157. Comparison.
Burton's supplementary volume containing "Alaeddin" and "Zayn Al Asnam," appeared, as we have seen, in 1887; and in 1889 Mr. Payne issued a Translation from Zotenberg's text. When dealing with the Nights proper we gave the reader an opportunity of comparing Burton's translation with Payne's which preceded it. We now purpose placing in juxtaposition two passages from their supplemental volumes, and we cannot do better than choose from either "Alaeddin" or "Zayn Al Asnam," as in the case of both the order is reversed, Burton's translation having preceded Payne's. Let us decide on the latter. Any passage would do, but we will take that describing the finding of the ninth image:[567]
Payne Burton
Then he set out and Then he set out nor
gave not over journeying ceased travelling till such
till he came to Bassora, time as he reached Bassorah,
and entering his palace, when he entered
saluted his mother and his palace; and after
told her all that had saluting his mother, he
befallen him; whereupon apprized her of all things
quoth she to him "Arise, that had befallen him.
O my son, so thou mayst She replied, "Arise, O
see this ninth image, for my son, that we may look
that I am exceedingly upon the Ninth statue,
rejoiced at its presence with for I rejoice with extreme
us. So they both joy at its being in our
descended into the underground possession." So both
hall wherein were descended into the pavilion
the eight images, and where stood the eight
found there a great marvel; images of precious gems,
to wit, instead of the and here they found a
ninth image, they beheld mighty marvel. 'Twas
the young lady resembling this: In lieu of seeing the
the sun in her loveliness. Ninth Statue upon the
The prince knew her golden throne, they found
when he saw her, and seated thereon the young
she said to him, "Marvel lady whose beauty suggested
not to find me here in the sun. Zayn
place of that which thou al-Asnam knew her at
soughtest; me thinketh first sight and presently
thou wilt not repent thee she addressed him saying,
an thou take me in the "Marvel not for that
stead of the ninth image." here thou findest me
"No, by Allah, Oh my in place of that wherefor
beloved!" replied Zein thou askedst; and I
ul Asnam. "For that thou deem that thou shalt not
art the end of my seeking, regret nor repent when
and I would not exchange thou acceptest me instead
thee for all the jewels in of that thou soughtest."
the world. Didst thou Said he, "No, verily,
but know the grief which thou art the end of every
possessed me for thy wish of me nor would
separation, thou whom I I exchange thee for all the
took from thy parents gems of the universe.
by fraud and brought thee Would thou knew what
to the King of the Jinn!" was the sorrow which
surcharged me on account of
our separation and of my
reflecting that I took thee
from thy parents by fraud
and I bore thee as a present
to the King of the Jinn.
Indeed I had well nigh
determined to forfeit all
my profit of the Ninth
Statue and to bear thee
away to Bassorah as my
own bride, when my comrade
and councillor dissuaded
me from so doing lest
I bring about my death." [567]
Scarce had the prince Nor had Zayn al Asnam
made an end of his speech ended his words ere they
when they heard a noise heard the roar of thunderings
of thunder rending the that would rend a
mountains and shaking mount and shake the
the earth, and fear gat earth, whereat the Queen
hold upon the queen, the Mother was seized with
mother of Zein ul Asnam, mighty fear and affright.
Yea and sore trembling; But presently appeared
but, after a little, the the King of the Jinn,
King of the Jinn who said to her, "O my
appeared and said to her, lady, fear not! Tis I, the
"O Lady, fear not, it is protector of thy son, whom
I who am thy son's I fondly affect for the
protector and I love him affection borne to me by
with an exceeding love his sire. I also am he who
for the love his father manifested myself to him
bore me. Nay, I am he in his sleep, and my object
who appeared to him in therein was to make trial
his sleep and in this I of his valiance and to learn
purposed to try his an he could do violence to
fortitude, whether or not his passions for the sake
he might avail to subdue of his promise, or whether
himself for loyalty's the beauty of this lady
sake." would so tempt and allure
him that he could not
keep his promise to me
with due regard."
Here, again, Payne is concise and literal, Burton diffuse and gratuitously paraphrastic as appears above and everywhere, and the other remarks which we made when dealing with the Nights proper also apply, except, of course, that in this instance Burton had not Payne's version to refer to, with the consequence that in these two tales ("Alaeddin" and "Zayn Al Asnam") there are over five hundred places in which the two translators differ as to the rendering, although they worked from the same MS. copy, that of M. Houdas, lent by him to Burton and afterwards to Payne. Arabists tell us that in practically every instance Payne is right, Burton wrong. The truth is that, while in colloquial Arabic Burton was perfect, in literary Arabic he was far to seek, [568] whereas Mr. Payne had studied the subject carefully and deeply for years. But Burton's weakness here is not surprising. A Frenchman might speak excellent English, and yet find some difficulty in translating into French a play of Shakespeare or an essay of Macaulay. Burton made the mistake of studying too many things. He attempted too much.
But in the Supplemental Nights, as in the Nights proper, his great feature is the annotating. Again we have a work within a work, and the value of these notes is recognised on all sides. Yet they are even less necessary for elucidating the text than those in the Nights proper. Take for example the tremendous note in Vol. i. on the word "eunuchs." As everybody knows what a eunuch is, the text is perfectly clear. Yet what a mass of curious knowledge he presents to us! If it be urged that the bulk of Burton's notes, both to the Nights proper and the Supplemental Nights, are out of place in a work of this kind—all we can say is "There they are." We must remember, too, that he had absolutely no other means of publishing them.