In the preceding instances from Mr. Melmoth, the words of the English translation which are marked in Italics, are those which, in my opinion, give it the ease of original composition.
But while a translator thus endeavours to transfuse into his work all the ease of the original, the most correct taste is requisite to prevent that ease from degenerating into licentiousness. I have, in treating of the imitation of style and manner, given some examples of the want of this taste. The most licentious of all translators was Mr. Thomas Brown, of facetious memory, in whose translations from Lucian we have the most perfect ease; but it is the ease of Billingsgate and of Wapping. I shall contrast a few passages of his translation of this author, with those of another translator, who has given a faithful transcript of the sense of his original, but from an over-scrupulous fidelity has failed a little in point of ease.
Gnathon. “What now! Timon, do you strike me? Bear witness, Hercules! O me, O me! But I will call you into the Areopagus for this. Timon. Stay a little only, and you may bring me in guilty of murder.”[47] Francklin’s Lucian.
Gnathon. “Confound him! what a blow he has given me! What’s this for, old Touchwood? Bear witness, Hercules, that he has struck me. I warrant you, I shall make you repent of this blow. I’ll indite you upon an action of the case, and bring you coram nobis for an assault and battery.” Timon. “Do, thou confounded law-pimp, do; but if thou stay’st one minute longer, I’ll beat thee to pap. I’ll make thy bones rattle in thee, like three blue beans in a blue bladder. Go, stinkard, or else I shall make you alter your action, and get me indicted for manslaughter.” Timon, Trans. by Brown in Dryden’s Lucian.
“On the whole, a most perfect character; we shall see presently, with all his modesty, what a bawling he will make.” Francklin’s Lucian, Timon.[48]
“In fine, he’s a person that knows the world better than any one, and is extremely well acquainted with the whole Encyclopædia of villany; a true elaborate finished rascal, and for all he appears so demure now, that you’d think butter would not melt in his mouth, yet I shall soon make him open his pipes, and roar like a persecuted bear.” Dryden’s Lucian, Timon.
“He changes his name, and instead of Byrria, Dromo, or Tibius, now takes the name of Megacles, or Megabyzus, or Protarchus, leaving the rest of the expectants gaping and looking at one another in silent sorrow.” Francklin’s Lucian, Timon.[49]
“Straight he changes his name, so that the rascal, who the moment before had no other title about the house, but, you son of a whore, you bulk-begotten cur, you scoundrel, must now be called his worship, his excellency, and the Lord knows what. The best on’t is, that this mushroom puts all these fellows noses out of joint,” &c. Dryden’s Lucian, Timon.
From these contrasted specimens we may decide, that the one translation of Lucian errs perhaps as much on the score of restraint, as the other on that of licentiousness. The preceding examples from Melmoth point out, in my opinion, the just medium of free and spirited translation, for the attainment of which the most correct taste is requisite.