Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAP. III. Whether it is allowable for a Tranjlator to add to or retrench the ideas of the original.—Examples of the ufe and abufe of this liberty. IF it is neceflary that a tranflator mould give a complete tranfcript of the ideas of the original work, it becomes a que- ftiori, whether it is allowable in any cafe to add to the ideas of the original what may appear to give greater force or il- hiftration ; luftration; or to take from them what may feem to weaken them from redundancy. To give a general anfwer to this queftion, I would fay, that this liberty may be ufed, but with the greateft cau-. tion. It muft be further obferved, that the fuperadded idea mall have the moft neeeflary connection with .the original thought, and actually increafe its force. And, on the other hand, that whenever an idea is cut off by the tranflator, it muft be only fuch as is an acceffory, and not a principal in the claufe or fentence. It muft likewife be confefledly redundant, fo that its retrenchment mall not impair or weaken the original'thought. Under" thefe limitations, a tranflator may exercife his judgement, and afTume to himfelf, in fo far, the character of an original writer. It will be allowed, that in the following inftance the tranflator, the elegant Vincent Bourne, has added a very beautiful idea, which, while it has a mof t natural connection with the original thought, greatly heightens its energy and tender- nefs. The two following ftanzas are a part of the fine ballad of Colin and Lucy, by Tickell. To-morrow in the church to wed, Impatient both prepare ; But know, fond maid, and know, falfe man, That Lucy will be there. There bear my corfe, ye comrades, bear, The bridegroom blithe to meet, He in his wedding-trim fo gay, I in my winding-meet. Thus tr...