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PREFACE.

THESE Translations were made in general con amore, and by no means as a task. A certain portion of them has been circulated in MS. among friends, whose intellectual sympathy is dearer to me than fame. It is at their suggestion that they are now committed to the press. I was desirous of presenting to them in print a fair copy of Verses, in which they had expressed themselves interested. And then the question unavoidably arose if printed, why not published?

When this idea presented itself, I set about giving a comparative completeness to the series, as consecutive specimens of German Lyrics. In this point of view, however, they are still very defective. I have rather followed the predilections of individual fancy than been over anxious to bring "fair samples" to market. Capricious favor

itism is the weakness of all the Nine: and it is hoped that Poems which were translated solely because they were at least momentary favorites, have been treated more tenderly and appear fresher and more alive than would have been the case upon a better proportioned system of selection.

Nothing would be more agreeable to me than that the reader should do me the honor to compare stanza for stanza the version with the original. Many blemishes would no doubt appear, but the reader would be better able to appreciate the difficulties of success. A Translation, however, must be presumed to be intended for those who have no knowledge of the original tongue: and if to them the following verses do not read as pleasant English poems, it is a proof which there is no disputing, that I have failed to produce a good poetic version.

I ought to apologize for introducing two or three short pieces from KLOPSTOCK, which have appeared in print elsewhere: but if the notion of specimens was at all to be retained, it seemed impossible altogether to exclude the Patriarch of modern German poetry.

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