I82ii.} The PiiUur of Love. 167 



Note. — Much as it will be to my disadvantage to place the beautiful original 

 of this passage [Sect. HI. and IV.] in immediate opposition with the English 

 version, I cannot resist giving my readers the gratification of recalling to 

 their memory those exquisite verses. I have, in the translation, been driven 

 for refuge into periphrasis and paraphrase; and, even with every aid from 

 that license, I am perfectly conscious how very unequal the imitation is to 

 the original. Superior as I conceive our language to be in energy and sub- 

 Hmitv, the French possesses a delicacy which we may ever despair of reaching. 

 What word have we, for instance, which can give the meaning of " volup- 

 te ?" — "Voluptuousness" has, with us, so much admixture of vicious grossness, 

 as to be wholly unfit to be given as a synonymc — especially in the sense in 

 which it is used in the following passage. The ease, also, of running into 

 personification, which the use of the articles of gender gives the French, 

 must have been felt as most awkward and shackling by any who have at- 

 tempted to translate their poetry. This facility is also taken advantage of 

 by some of their prose writers, with a skill which renders it exceedingly 

 difficult for a translator to avoid the equally unfortunate extremes of fustian 

 and pathos, of grossness and common-place. Those of my readers who the 

 most understand and taste the delicacies of language, will be the most ready to 

 make allowances for the difficulty of transfusing into a foreign tongue the 

 spirit of the following passage : — 



" On entend, pour tout bruit, des concerts cnchantcurs, 



Dont la molle harmonie inspire les langueurs. 



Les voix de inille amans, les chants de leurs maitresses, 



Qui celebrent leur bonte, et vantent leurs faiblesses. 



Chaque jour, on les voit, le front pare de fleurs, 



De leur aimable maitre employer les favours, 



Et dans I'art dangereux de plaire, et de seduire, 



Dans son temple, a I'envi s'empresser de s'lnstrnire. 



La flatteuse Espcrance, au front toujours serein, 



A I'autel de I'Amour les conduit par la main. 



Pres du temple sacre, les Graces denii-nues, 



Accordent a leurs voix leurs danses ingenues. 



La molle Volupte sur un lit de gazons, 



Satisfaite et tranquille, ecoute leurs chansons. 



On voit a ses cotes le Mystere en silence, 



Le Sourire enchanteur, les Soins, la Complaisance, 



Les Plaisirs amoureux, et les tendres Desirs, 



Plus doux, plus seduisans encore que les Plaisirs." 



Heniiade, Chant, ix. 

 My translation is here any thing but close ; but it would be vain to seek for 

 the ease and grace of the original. 2. 



MORNING. 



As wanes the night before the morning beam, 

 As from my spirit fades the shadowy dream, 

 So Lord, in mercy pour thy light divine 



O'er my soul's darker night ; 

 And while its rays eternal brightly shine, 



Let error's fading visions take their flight. 



As o'er the waking world the star of day. 

 In dawning splendour sheds his vital ray. 

 Then in noon's radiance blazes, and at last. 



In beauty meets his close : 

 So in thy glory let my course he past, 



There find, 'mid Faith's bright clouds, a sweet repose. 



L.P. 



