JOHN ANDERSON, Mein lieb, JohN. John Anderson, mein Lieb, John, Als ich zuerst dich sah, Wie dunkel war dein Haar, und Wie glatt dein Antlitz da ! Doch jetzt ist kahl dein Haupt, John, John Anderson, mein Lieb, John, Nun geht's den Berg hinab, John, To Mary in Heaven. Before leaving the pathetic love songs of Burns I would like to consider the translations of what may be called his song of Idealized Love,' entitled "To Mary in Heaven." It is astonishing that a language so rich in love lyrics has not been employed with more effect in reproducing this matchless song into German. L. G. Silbergleit's version can only be read with pain if intended to be a serious effort at translation. The quotation of the first four lines is sufficient "Du Morgenstern, so spät, so bleich, 1 1 Thou morning star, so late, so pale, It is difficult to believe that this is meant to express the original in any sense, and one is tempted to wonder if the author has read "Thou lingering star, with lessening ray, That lov'st to greet the early morn, My Mary from my soul was torn." The remaining verses are generally only too true to this beginning. A. v. Winterfeld's rendering is very good, but is spoiled by the first four lines, "Du Stern im müden Morgenstrahl, Du flohst nicht mit der Finsterniss; This is poor enough. It is, however, only fair to say that the remaining verses are much better, and, but for the above, would have formed a passable translation. E. Ruete has not succeeded here; indeed he is below the average of excellence to an extent unusual in his generally commendable translations. There are too many weak lines; for instance, "Du später Stern, der bleich und fahl,"2 is not rendered with his usual happiness, for "Thou lingering star, with lessening ray"; and he misses the true meaning of the marvellous picture When, woe's me, into the kingdom of the dead Mary had not yet entered. 1 Thou star in the weary morning ray, Thou fled'st not with the darkness; Thou did'st remain to see the anguish of the day, Which tore Mary from my heart. Thou late star, which pale and faint. in the third verse-a picture which shows the all-absorbing strength of the love portrayed by Burns. The poet there shows not only that he feels that love with every throb of his own heart, but images every object in nature, by which he and his loved one are surrounded, as filled with the same ecstatic passion. Just look at the imagery in the original for a moment,—at this marvellous scene of love— "Ayr, gurgling, kissed his pebbled shore, O'erhung with wild woods' thick'ning green; He changes in this magic picture all these objects of "Du küsstest, Ayr, den blum'gen Rain, Und Liebe sang der Vögel Lied,"1 Now see This is a very loving picture in itself, it would scarcely be Ruete's if it were not, but it misses that personification of the objects and the enjoyment of these 1 Thou, Ayr, kissed the flowery bank, A grove of birk and hawthorn Tenderly encircled the happy place, And the song of the birds was love. feelings of love wherein the charm of the original consists. Adolf Laun sins here to a much greater extent; for Ruete does sound a note of the music which fills this third verse, but Mr. Laun seems ignorant of its existence. "Der Air rollte murmelnd bei uns nieder, Von Gras umsäumt, durch glatters Kiesgestein, This, it will be observed, can scarcely be called a trans- "Verkundest Du mir schon zum zweiten Male";2 Silbergleit says it was within the year 1 1 Ayr rolled down murmuring by us, Hemmed in by grass, through smooth pebble stones, The flowers had opened their cups, On all branches joyful sound of song. * Thou dost announce to me already for the second time. But "So schient's, du auch vor einem Jahr"; but Legerlotz takes a much greater latitude, like his "Weltgeschicht" in "Robin," and makes it the third year "Du bringst den Tag zum drittenmal." 2 Legerlotz's version fails also to echo the charm of this song, as may be inferred from this "drittenmal" indication. The third verse is as far from the original as is possible; he seems only to think that a pretty place is to be described, without even hinting at the features which give its charms to the original. He says "Du kostest, Ayr, mit Kies und Grand In dichter Wälder grüner Schluft; Sich Weissdornschnee und Birkenduft. O, Girren scholl aus Zweig und Nest, Zum Pfühl bot Blumenschmelz sich froh." One is forced to transcribe the original again to feel how the melody of its love-music is unechoed in this purely material description— "Ayr, gurgling, kissed his pebbled shore, O'erhung with wild woods' thick'ning green; The fragrant birch, and hawthorn hoar, The flowers sprang wanton to be prest, Otto Baisch gives a beautiful rendering of this verse, which is refreshing to meet after the above disappoint ments "Die Wellen küssten weich den Strand, Von grünen Zweigen überhangen, 1 So appeared thou also one year ago. Thou bringest the day for the third time. |