PUBLIEES A LONDRES

1853. Fables de Gay. Avec le texte en regard i" livre. La deuxième édition a paru en 1855.

La troisième édition — Fables complètes avec une préface nouvelle et un portrait du fabuliste a paru en 1857. La quatrième édition, dont il ne reste plus que quelques copies, parue en 1 86 1 . Prix 2s. 6d. Se trouve chez Rolandi, N® 20, Bemers Street, W.

" Ga/s Fables are so quaint in construction, that had any faults been apparent, the translator might hâve been excused for falling into them ; but so far from this being the case, we do not meet with a single instance in the whole book wherein our continental neighbours will be constrained to confess that they cannot make out the amusing English author's design and purpose. The identity of thought is so preserved that henceforth Gay's Fables will in every sensé be as much French as English." — Be/rs Weekly Messenger,

" On one page is the original English, on the opposite one the translation into French ; and the Chevalier having thus given the best opportunity for comparison, we are bound to say that he has succeeded to a marvel in rendering the one language into the other. A remarkable feature in this translation is its closeness. Usually it takes ten Unes of French to express the meaning of eight Unes of English. But hère the translator has preserved

very nearly the same nutnber of lines, and, in some instances, he has even conveyed the strict meaning of the English verse in fewer words than the original. Another characteristic of this translation is élégance. The Chevalier is a master of his own language, and writes it exquisitely. This volume will be of great utility to those who are leaming French, and no less a pleasure to those who hâve leamed it." — The Critic^ June i.

" The Chevalier de Châtelain, in his excellent version of Ga/s Fables, has proved himself quite equal to the difhcult task he has undertaken. He has rendered ail the beauties of the original Fables by expressions of equal beauty in French." — The Briiannia^ June 4.

" The Chevalier de Châtelain has produced one of the best translations into his own language of an English classic that we remember to hâve seen. He has selected Gay, and has given to us his Fables in a dress both piquant and poetical, and worthy of being placed side by

side Mrith thosè of La Fontaine To those who love

literature for its own sake, the work will be much sought after, and it will be equally valuable in families as a means of facilitating the acquirement of idiom." — TJie Ladys NewspapcTy June 4.

" En publiant cet intéressant volume, M. le Chevalier de Châtelain s'est proposé deux buts, et il peut se rendre ce témoignage qu'il les a, l'un et l'autre, complètement atteints. Il a voulu populariser une des œuvres les plus remarquables de la littérature Anglaise, auprès de ces lecteurs d'élite, qui, en France, regardent enfin par-delà les frontières et admirent, partout oh elles éclosent les gracieuses ou fières productions de l'esprit et du génie. M. de Châtelain a voulu, en outre, prouver que notre langue est assez riche, assez souple, assez transparente pour mettre en plein relief les plus intimes qualités, les beautés les plus spéciales des littératures étrangères ; il a tout-à-fait réussi, nous le répétons, et, à l'heure où nous écrivons ces lignes, nous ne doutons pas que des sym-

pathies nombreuses et intelligentes ne l'encouragent à s'engager plus avant encore dans une voie si large et si féconde." — Le Courrier de P Europe, Juin 4.

"On a former occasion we accompanied the lively writer of the acceptable little volume, of which the title heads this column, on an amusing 'Ramble through Rome.' We then found reason to praise the facility which the Chevalier had acquired in clothing his ideas in an English garb ; we hâve now to meet him in another character, as French interpréter of the thoughts of one of the most terse, élégant, unafTected, and amusing English verse-writers of the last century.

" There is much more difficulty in fitly rendering the apparently artless rhymes of the fabulist Gay, than those of many a more ambitious bard. Few hâve successfully imitated his easy and riant satire 5 no foreigner, that we remember, has done justice to the rival of La Fontaine.

"How far le Chevalier de Châtelain has identifîed himself with the humour of one of the most amiable, ahd f ertainly least acrid or coarse of the satirists of the eighteenth century, may be seen in thèse pleasant pages. He has assuredly caught, to a considérable extent, the smooth and eifortless pace of the Gay's Pegasus — which certainly partook more of the ambling pad than the fiery steed of mythologie story — ^yet has he by no means servilely copied the mètre. Tout au contraire, he has rather as the rule than the exception, chosen his own rhythmic measure ; indeed adopted a variety of mètres, as more consonant to the French notion of fables, in rhyme. While tuming the leaves of thèse fables, which so charmed our boyhood — and, shame to us, were almost ' drowned in Lethe * till this translation came between our hands — the portrait of their amiable author, and the concluding couplets of his epitaph, by his friend Pope, rose to our memory : —

' Thèse are thy honours ! not that hère thy bust Is mixed Mrith heroes, or with kings thy dust ; But that the worthy and the good shall say, Striking their pensive lx>soms : " Hère lies Gay ! " '

" And then for his portrait. One of the greatest humourists of the nineteenth century (Thackeray) has thus limned him of the eighteenth. ' In the portraits of the literaiy worthies of the early part of the last century, Gay's face is the pleasantest of ail. It appears adomed with neither periwig nor nightcap (the fuU dress and négligé of leaming, without which the painters of that day scarcely ever portrayed a wit), and he laughs at you over his shoulder with an honest boyish glee, an artless sweet humour. He was so kind, so gentle, so jocular, so delightfully brisk at times, so dismally woe-begone at others, such a natural good créature, that the giants loved him. The great Swift was gentie and sportive with him, as the enormous Brobdignag maids of honour were with little Gulliver. He would frisk and fondle^ round Pope, and sport, and bask, and caper without oifending the most thin-skinned of poets and men : and when he was disapn pointed in court-preferment his warm-hearted patrons, the Duke and Duchess of Queensberry, pleaded his cause with indignation, and quitted the court in a huff, carrying with them into theh* retirement their kind, gentie, protégé. With thèse kind, lordly folks, a real Duke and Duchess, as delightful as Uiose who harboured Don Quixote and loved that dear old Sancho, Gay lived and was lapped in cotton, and had his plate of chicken, and his saucer of cream, and frisked, and basked, and wheezed, and grew fat, and so ended. But everybody loved him and the remembrance of his pretty little tricks ; and the raging old Dean of St. Patrick's, chafing in his banishment, was afraid to open the letter which Pope wrote him, announcing the sad news of the death of Gay.*

" But we must not forget the translater, à propos of whose labours this digression has been made.

" Wisely eschewing that literal style which is praised and practised solely by those who are incapable, either from lack of genius or a sufRcient appréciation of the force of both languages, of catching the spirit or the tum of

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phrase, so as to render an équivalent rather than a synonyme, the Chevalier de Châtelain has kept in view the Horatian precept : —

' Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere, fidus Interpres.'

" He has rather sought to give us the thought than the words. Indeed, in many places he has, with judicious boldness, and vastly to the improvement of the French version, substituted expressions of more modem tum, and allusions intelligible to readers of to-day, in place of obsolète ones, totally beyond the compréhension of the French reader. What we mean by this will be easily understood. In the third Fable, *The Mother, the Nurse, and the Fairy,' the Fairy thus closes the moral of charging changelings upon them : —

'^Where yet was ever found a mother, Who'd give her booby for another?

And should we change with human breed, Well might we pass lor fools indeed !*

' Et trouverait-on une mère.

Qui troquât son nigaud, fut-ce contre un Voltaire ? Si nous échangions avec vous, Vertuchoux ! nous serions des fous !'

" Thus, to * The Monkey who had seen the World ' : —

' In cities long I pass'd my days, Conversed vnth men, and leamt their ways.

Their dress, their courtly manners see I Reform your state, and copy me.'

' T'ai voyez-vous, long-temps habite les cités, t'ai des hommes appris la blague, et le partage, Mes habits pour leur coupe ont tous été cités. Je suis le d'Orsay de cet âge.'

" Again :

' Thus the duU lad, too duU for school, With travel fînishes the fool ; Studious of every coxcomb's airs, He drinks, games; dresses, whores, and swears ; O'erlooks with scom ail virtuous arts.

For vice is fitted to his parts. '

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' Tel ce jeune nigaud, trop âgé pour Técole, Va diercher la sottise en un monde frivole, A Paris comme à Rome il singe chaque fat.

Il boit, joue et s'habille, apprenti scélérat, Affecte du mépris pour le bon et l'utile.

Pour devenir enfin un héros ... de Mabille.'

' And ail Curll's arthors are in pay.'

' Et des Frérons du jour la troupe mercenaire,' etc.

" There are numerous other instances of what we must persist in calling a high and disceming merit in one who wishes to adapt and naturalise a séries of moral lessons on the youlhful mind of a people to whom the tongue^ as well as the associations of the original author, are unknown and unintelligible." — Front the Moming AthertiseTy Juru 13.

" The author of this clever translation was induced to undertake his task from a désire that the fables of so charming a story-teller as Gay might not be a dead letter to those of his countrymen uninitiated in the English language. With this object in view he has translated the whole of Ga/s fables that are not of a political nature. He has not adhered in ail cases to the mètre of the original, or to the strict letter of the verse, but has adopted a mixture of rhythms, and substituted modem expressions better calculated to convey the meaning of the poet. Tlie work is extremely suitable to the French student of the English language, to whom it is especially addressed, and who will find in Gay as pleasing and instructive a companion as La Fontaine himself." — Moming Posty Oct. 21.

" The * Fables de Gay ' forms a complète and veiy înteresting work in itself ; and, as such, we heartily recommend it to our readers. The translator has expressed the wit and thought of Gay, with a fineness of conception and a felicity of expression of which La Fontaine himself might be proud." — The Dublin Univcrsity Magazine^ Sept 1853.

" Often rendered very cleverly." — The Examiner^ April 25, 1857.

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" This admirable translation has reached a third édition, and we congratulate the spirited translator on his well deserved success." — TÂé Critic, May i, 1857.

"This translation of Ga/s Fables scarcely needs notice now that it has arrived at a third édition. We may, however, in passing, remark that the Chevalier de Châtelain has given us a very fair translation ; in many parts very spirited, as well as close to the original.

" The translation of Edgar Poe's wild poem, * The

Raven,* is remarkably good. Wolfe's fine * Burial of Sir John Moore ' is given with considérable spirit." — British Quarterly RevieWy Jan, i, 1858.

" The translations from Gay are generally done with much spirit, and reproduce faithfuUy the ideas and the verve of the original." — Londan Quarterly RevitWy April 1858.

1854. — International Ballads, by Martin F. Tupper.

Thèse Ballads are the reprint of the original ones, with the French translation as they appeared in the * Daily News* in June, July, and August, 1854.

They are reprinted by J. Brettell, of Rupert Street, Haymarket

" Thèse compositions are rendered into French with ail the spirit and intelligence for which the original works of the gifted and accomplished Chevalier are remarkable." — Th^ Ladfs Newspaper, Nov, 11, 1854.

1854. La Fleur et la Feuille, avec le texte anglais en regard. Traduit de Chaucer. La seconde édition, aujourd'hui épuisée, a paru en 1856 avec une gravure.

" The résonant and delicately finished French language would seem to be a very unfit and inappropriate médium for the conveyance of the grim melody and stem aptness of our old Chaucer — the Nestor of English poetry — so grave and quaint, so sonorous and stately. Yet hère we hâve a translation of the * Floure and the Leafe/ so ex-

quisitelv accurate, so classically précise, as to form an epoch in the history of translation. There îs a perfect appréhension of the spirit, the morale of Chaucei's poem, united to a délicate perception of the epithetic peculîarities of the quaint old philosopher. The little volume is deeply interesting to the technical taste of the curious in lîterature, and fascinating to a poetical mind. The masculine strength, the almost brusque energy of the grand old master finds a soflened, melodised, but not enervated écho in this beautiful and artistic refrain. The exécution of the design has ail the minute beauty of some rare cabinet picture." — British Army Dispaich^ Dec, 29, 1854.

" Who will doubt the completeness of the entente cordiaky when old Chaucer's poem of the Flower and the Leaf is translated into French verse ? Our French friends are determined that the alliance shall be established upon a firm basis, and so set about understanding us, and direct their inquiries through the literature in which we are selfdeveloped, even up to Chaucer. The eamest good spirit of the Chevalier de Châtelain will be appreciated in England ; and we must add, that he has accomplished his task not only gracefully, but with a clear perception of the spirit and meaning of the father of English poetry." — The News of the Worîd^ Dec, 31, 1854.

" The Chevalier has undertaken a difficult task, and has proved by the exécution of it that he has not estimated his powers too highly. The poetry of Chaucer, even a native of the country has a difficulty in understanding, and the Frenchman must, indeed, be naturalised in language as well as by law, who could attempt the translation of one of Chaucer's poems. The Chevalier de Châtelain has, however, preserved the spirit of the original * Floure and Leafe * with admirable fidelity and grâce.** — The Britannia^ Jan. 6, 1855.

" The Chevalier begins to take a high place as a minstrel, and ought to favour us with an original work ; but in the meantime we are only too happy to possess any-

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thing so charming as the translation before us. This translation is in the same measure as the original, and yet exhibits ail the facility of J. B. Rousseau." — The Ladfs Ncivspaper^ Jan, 13, 1855.

" The Chevalier must be an exceedingly erudite English scholar to be able to translate into French verse Chaucer's crade and almost obsolète vemacular. Very few of ourselves understand the *harsh Runic' of the fourteenth century, so Chaucer's language is as obscure to us modems as that of * Le Roman de la Rose ' or of Rabelais is to the mass of Frenchmen. M. de Châtelain understands, however, the Gothic of the father of English poetry, and has proved that he does by a very accurate transcript of it into the quaint language and mètre of La Fontaine. Chaucer's text is printed on one page, and on the other opposite is the Chevalier's pretty translation. The little book will aiford a good exercise for Englishmen who comprehend modem French, but are not versed in the idiom that succeeded les langues d^oc et ifoii. The translation is creditable to the scholarship and poetic taste of le Chevalier de Châtelain, who is blessed with such a gentle spouse that they are destined to be the récipients of the second Dunmow flitch of bacon awarded by Mr. Harrison Ainsworth." — Beifs Life in LandoHjJan. 14, 1855.

" A singularly accurate translation, embracing the thought and embodying the spirit of the great English poet." — The Monthly Home Review^ Feb, i, 1855.

"The pressure upon our columns for several weeks past has precluded the possibility of our noticing till today this very charming translation of Chaucer's * Floure and the Leafe ' into élégant French verse. Some months ago we had occasion to notice the translation of Gay's Fables into the French language, by the same gentleman, a task which was performed to peifection. Difficult as it was to give Gay a French face, it is still more so to tum the quaint fancies of the fatiier of English poésie

into that language ; yet M. de Châtelain has been equally successful, and even more exact than in his fîrst effort to make his countrymen know that there are elegancîes in the Ënglish tongue, harsh as it is in prononciation, and difficult for a foreigner to master. Happily France and England hâve at last begun to understand each other. The peace of forty years has just terminated in a warmhearted alliance, and nothing can tend more efFectually to confirm that grand achievement than to make our illustrions neighbours understand the peculiarities of our poetic literature. Such an end will be very much advanced by the appearance of this volume, which is as creditable to the translator's talent as it is to his good feeling. Chaucer in French is indeed a curiosity, but whoever reads him page by page with the original in this version will find that the spirit is beautifuUy preserved, and that the mètre is as exact as could by any possibility be produced." — BelPs Weekly Messenger^ Feb, lo, 1855.

" There are comparatively few amongst our own countr3nnen who can read and appreciate the fuU meaning of Chaucer in his quaint idioms and versification, and to render anythingapproaching to a remembrance inanother language would increase the difïiculty a hundred fold. Yet the Chevalier is wonderfully successful in his efforts, and much of the spirit of the original is preserved in his French translation." — The Bridgewater Times^ March 29,

" This is a clever production. Its author has attempted. and with much success, the formidable task of rendering into the French language one of the purest and sweetest of the productions of Chaucer, — his poem of * The Flower and the Leaf.' The difficulty of translating poetry is at ail times great : the subtle beauties of structure which constitute half its beauty evaporate in the process of transmutation, and the student confused between his endeavours to be literal and his désire to préserve the spirit of his original, is too often tempted to give up the exercise in despair.

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" When to the ordinaiy obstacles is added that of the poem to be translatée from Englîsh, requirîng fîrst to be rendered into the carrent English of the day, the work becomes proportionately discouraging. This is the case with M. Châtelaines undertaking. We are quite aware that the language of Chaucer is npt anything like so barbarous as the folly of many of his editors, in insisting upon retaining his barbarous orthography, has led many to believe; we can also understand that to a foreigner -conversant with Norman French some difficulties may be smoothed away; still enough remain to warrant us in pronoundng this production highly creditable to its author's talent and enterprise.** — Oxford University HercUd^ March 31, 1855.

"The accomplished Frenchman who has just put Chaucer^s dainty poem, *The Floure and the Leafe/ mto a Gallic dress, is profoundly acquainted with our ianguage as well as his own. It is matter of just surprise that a foreigner should hâve thoroughiy mastered the antiquated orthography, the obsolète words, the quaint conceits, which characterize the productions of the ancient father of English poetry

The translator has succeeded in his undertaking à mervàlkr—rhâBathandChdtmham Gazette, Aprii 18, 1855.

" It is printed in quaint old fashioned type, and is quite a gem in its way." — The Cheltenham Examiner , AprU\Z, 1855.

"Our old acquaintance, the vénérable GeofFrey, appears before us in a new suit of entire French manufacture, and we must confess that if he has not iraproved by the transmogrification, he has at least added the charm of novelty to lus native attractions. M. de Châtelain is evidently an ardent votary of the Muses, and offers his dévotions at their shrine with his whole heart; consequently his voluminous productions are more than usually attractive from their eamestness. Many of our readers

will doubtless appredate the merit of this translation of i

our oldest English poet, and we recommend it to thdr i

penisaL" — BdTs News y Dec, i, 1855.

" It îs truly wonderfid how M. de Châtelain has conquered the difficulties of that ' well of English undefiled, * the moming starre of English poesy/ Chaucer." — Birmingham Daily Press ^ Aug. 27, 1856.

" This is a beautiful little volume, printed in the antique style, containing a veiy good translation» into the French language of Chaucer's sweet little poem, * The Flower and the Leaf.' The great advantage to £ng^sh students of French, or French students of English, is that the original is on the opposite page to the translation. The book is got up very neatly, and speaks well for the leaming, care, industry and taste of the well-kncwn author of the translation." — The Bristol Advertiser^ Jatt, 26, 1856.

'' We had almost begun to fancy Chaucer a sealed book to foreigners, and very nearly so to not a few natives. The Chevalier de Châtelain has read Chaucer to some purpose. He has drunk a deep draught from the very fountain of English literature — the well of Saxon unoefiled — ^and given its beauties to his compatriots with wonderful fidelity. Bibliomaniacs will be gratified at the typography — a fac-similé of the Louis Quatorze style: and the parallel pages of English and French render it an admirable study for the acquisition of either idiom." — The Northern lïmes, Nov, 29, 1856.

1857. Simples Puâmes, à Pusage des Ecoles Nationales du Dimanche. Traduit de TAnglais de Mrs.

Anna H. Potts de Cambridge. Prix 2s, 6d.

Londres : Rolandi, N® 20, Bemers Street, W.

"In our opinion the Chevalier appears to improve upon the English, in many passages — at least no poem loses anything of grâce and perspicuity in his hands." — The Moming Star, Nov. i, 1857.

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"... C'est là un volume exquis." — T7u Batk and Chdtmham Gazette^ Nav. 5, 1856.

"... We find them simple, didactic, and strongly imbued with religions sentiments." — BdPs News^ November.

" We often had the pleasure to speak well of M. de Chatelain's translations, but scarcely ever with greater satisfaction or confidence than in the présent instance." — BdTs Weckiy Messenger ^ Nov, i.

" The beautiful translator into French of Longfellow's *Evangeline' has now been labouring in behalf of the young, and his efforts demand our thanks. The 'Simple Poems ' which are now placed before us in a French dress were written by Mrs. A. H. Potts for the use of Sunday Schools, and le Chevalier de Châtelain has translatée them for the use of Protestant schools in France, Belgium, Jersey, and Guemsey, where it cannot be doubted they will be warmly welcomed.

" The same volume contains ' Beautés de la Poésie Anglaise,' or translations from our best authors, which, as far as we can présume to judge, are admirably done. Some of thèse are by Madame Clara de Châtelain, who, as well as her husband, has appeared many times before the English public. We cannot too highly commend the labours of thèse our foreign friends to cause an interchange of literature between our nation and theirs. The children who hâve in their youth derived gratification from the books of a country, cannot fail to feel towards it in after life a sentiment of interest and regard, and many a foolish préjudice may in this manner give way to better knowledge and more enlightened views. To both le Chevalier de Châtelain and his wife, therefore, we are much indebted. To him for his making our literature known to his own country, and to her for making foreign literature known to us." — The Era, Nov, 9.

1857. EvANGÊLiNE. Traduit de W. H. Longfellow. '' M. de Châtelain, whose translations of the poems of

tA/S LISTE GÉNÉRALE DES OUVRAGES

Chaucer and the ' Fables de Gay,' hâve been received with some show of favour in the French capital, has recentty done the same good service for LongfeUow's popular poem of ' Evangeline.' With considérable skiU the translator has preserved the peculiarities of the authoi's style in their full integrity, and by this means enabled his countiymen to become conversant with one of the bcst productions of Mr. Longfellow in their own language." — 7Sf Court Circular.

" ' Evangeline ' is ably rendered from tiie original hexameters (if we remember rightly) into F^nch heroic verse, and rendered with ail the abîlity, grâce and scholorship the Chevalier de Châtelain is known to possess," — TÀe Weekly DUpaich.

1857. Contes de Cantorbéry.

Traduits en Vers Français de Chaucer, par le Chevalier de Châtelain, trois volumes, avec un portrait de Chaucer d'après Stothard, et quinze illustrations sur les dessins de Ph, Calderon, R.A., et H. S. Marks, gravés par George Dorrington. Frice One Guinea. Basil M.

Fickeiing, 196, Piccadilly, W.

Le premier volume a paiu en l3s7.

Le second en 1858.

Le troisième en 1861, "This is a translation of Chaucer's 'Canterbury Taies' into French verse, by a perfecll^ compétent person. It is a work of labour, but it is likewise a work of love ; and as such it must be ever regarded with satisfaction.

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There are some excellent woodcuts in the volume, by Geo. Dorrington, from designs made expressly for the work by P. H. Calderon ; and, taken altogether as a literary and illustrated production, ît is of a highly creditable character." — TA€ Observer^ June 7, 1857.

"... Of the first-named work (' Les Contes de Cantorbéry ') however, we hâve to say that we look upon it as the Chevalier de Chatelain's chef-d^œuvre, To render English prose into French, so as to give full efTect to the idiom, is no easy task, but to tum English poetry into pure and élégant French -phraseology, so as to make the work as clear and décisive in meaning as it is in the original, is a task of such immense difficulty, that any one attempting it may be excused, if he should in many respects feiL The Chevalier de Châtelain, however, so far from failing, has made our old and valued father of poetry so French by this translation, that his countiymen may take up the ' Canterbury Taies ' and understand them just as easily as an Englishman can by reading the original. No one but a master of the two languages could hâve efFected this resuit ; but the Chevalier, having so done, proves himself to be such a master in every respect and particular." — BeWs Weekly Messenger ^June 13,

" The difficulty of rendering the English of Chaucer into French verse will be understood by a trial. Take any dozen lines and try to translate them into good French, and yet to préserve the English ideas, and the formidable nature of the task, so boldly undertaken and so successfully accomplished by the Chevalier de Châtelain, will be understood. It is a monument of industry, taste, and skill, and will introduce to thousands of his countrymen works hitherto unknown to them, and which, indeed, few Englishmen hâve read through." — The CritiCy /une 15, 1857.

" About a dozen of the rare and beautiful * Canterbury Taies ' of Chaucer, ably rendered into French verse by

a gentleman of known tastes and admitted ability, is a novelty as flattering to us as it must be a worthy and acceptable boon to the translator's own countrymeo. In everything the volume does him the greatest honour." — The Weekly Dispatch, June 28, 1857.

" We hâve for some time intended to call attention to a clever and most praiseworthy attempt to make our friends on the other side of the Channel acquainted with the poetic talents of Geoffrey Chaucer. To Ôie Chevaliode Châtelain, the translator into French of Ga/s Fables, is due the crédit of being the firat to translate into * French of Paris' any of the writings of that quaint humourist and true poet His first essay was 'La Fleur et la Feuille, Poëme, avec le Texte Anglais en regard, traduit en Vers Français de Geoffrey Chaucer,' and the success which has attended this short work has tempted him to the bolder task of translating the 'Canterbury Taies;' and we hâve now before us * Contes de Cantorbéry, traduits en Vers Français, de Geoflfrey Chaucer, par le Chevalier de Châtelain, Vol. I.* The work, as a mère literary curiosity, is deserving of some attention ; but it has also in the skill exhibited by the translator, yet higher claims to notice." — Notes and QuerieSy/uly 4, 1857.

" We hâve been startled in our time by a transformation of Shakespeare into French. The présent volume, exhibiting the quaint taies of the father of English poesy in the garbof the Gallic tongue, is, at first sight, not less startling ; but on doser inspection it exhibits a far greater congruity of tone and style between the original and the translation than might hâve been expected. The crédit of this belongs to aie translator, who is evidently perfect master of both tongues, and who has cast his translation in the mould of an idiom admirably adapted for the story he had undertaken to reproduce. The English reader who has French enough to appreciate the points of this translation will be not a little entertained by thus meeting an old friend with a new face. The pictorial illustra-

tions of the volume, toô, are admirably executed."— ^^« BuU.July II, 1857.

"We give a cordial welcome to the first volume of Chaucer's *Canterbury Taies,' translated into French verse by the Chevalier de Châtelain (Pickering) who has brought fine faculties and much culture to a task which he says has been the labour of his life. Apart from the merits of thèse translations, and their interest to scholars and poetic students, the volume is a handsome one, and has numerous characteristic illustrations from the pencil of Mr. P. H. Calderon, engraved by Mr. Dorrington." — The Feople, July II, 1857.

"There was an English author who translated ' Hudibras' into French, and an English lady who translated Voltaire's * Pucelle ' into English. The feat accomplished by the Chevalier more surely resembles the latter, but it is one more difficult of accomplishment. The performer of it expresses his belief that it was his duty to raise an European monument to the father of English poetry, by translating his * Canterbury Taies * into French verse. The chief difficulty in the Chevalier's way lay, he tells us, in this. Immorality being more lively than usual now-adays, prudery is more the fashion than ever, and the Chevalier dares not venture to fling into the very face of this prudery terms which he found in Chaucer, trop peu vêtus, This is good discrétion ; but, as he adds, the book is still not one for young ladies, though it may be read by women not too far advanced in that untranslatable science of begueulisme, The volume contains about a dozen of the stories, and it is a literary curiosity. Some of the Unes are happily rendered, others are cleverly paraphrased ; and if we object, hère and there, to a passage or a tum of expression, we are not the less willing to acknowledge the taste, industry, and zeal which the Chevalier has devoted to his creditably-achieyed enterprise.*' — The Athenœum, July 18, 1857.

"The name of Chaucer is sacred to the English nation

as a most dramatic painter of the manners, and a profound satirist of the morals of his day. With his usiud wonderfiil facility and skîll, M. de Châtelain has given us this curions old writer in a French dress. And the publisher has, with inûnite spirit, made the gettîng up of the vohime — type, size, and illustrations, so admirably in accordance with the subject, that nothing further remaîns

to be wished the French nation will justly

welcome this spécimen of strong old English artists to their acquaintance, and will doubtless give it a place bj Rabelais and Boileau." — The Era^ yuly 19, 1857.

''Peu d'Anglais connaissent les beautés de Chaucei. Le style vieux et suranné de ses œuvres, et la difficulté de comprendre un très grand nombre de mots est un empêchement pour plusieurs. La majorité des Français auront grâce à cet habile et courageux traducteur, M. de Châtelain, un avantage immense sur les Anglais euxmêmes; ils pourront réellement goûter Chaucer sinon dans son style, du moins dans ses idées, dans sa forme ; car de même que dans toutes ses autres traductions, M. de Châtelain s'est cramponné à l'original d'une manière vraiment admirable. Dans les ' Contes de Cantorbéry * toutes les beautés de l'original ont été magnifiquement conservées, et la mesure des vers cadre beaucoup avec celle des vers anglais." — Gazette de Guemesey, i Août,

" We haye not compared every part of the translation with the original, but it everywhere reads pleasantly, and never sufFers us to forget that we are reading Chaucer. This, in our opinion, is a very great merit We ought to remark that several of the illustrations are clever and characteristic." — Sunday Times y Aug, 2, 1857.

'' The translation appears to us not only faithfiil to the spirit of the original, but generally to the form. An air of fourteenth century strength and quaintness pervades the French. The book is beautifiilly printed, and the few engravings scattered through it are good both in de-

DU CHEVALIER DE CHATELAIN

sîgn and exécution. M. de Châtelain seems to be fully aware of the diflîculty of his task, and has well studied ail the best English éditions of Chaucer. He includes the story of * GsLmélyn ' in the * Canterbury Taies,' which is, however, omitted by most of them." — T/te Globe, Aug. 6, 1857.

" M. Châtelain has admirably succeeded in his more difficult task of clothing the old poet in a French dress. His translation is a monument of industry, of patience, of révérence, of love, and of skill. We hâve rarely read a better rendering of any author." — The Birmingham youmaîy y an. 9, 1858.

" Chaucer will now, perhaps for the first time^ be thoroughly appreciated in France ; and M. de Châtelain has shown a wise judgment in référence to passages which, in our day and génération, are not considered fit for every eye." — The Moming Star, yan, 11, 1858.

" We consider thèse volumes to be a noble monument of leaming, research, taste, poetic skill, and unwavering persévérance ; and we bail them as a valuable addition to our literature." — 77ie Epworth Heraidy yan. 21, 1858,

"Look on this Picture and on this."