II. The Translations of Lenore by J. T. Stanley
The earliest translation of Bürger's Lenore to be published in England was by one too little known in connection with the subject. Yet he was an interesting man, a member of parliament, a fellow of the Royal Societies of England and Scotland, and long acquainted with German life and German literature. Besides, his translation, while not the first or the best, was the occasion of the appearance of three others in the same year.
The materials for a knowledge of this first translator to publish his work have been accessible for some time. Moreover, they present the key to the conditions which led to much Bürger activity in England during the year 1796. We may begin with a reference in the Girlhood of Maria Josepha Holroyd,[1] a book printed an even century after the appearance of the first English translation of Lenore. In a letter of "Serena to Maria Josepha," which is undated but immediately precedes one of Feb. 22, 1796, Serena, or Sarah Martha Holroyd, sister of Lord Sheffield, asks, "Have you seen a little Thing called 'Lenore'?"[2] To this question Maria Josepha replied on Feb. 22 as follows:
I have seen the little thing called 'Leonora', and have got it of my own from the Author, alias Translator, Mr. Stanley; for I suppose you mean a Tale in Verse from the German. I cannot say I am delighted with it. The best parts are the Lines at the End, his own addition. Another Translation is coming out soon by Mr. Spencer which is likely to be better, but Mr. Stanley was very ill-used about it. He lent his Translation to Lady D. Beauclerk, who took advantage of it to make beautiful drawings from it, and Mr. Spencer, her nephew I think, undertook to improve the Translation, and meant to publish it with Engravings from Lady Diana's Drawings. Mr. Stanley did not intend to publish, but hearing of this he was affronted, and had his Translation printed in hot haste.[3]
This spicy letter of Maria Holroyd, who soon became the wife of Mr. Stanley, gives us almost at first hand the story of a literary embroilment which precipitated the first appearance of an English Bürger translation. The Mr. Stanley referred to was John Thomas Stanley, son of Sir John Stanley of Cheshire. His interest in Ger-
- ↑ By J. H. Adeane, London (1896).
- ↑ The form of the title used by "Serena" is that of Pye's translation, rather than of Stanley's, but it is scarcely possible that Pye had published as early as this. The first review of Pye is of July, 1796, in both Monthly and Critical Reviews. Besides, Serena fully accepts Maria Josepha's answer as a reply to her question.
- ↑ The Girlhood of Maria Josepha Holroyd, p. 368.
