the youthful scholar, the strictest regard should be had to accuracy in the process. Further, it would appear to be quite indispensable that, whatever may be the design of the operation, easy numbers in the original should be represented by harmonious arrangement in the version.

How far any free Translation can be of real service in the case of the more advanced student, is a question with which the Author of the following attempt has no present concern, as he designs his book for the advantage of those to whom such freedom would, in his opinion, be a positive injury; for his object has been to afford assistance to the classical Teacher in the instruction of his young disciples, and to these latter all such laxness would surely be a serious evil. It is for this reason that, in producing VIRGIL in a new English dress for their benefit, he has endeavored to combine the three great requisites already alluded to-rigid exactness, poetic diction, and rhythmical flow.

In carrying out this design, the Author has thought it necessary to submit to certain restrictions, from which had he relieved himself, his work would have lost in usefulness, though he would have gained by increased facility in the execution of it. For instance, among other reasons, with a view to facilitate the process of construing, the Latin words have been rendered according to the order in which they appear in the original, so far at least as seemed con

sistent with a necessary regard to the English idiom, and the reasonable requirements of the rhythm. Then, again, no single word in the Latin has ever been consciously passed over without the supply of its English equivalent. Further, it has often happened that a passage might have been rendered much more effective by the employment of words different from those which have been used; yet, notwithstanding the temptation to introduce them, they have been rejected, simply because fidelity to the Latin demanded others.

Were it not, indeed, for such ties as these, the present work, instead of being a close Translation for the schoolboy, might with much less of trouble have been turned into, a Poem for the general reader. Still, though it is not intended for the latter class, it is only fair to observe that any one who desires to see in English what VIRGIL says in his own tongue, will probably find him presented here in as agreeable a form as that of any prose version, which should aim at equal faithfulness, and be fettered by the same restrictions.

The Translation is accompanied by copious extracts from the British Poets from an early date down to the beginning of the present century. This has been done, not only to meet the tastes of those for whom parallelisms have a great attraction, but also to impart to the young student a love for English poetry itself, by introducing him to its greatest masters, whose remains are conspicuous for their genius, beauty, and power.

YORK, June 1. 1871.

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Elsewhere Colin follows the example of Tityrus, but surpasses his prototype; Colin Clout, 636: "The speaking woods, and murmuring waters fall,

Her name I'll teach in knowen termes to frame; And eke my lambs, when for their dams they call, I'll teach to call for Cynthia by name." Shakespeare, with great beauty:

"Holla your name to the reverberate hills, And make the babbling gossip of the air Cry out, 'Olivia!" Twelfth Night, i. 5. Elsewhere, somewhat differently: "Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,

;

And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine, With repetition of my Romeo's name." Romeo and Juliet, ii. 2. 7. J. Fletcher has "Amaryll" for "Amaryllis," where the metre required it; e. g., The Faithful Shepherdess, v. 3.

Through the whole country round to such

extent

Confusion reigns. Lo! I [these] female

goats

;

Myself am driving onward, sick at heart
This, too, with effort, Tityrus, I lead.
For here, among the clustered hazel-shrubs,
Twins having yeaned but now, my hope of
flock,

21

Alas! she left them on the naked flint.
Oft this mischance to us-had not my wit
Been stupid-I remember that the oaks,
Blasted from heav'n, foretold; [this] oft
foretold

The luckless crow from out the hollow holm.
But ne'ertheless, that deity of thine
Who may he be, impart, O Tityrus,
To us.

30

Tit. The city which they title "Rome,"
O Melibœus, I, a simpleton,
Deemed like to this of ours, whither oft
The ewes' soft offspring. So I knew that
We shepherds are accustomed down to drive
whelps

Were like to dogs, so kidlings to their dams;
So with the petty to compare the great
Was I accustomed. But as high hath this
'Mong other cities lifted up her head,

24.

"As when Heaven's fire Hath scath'd the forest oaks, or mountain pines; With singed top their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the blasted heath." Milton, P. L. i. "My piteous plight in yonder naked tree, Which bears the thunder-scar, too plain I see ; Quite destitute it stands of shelter kind, The mark of storms, and sport of every wind." A. Philips, Past. 2. 26." For did you ever hear the dusky raven Chide blackness ?"

John Webster, Vittoria Corombona, v. 1. 36, "Look down, Drusilla, on these lofty towers,

These spacious streets, where every private house Appears a palace to receive a king:

The site, the wealth, the beauty of the place, Will soon inform thee 'tis imperious Rome : Rome, the great mistress of the conquered world." J. Fletcher, The Prophetess, ii, 3.

B

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