Letters of Ortis and Lorenzo: taken from the original Manuscripts published at Milan in 1802
Contributions
- F.B. (Felicia Hemans)
- author
Related resources
- is paratext of
- Letters of Ortis and Lorenzo: taken from the original Manuscripts published at Milan in 1802 translation has paratext has other edition
Summary (extracted citations)
"Preface, by the translator The highly favourable terms, in which the Original of this Work [ref. to *Quarterly Review* for December 1812] has been discussed, by the Editors of a popular Review, has encouraged the publication of the following attempt. – An attempt, made some years ago, in consequence of the commendations bestowed on that Original, by a judicious friend; who, while admitting the faults, subsequently pointed out by the Reviewer, so warmly extolled the beauties of the diction, that the translation was begun, not only without delay, but even without a previous regular perusal of the work itself. That the above confession is not calculated to propitiate the public opinion of this performance, the Translator is well aware; but trusts, that however hastily begun, it will not be pronounced to have been carelessly executed. The expectation of a translator must, always, be extremely limited: for while, in addition to his own, the deficiencies of his author are sometimes charged upon him; the excellencies, for the most part, lie beyond his reach. The present Translation, therefore, is submitted to the Public, without any hope, that an approach has been made to the elegance which distinguishes the Original; written in all the purity of a tongue, rich in the music of its periods, and the vividness and grace of its expressions. That the Letters of Ortis have, nevertheless, been censured for occasional obscurities, even by his own countrymen, may be offered, as a fair plea, by the Translator, should the difficult and hazardous endeavour to elucidate them from conjecture, have failed. The ambiguities, however, of the Author, have always been sedulously studied, with whatever eventual success; and his general sense, it is hoped, will be found to have been as faithfully preserved, throughout, as the striking dissimilitudes of national custom, or idiom, which sometimes occur, would permit. F.B. London, Jan. 1, 1814"