Philosophical Works of the Late James Frederick Ferrier/Philosophical Remains (1883)/Translation
TRANSLATION.
The following specimen of translation is from Deinhardstein's 'Bild der Danae.' The principal characters are the great painter, Salvator Rosa, and the surgeon, Bernardo Ravienna, not yet known as a painter, who has practised his art in secret and completed his picture of Danae, which obtains the enthusiastic admiration of Salvator, and the prize in the competition of the Painting Academy of St Carlo, thus securing to him the hand of his lady-love Laura, ward of Calmari, director of the Academy. The whole is rendered with remarkable spirit and fidelity, but the story might perhaps not have enough of interest for English readers to justify its being published entire.
Act I., Scene 4.
Sal. I did not think he would have closed with me.
Bring but the gold, and thou shalt be exposed
Till Florence wide shall ring with thy disgrace.
Thou thoughtest, didst thou, I would sell my birthright,
And tear for gold the laurel from my brow?
Old dotard! dealings such as thine would rob
The light of splendour, and the flower of bloom.
Think'st thou I came to Florence as a huckster—
Not as a painter lit by light from heaven?
I'll teach thee what it is to lay a hand,
Audacious and impure unholy things.
Love thou would'st purchase—thou would'st purchase fame,
And painting's pleasures, shunning all its pains.
The rose thou wishest! thou shalt feel the thorn—
Salvator.
Das dacht' ich nicht, dass er's bezahlte—Thor!
Bring' nur das Geld, ich will Dich wohl bedeuten,
Vor ganz Florenz sollst Du zu Schanden steh'n.
Du meinst, ich soll mein Vaterrecht verkaufen,
Um Geld den Lorbeer nehmen von dem Haupt;
Der Blume willst abhandeln Du ihr Blüh'n,
Dem Licht den Glanz ;—glaubst Du, ich sei gekommen
Als Mäkler, nicht als Maler, nach Florenz,
Ich will Dir zeigen, was das heisst, die Hand
Mit frechem Dünkel an das Heil'ge legen.
Dir Liebe willst Du kaufen—und den Ruhm;
Die Künstlerlust, und ohne Künstlerschmerzen,
Willst Du die Rose—nimm den Dorn dazu;
Du sollst mir wohl an diesem Handel denken!
Act II., Scene 1.
Laura. To-day
Is fixed for the decision of the prizes.
Rav.To-day?
Lau. Yes! were you not aware of that?
Rav. How should I know it?
Lau. (sighing) Ay! too true—too true—
You are no painter.
Rav. Wherefore do you sigh?
Oh, Laura—Laura! does the painter's art
Engross so large a share of your esteem,
That but a secondary love is left
For a poor surgeon?
Lau. What you are to me,
Bernardo—you know well. Yet I confess
If you were but a painter, all my wishes
Would be fulflll'd. I have a love for painters
A love inhaled with the first air I breathed —
My father was devoted to the art
With all the zeal of an enthusiast.
He had himself some skill—and our whole house
Was filled with paintings by the greatest masters.
Thus, in an atmosphere of grace and beauty
My infancy was spent—my playmates, pictures.
After my father's death my guardian took me;
And he, too, is possess'd by the same passion.
Mew'd up, secluded by his jealous care,
From all society of men, I still
Had friends about me, and these friends were still
The bright creations of the painter's hand.
A. II., S. 1.
Laura.Es ist heut'
Die Preisvertheilung von San Carlo.
Rav. (wie verwundert).Heut'?
Lau. Das wisst Ihr nicht?
Rav.Wie sollt' Ich?
Lau.(seufzend). Freilich—freilich—
Ihr seid kein Maler.
Rav. Warum seufzt Ihr, Laura?
Seid Ihr der Maler-kunst so hold, dass Euch
Der schlichte Wundarzt wenig, gar nichts dünkt?
Lau. Ihr wisst, was Ihr mir seid; doch gern bekeun' ich,
Voll wär' mein Gluck, triebt Ihr die Kunst, Bernardo.
Ich bin den Malern gut, ich will's gesteh'n,
Doch ist's ein Wunder auch, nach meiner Weise?
Der Vater war der edlen Malerei
Fast schwärmerisch ergeben. Manches Bild
Von gutem Werthe hat er selbst gemalt,
Und kaufte viel von Bildern grosser Meister.
So war Ich denn von erster Jugend an
Den herrlichen Gestalten gegenüber.
Nach meines guten Vaters frühem Tod
Kam ich zum Oheim. Eine gleiche Lust
Zur Kunst lebt auch in ihm. Von Menschen fern,
Gehütet von des Oheims Eifersucht,
Bin ich wie unter Bildern aufgewachsen.
The tender Guido and the soft Romano,
The earnest Annibal, the pious Durer—
These were the dear companions of my youth,
And with their works my fondest thoughts are twined.
Methinks, Bernardo, if you were to try,
You might become a painter; for so true
A feeling of the beautiful is yours,
And I have heard you speak respecting art
In terms so glowing, that I'm sure you love it.
Now, for my sake, do try. The laurel's green,
How well it would become these clustering locks!
Rav. (aside.) Oh, heavenly rapture!
Lau. (leaning on his shoulder.) Promise me you'll try?
Rav. If all goes well, I promise you I will.
Lau. Oh, that is charming!—Now, even now, methinks
I see you seated at your easel, with
Myself beside you, stealing, whilst I knit,
Admiring glances as your work proceeds.
I read your name already in the lists
Of glory—of myself I hear it said,
That is the wife of the illustrious Bernard—
Oh! what a dream of joy!
Rav. A dream indeed!
Lau. Which shall come true—if you'll but persevere.
No doubt the first steps will be difficult,
But practice in the end will make you perfect.
Der sanfte Guido, freundliche Romano,
Der fromme Dürer, ernste Annibal,
Sind mir Bekannte einer frühen Zeit
Und mahnen mich au meine Kinderjahre.
Ihr sprecht manchmal so Wahres von der Kunst,
So tief Empfund'nes, dass—man glauben muss,
Sie sei nicht fremd Euch;—so versucht Euch denn,
Ihr seid noch jung. Er stünd' Euch gut, Bernardo,
Der grüne Lorbeer in dem braunen Haar.
Rav.(bei Seite). himmlisches Entziicken!
Lau. (sich an seine Schulter lehnend). Ihr versprecht mir's?
Rav.(lächelnd). Ja, wenn's nur geht, versuchen will ich's wohl.
Lau. (in die Hände schlagend). das ist herrlich!
herrlich! Wenn Ihr dann
Vor Eurer Staffelei sitzt; ich dabei,
Vom Strickzeug manchmal schielend auf das Bild,
Wenn Euer Name dann genannt wird unter
Den grossen Malern, und man sagen wird,
Das ist das Weib des herrlichen Bernardo,
Ich kann's nicht denken!
Rav. War's nur schon so weit.
Lau. 'S wird werden.—Habt nur Muth—Im Anfang freilich
Geht's nicht so leicht ; allein die Fertigkeit
Erwirbt sich bald.
PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.