which, nourished by biblical, and, later, romantic readings, created in him a relish for the marvelous and adventurous.1) So when we ask ourselves why Bodmer should be attracted to a theological2), dogmatic epic, embodying the cosmological and political ideas of its author a poem at times wearisome, nay, so wearisome, that few people find patience to read it to the end without a smile here and a yawn there, a poem full of fictions exploded by modern science we may find the answer in the fact that this same poem reveals deep religious training and biblical knowledge; possesses sublime passages; beautiful, incomparable single lines; exquisite poetry; striking phrases; wonderful images and comparisons; and is, in a word, fully in keeping with Bodmer's religious nature and training, and his love for the marvelous and adventurous. "In Milton", says Bächtold3), "he [Bodmer] met a poet who approached his poetical ideal, who both moved to the utmost his lively fancy and held fully captive his pious mind, early directed to biblical subjects. In Paradise Lost he saw a great sacred subject, the highest conceivable epic subject, which was at once permeated with the spirit of antiquity, and which united rapturous religious ecstasy, picturesque beauty, moral eminence, bold treatment, charm and exaltation." Place beside this passage Bodmer's own opinion of Milton as given in the third (1754) edition of his translation): "The author proves himself throughout the work to be one of the most thorough readers and most sympathetic admirers of Holy Writ. He is infinitely more indebted to the Bible than to Homer and Virgil and all other books. Not only his chief fable but all his episodes are founded upon the Scriptures. The Bible has not only provided him with excellent ideas, exalted his thoughts and quickened his imagination, but also greatly enriched his language, imparted to his expression a certain 1) See under A. 2. 2) For many of the following terms and ideas, see E. Scherer, pages 111-149. 3) Page 541. 4) See Mörikofer, page 91. solemnity and majesty, and taught him many of his choicest and happiest phrases. Therefore one may well learn from him to esteem highly these sacred writings. We are convinced that he who possesses true taste and some genius, will acknowledge this poem to be the best among the works of modern writers, and the Bible, the best among all the works of the ancients." The reading of Paradise Lost filled Bodmer with an irresistible longing for quiet and solitude. He tells us in a letter dated January 28, 1724, that he never could endure being stared at and did not feel at home in the crowd; that he was too accustomed to air and light to submit to being shut up in the dark, narrow streets of Zürich, where the houses were built close together, and the air was vitiated by the "frog-ditches". He therefore resolved to escape from the throng, the bells, the foul air, and the restraint of dress and social obligations and seek the quiet and rest of his native hamlet.1)" In the above-mentioned mood”2), he continues, “I left the city two or three months ago, repairing to Greifensee . . . I felt as did Satan when, from hell, burning with liquid and solid fire, where the frozen ice singed his fingers and the fire wrought with chilling effect, he came into Paradise, the exquisiteness of which, together with Eve in her nakedness, almost made him forget that he was Mr. Devil. Everything caused me pleasure; the tedded grass, the files of kine, the shaking of the walnut-trees, etc." In the midst of this rural scene, with that concentration which withdrawal from every diversion makes possible, our Milton-enthusiast entered with such zeal into the spirit of the religious epic, that he simply could not resist translating passages from it. "In Greifensee", he writes"), "I began toyingly to turn into German this and that description in Milton, and at last I had so many of these extracts, that I suddenly formed the resolution of translating the whole work." 1) See Hans Bodmer, page 189. 2) Quoted from Hans Bodmer, pages 190–1. 3) Same letter, quoted from Hans Bodmer, page 191. The charm exercised over Bodmer by the contents of the eighth canto has already been noted. It is probable that this canto was the first one translated, for it was the first to come into the hands of Bodmer's particular friend, Breitinger, who straightway constituted himself critical judge of the work. In a letter to this friend Bodmer writes1) "I have translated the first three books of Milton. As soon as the fourth is done too, I will submit it to your judgment, to know whether I shall continue thus, for the eighth book has already been under your review." This letter is one of a limited number that came from Greifensee to Zürich; for Bodmer shut himself off so completely from the outside world, that Breitinger alone heard from him — Zellweger, only through Breitinger. Two extracts are interesting to us, as they were to Breitinger, for whom they acceptably broke a long silence. The first) contains Bodmer's impressions upon the second canto. It reads: "Not till this week have I crept again out of Chaos and The other extract) is much longer; it refers to the third book, and runs as follows: 1) Bodmer to Breitinger, end of 1723. City library of Zürich. Reference given by H. Bodmer, who also cites: Neues Sch. Mus. 1793, S. 823. 2) Bodmer to Breitinger, end of 1723. City library of Zürich. Hans Bodmer, p. 187. 3) Bodmer uses the English word. 4) Bodmer to Breitinger, January 28, 1724. Unpublished. Trogen. Quoted from Hans Bodmer, pages 192-3. "There is a passage in the third book upon which I have exercised my private thoughts, and which I am going to refer to you. I made Man good and just, capable of standing, yet with Will free if he wanted to fall. Not differently did I create all Ethereal Powers, both them') who stood steadfast and them who failed. If they were not free of Will, what satisfactory proof could they have given of their obedience, fidelity, constancy, or love, if they had only expressed what they must needs do, not what they wanted to? What praise could they have deserved? What pleasure should I have received from such obedience, if Will and Reason availed naught (: Reason also is Choice:)), if both, despoiled of their freedom, both subject to the expressions of another's authority, had served Necessity, not me? Thus Milton speaks in the person of God. But suppose that Man had been created incapable of sinning: then he would have had only one side, which would have inclined him to good; that would have been his nature; if he had, therefore, obeyed his own inclination and nature, then he would certainly have been free, unconstrained, ungoverned. In accordance with this I am not free, but am tyrannized over, when something is required of me contrary to my nature and inplanted inclination;2) Necessity is no Coercion, the fire burns necessarily, but is this Coercion? No. That would be a Coercion if you were to require of it the accomplishment of the effects of cold. But granted that one who had been created incapable of sin should be under another's authority, then were this authority God, who had given him in this manner, and not differently, his nature and inclination. The service which he performed to Necessity, as Milton says, would accordingly reflect its result back upon God who had created Necessity. As to the possible objection that its constancy in good deeds could not have been tested thus, I ask of what need or advantage such a test is, then? If the answer be that it is of advantage, first, to exalt the praise of those who endure it, and, second, to please God, then it is better, on the. one hand, that no place at all be given in one's nature for praise, inasmuch as that can be done in no other wise than through the introduction of disgrace. Where here there is praise, yonder there is disgrace; on the other hand, that God be pleased is nothing else than 1) The original English is before me in translating. 2) I have adhered as closely as possible to the punctuation employed by Bodmer. that His will and appointment be done:1) Accordingly, God Our next information upon the progress of the translation comes from a letter which Breitinger wrote to Zellweger2), and in which he enclosed a few words touching the common friend in Trogen.3) Breitinger writes: "Within a few weeks now he will complete his translation of the lost Paradise of the imaginative Milton; it is possible that this will come to light on our journey next year." Shortly after the receipt of this letter, the one of January 24th, from which the long extract on the third canto has been given above, must have arrived. I mention it again because these enlightening words occur toward the end1): "I shall finish the first rough draft of the translation of Paradise Lost within a week, then the retouching will require two or three weeks more." But Bodmer was unable to accomplish the work of revision in the time indicated, as we learn from a letter to Zellweger March 23, 1724. He writes3): "I take the liberty of retaining the single copy of Milton a little while longer, because in consequence of various avocations I cannot get time yet, completely to tidy up that translation. As soon as it is done, I will send the book back." 1) See footnote 2) on preceding page. 2) B. to Z., Jan. 1724. Unpublished. Trogen. Quoted in H. Bodmer, page 188. 3) "It were perhaps my duty to show Dr. Zellweger that I am not lost to view for him, although I am so, intentionally, for many another; but Milton claims all my attention." 4) Quoted from Hans Bodmer, page 194. 5) Quoted from Hans Bodmer, pages 197-8. |
