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This is admirable；full of the true poetic glow； which would have been utterly quenched if some Romanic equivalent of dolore had been used instead of our good Saxon sorrow。＇53＇ So； too； the 〃Paradiso；〃 Canto I。； line 100：
〃Whereupon she； after a pitying sigh； Her eyes directed toward me with that look A mother casts on a delirious child。〃＇54＇
＇53＇ Yet admirable as it is； I am not quite sure that Dr。 Parsons； by taking further liberty with the original； has not surpassed it： 〃And she to me： The mightiest of all woes Is in the midst of misery to be cursed With bliss remembered。〃
＇54＇ 〃Ond' ella； appresso d'un pio sospiro ； Gli occhi drizzo ver me con quel sembiante； Che madre fa sopra figlinol deliro。〃
And； finally； the beginning of the eighth canto of the 〃Purgatorio〃：
〃'T was now the hour that turneth back desire In those who sail the sea； and melts the heart； The day they've said to their sweet friends farewell； And the new pilgrim penetrates with love； If he doth hear from far away a bell That seemeth to deplore the dying day。〃＇55＇
＇55＇ 〃Era gia l' ora che volge il disio Ai naviganti； e intenerisce il core Lo di ch' hen detto ai dolci amici addio； E che lo nuovo peregrin d' amore Punge； se ode squilla di lontano； Che paia il giorno pianger che si more。〃
This passage affords an excellent example of what the method of literal translation can do at its best。 Except in the second line； where 〃those who sail the sea〃 is wisely preferred to any Romanic equivalent of naviganti the version is utterly literal； as literal as the one the school…boy makes； when he opens his Virgil at the Fourth Eclogue； and lumberingly reads； 〃Sicilian Muses； let us sing things a little greater。〃 But there is nothing clumsy； nothing which smacks of the recitation…room； in these lines of Mr。 Longfellow。 For easy grace and exquisite beauty it would be difficult to surpass them。 They may well bear comparison with the beautiful lines into which Lord Byron has rendered the same thought：
〃Soft hour which wakes the wish； and melts the heart； Of those who sail the seas； on the first day When they from their sweet friends are torn apart； Or fills with love the pilgrim on his way； As the far bell of vesper makes him start； Seeming to weep the dying day's decay。 Is this a fancy which our reason scorns？ Ah； surely nothing dies but something mourns！〃＇56＇
＇56＇ Don Juan； III。 108。
Setting aside the concluding sentimental generalization；which is much more Byronic than Dantesque；one hardly knows which version to call more truly poetical； but for a faithful rendering of the original conception one can hardly hesitate to give the palm to Mr。 Longfellow。
Thus we see what may be achieved by the most highly gifted of translators who contents himself with passively reproducing the diction of his original； who constitutes himself； as it were； a conduit through which the meaning of the original may flow。 Where the differences inherent in the languages employed do not intervene to alloy the result； the stream of the original may； as in the verses just cited； come out pure and unweakened。 Too often； however； such is the subtle chemistry of thought； it will come out diminished in its integrity； or will appear； bereft of its primitive properties as a mere element in some new combination。 Our channel is a trifle too alkaline perhaps； and that the transferred material may preserve its pleasant sharpness； we may need to throw in a little extra acid。 Too often the mere differences between English and Italian prevent Dante's expressions from coming out in Mr。 Longfellow's version so pure
and unimpaired as in the instance just cited。 But these differences cannot be ignored。 They lie deep in the very structure of human speech； and are narrowly implicated with equally profound nuances in the composition of human thought。 The causes which make dolente a solemn word to the Italian ear； and dolent a queer word to the English ear； are causes which have been slowly operating ever since the Italican and the Teuton parted company on their way from Central Asia。 They have brought about a state of things which no cunning of the translator can essentially alter； but to the emergencies of which he must graciously conform his proceedings。 Here； then； is the sole point on which we disagree with Mr。 Longfellow； the sole reason we have for thinking that he has not attained the fullest possible measure of success。 Not that he has made a 〃realistic〃 translation；so far we conceive him to be entirely right； but that； by dint of pushing sheer literalism beyond its proper limits； he has too often failed to be truly realistic。 Let us here explain what is meant by realistic translation。
Every thoroughly conceived and adequately executed translation of an ancient author must be founded upon some conscious theory or some unconscious instinct of literary criticism。 As is the critical spirit of an age； so among other things will be its translations。 Now the critical spirit of every age previous to our own has been characterized by its inability to appreciate sympathetically the spirit of past and bygone times。 In the seventeenth century criticism made idols of its ancient models； it acknowledged no serious imperfections in them； it set them up as exemplars for the present and all future times to copy。 Let the genial Epicurean henceforth write like Horace； let the epic narrator imitate the supreme elegance of Virgil；that was the conspicuous idea； the conspicuous error； of seventeenth…century criticism。 It overlooked the differences between one age and another。 Conversely； when it brought Roman patricians and Greek oligarchs on to the stage； it made them behave like French courtiers or Castilian grandees or English peers。 When it had to deal with ancient heroes； it clothed them in the garb and imputed to them the sentiments of knights…errant。 Then came the revolutionary criticism of the eighteenth century； which assumed that everything old was wrong； while everything new was right。 It recognized crudely the differences between one age and another； but it had a way of looking down upon all ages except the present。 This intolerance shown toward the past was indeed a measure of the crudeness with which it was comprehended。 Because Mohammed； if he had done what he did； in France and in the eighteenth century； would have been called an impostor； Voltaire； the great mouthpiece and representative of this style of criticism； portrays him as an impostor。 Recognition of the fact that different ages are different； together with inability to perceive that they ought to be different； that their differences lie in the nature of progress；this was the prominent characteristic of eighteenth…century criticism。 Of all the great men of that century； Lessing was perhaps the only one who outgrew this narrow critical habit。
Now nineteenth…century criticism not only knows that in no preceding age have men thought and behaved as they now think and behave； but it also understands that old…fashioned thinking and behaviour was in its way just as natural and sensible as that which i