Dec. 8, 1842.
1843. Sir J. Herschel’s Translation.
LADY HERSCHEL TO MISS HERSCHEL.
Jan. 12, 1843.
... Your nephew sends you his translation of Schiller’s beautiful and instructive poem, “The Walk,” in which he tied himself down to the original metre, and each couplet contains the sense of the corresponding couplet in German, so that the full strength of the English language was required to do justice to the comprehensiveness of Schiller’s ideas. There was a beautiful walk up the side of Table Mountain which always reminded Herschel of this poem, and made him love it; and lately there have appeared in an Edinburgh Review translations of all Schiller’s minor poems, some of which are well done; but he thought “The Walk” deserved to be better rendered, so he set about it, and distributed it among his friends as his Christmas sugarplum. The number of interesting autographs, criticisms, witticisms, &c., which have been thereupon returned, will make an amusing packet. One lady says (alluding to the singularity of the hexameter in English) that she found it difficult to get into the step of the Walk; another, that the Walk had got into a Run, it was so often carried off by friends from his table; another, not knowing whence it came, intended sending it to Herschel for his opinion on its merits! another, while admiring the ideas, says “to the verse I am averse.” The good Misses Baillie, of Hampstead, have been greatly delighted with it. They desired their kindest remembrances to you.
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MISS HERSCHEL TO LADY HERSCHEL.
Hanover, March 1, 1843.
... Nine o’clock in the evening (February 19). This is the first moment of quiet after six days in tumultuous joys by all living beings, from the most highest to the most lowest, and I will give you here an account of what share I have had in the rejoicings. In the first place, I must begin with confessing that I have been uncommonly ill of late, and nobody came near me to comfort me; for all my friends were too busy with gala-dresses, or else laid up with colds, &c., from shopping in bad weather, and paddling about in the snow, and I am at this moment ignorant of how they have fared....
I have not time to fill the paper, for my friends begin now to take up my little time of my short forenoons, and the evenings I cannot see; so here I send what I have been scribbling, and will only add that the enclosed programme was sent me, on the 14th by the Crown Prince, who having inquired through somebody after my health, and hearing I was well, and preparing for illumination, was much affected; and yesterday his adjutant, Major Stolzenberg, brought me a message from the Crown Prince, including H. R. H. the Princess, with a present of their portraits.