66 if the scholar reflects for a moment on the even where the phrase is not metaphysical, superior power of the German language, he appears in every page of the German trans. will not be surprised that such should be the lation; and for this the English translator result. The opinion of Wieland on this sub- has nothing to give but some pretty, poetical ject we have given in a note below, and his common-place, or he must draw the ener opinion so entirely coincides with our own, getic compound out into a long and weak that we have very little to add to it. We periphrasis. It deserves to be remarked shall merely direct attention to one circum- also, how much the German richness in distance not expressly alluded to by Wieland, minutiveness affects the beauty of poetical viz. "that Knebel is not only more clear in language. In explaining the Anaxagorean the difficult passages of his author, but he is doctrine of Homœomeria (book i.), Knebel more pregnant in all the metaphysical passa. has in this respect far the advantage of his ges." This the richness of his language has original. Within the space of a few lines done for him, and it is doubtless an improve- we have " Knöchlein,” and “ Tröpflein," and ment upon the original, without leading in "Pünktchen," and " Fünkchen," all most exany respects to a change in its essential pressive and most appropriate. But it is in character. The remark of Wieland about a metaphysical language chiefly that German "beautiful periphrasis" is all-important, and poetry so far transcends the capacityof every most heartily do we coincide with it. Some other; and, for, example, by the skilful use men in translating Eschylus would make of the two roots "U" and "Grund," and him as smooth as Gray, and as full of point their compounds, Knebel has been enabled as Pope. This is to change Mirabeau into Sir to produce a total effect in his translation Robert Peel, or something yet more absurd. which we miss even in Lucretius. The "im. The system of improving a rough old Roman mortal seeds" of Creech is a poor surrogate by the smoothness of modern rhymes, and for the "dauernder Grundstoff" of Knebel, plastering over a granite rock with the gold. and even the “æterna materies” of Lucretius leaf of drawing-room versification, is too is weak. But what shall we say to "Urstoff,” common among our translators, and alto- and "Urelemente," and " Uranfänge," and gether to be reprobated. But it is never-" Uranfängliche Theile der Dinge," and theless possible in some accessory minutia "Ursprungstheile," and Urkraft," and to improve upon an original, without sinning" Urwesen," and the numberless other memagainst the integrity of his natural character. bers of the family of UR in which the German A translation of Lucretius into Greek by an language abounds? And does not Busby's ancient Epicurean poet, if well executed, "senseless seeds" appear senseless when set would certainly, so far as philosophical lan- against "die blinded Körper des Urstoffs," guage went, have been a great improvement which Knebel has so accurately at once and upon the original, and yet the rude, rough so happily given for the "primordia cæca" grandeur of the Lucretian style might have of Lucretius. Drummond has here "sensebeen preserved. Even so in the German less atoms," which is perhaps better than translation, the language necessarily brings seeds. Creech has "unseen atoms," which with it a deeper pregnancy of philosophical is perfectly consistent with the philosophy of expression, and yet the character of the poet remains unchanged. The fine swell of the compound words, (e. g. in the line, "Das schiff tragende Meer, und die früchtegebärende Erde,") 66 66 Lucretius, for he speaks of the atoms as invisible; but does not "cacus" seem to imply unseeing" rather than "unseen ;" and, in the doubtful meaning of a peculiar phrase, is it not always better to leave it as it is, than, by translation, to smuggle in perhaps a false easy; but to make a translation, such as yours less to show in detail the superiority of the commentary upon it? But it would be end. appears to me to be, which, with conscientious accuracy, characteristic truth, and sure taste, German translation in all points of metaunites the freedom and ease of an original com- physical language. Besides the compounds position, is a work of no common merit. But of Ur just mentioned, we have in the first notwithstanding your faithfulness, you have in one thing certainly improved upon the origibook several pregnant compounds ofGrundnal. You are far more clear and intelligible in such as "Grundelement”- -"Grundursache" the difficult passages. Lucretius had to work" Grundmaterie”—“ Grundkraft”—besides with a hard and knotty language; and in the tongue of mere soldiers he had to express the difficult abstractions of the Epicurean philosophy. Here you have immeasurably the advantage of him, and let me add that, when all commentary is vain, a certain happy divination seems to have accompanied and enabled you to penetrate the mysteries of the Epicurean philosophy, and to evolve the true meaning of your author." "Grundstoff"" mentioned before, and that excellent word" Stoff" itself, and its no less excellent plural" Stoffe." It is not our intention to enter minutely into the merits of Knebel's translation. That would require a separate article. We may, however, be allowed to test one very simple DRUMMOND. passage, (and it is not a passage studiously sought out for the purpose of panegyrizing And yet he sung in never-dying strains Knebel,) as it occurs in some of the most no- Of night's dark realms and Acherusian fanes, ted translations. Among the English trans. Where nor our bodies nor our souls can lations we have not seen Evelyn's and Good's. glide, "Wild Acheron in never-dying lays, disclose Where not the flitting ghost, nor body, goes, But shades alone of wonderous paleness Whence to his fancy Homer's sceptre rose, Now this seems, and actually is, a very 66 flitting ghost," and thereby confounded all the nice distinctions of the original. The word "simulacra" and "species," answer. ing to the Greek "cidov," are very difficult 66 His daring strains those unknown realms to render in modern phrase. "Shade" is we have; for the best and perhaps the only word that ghost" (which Creech uses) is full of modern associations, and has far too much of the German "Gespenst" in its constitution. The Barbarous Gothic ideas which the word "Ge. saw Great Homer's form arise with sacred awe; spenst" expresses, ought by all means to who might not know it that under the name be kept out of a classical picture; but Drum- of Knebel one of those pure and elevated mond, as if wishing to try how far a modern coloring may be allowed to wipe out the clear outlines of an ancient conception, has given us the monstrous line- spirits has lived and died upon German ground, whose existence is an honor to our nature, and the pledge of his highest anticipations. Germany has, indeed, many such "Whence to his fancy Homer's spectre rose." spirits to boast of; but Karl ven Knebel is, for many reasons, particularly deserving of in which their is a double error. "Spectre" our study. He does not indeed, like his own is the very worst word that could have been Epicurus, pilot our roving flight "extra flamchosen; and then the solemn apparition is mantia monia mundi ;" nor, like Schelling, evaporated into a mere whim or fancy, very pretended to explain the philosophy of the becoming in a modern Rationalist, but alto. absolute; nor, like Fichte, to create Deity gether out of place in an ancient poet. Mar- out of the omnipotence of the Ego; nor, chetti has kept clear of this barbarous confu- like Hegel, to show how, in the course of sion of ancient and modern ideas, by the time, the Supreme Being arrives at a conhappy resemblance which his language bears sciouness of himself; nor, like Kant, how to the antique. "Simulacro" and "Imagine" the Categorical Imperative has mighty influ are free from the objections that lie against ence to freeze every feeling that animates "ghost" and "spectre." Busby has given the bosom, except the one emotion of reveform," which we think bald in English. rence to the law; but he is merely a simpleThe German alone could give us two preg. minded man, who stands upon the solid earth nant words, far more expressive than our where Providence has placed him, and looks own "shade," both the same in one sense, round upon the many colors of this world of and yet different, Schattengestall" and light with an observant eye and a cheer. "Schattengebild." Nothing could be better ful heart. He is so thankful for the gift of existence that he does not even venture, in moments of quiet enjoyment of the present, to hope for what seems to be part of the universal creed of humani. ty-the separate existence of the soul in a more happy futurity. Such scepticism is certainly amiable, even when its doubts are un us than this. 46 This passage, short as it is, supplies us with another remark. Creech, wishing to beautify, as Weiland would say, or rather to sublimify, the grief of Homer, gives us the sounding lines: "An august shade! down from whose rever-founded. end eyes Whole streams of tears in mighty numbers rolled" a piece of bombastical bad taste, of which there is not a trace in the simple phrase of Lucretius, who merely says that "the shape of the ever flourishing Homer arose and wept salt tears." In this chaste simplicity he has been followed only by Knebel and Marchetti. The name of Homer blows up all the three Englishmen into a poetic exclamation of "august,', "immortal," or such like. Busby is filled" with sacred awe;" big tears (though not quite so large as Creech's rivers) begin to flow, and "Nature's secrets in his bosom glow." This last line, ike many of Busby's fine things is perfect absurdity; for Lucretius had no occasion to say that the love of nature was glowing secretly in Homer's bosom, (this he might have supposed in the case of a poet,) but he was saying that nature's secrets came out of Homer's mouth for the instruction of Ennius. And now our task is ended; a short course hastily run over, but sufficient for our pur. pose, which was merely this,-to tell those At all events Knebel knew-and we all know to our consolation-that the immortality of the soul does not depend upon our believing it, or upon our disbelieving it, but upon the will of God. This ought to be enough for every pious philosopher. Haply the spirit of Knebel now wanders in pure regions, no longer requiring any arguments to convince it of immortality; and if so, he must now perceive fully the folly of men tormenting themselves, in this imperfect state, with the discussion of questions, however im portant, the solution of which depends not upon their reason, but upon the Providence of God. They to whom Christianity does not give an assurance of "life and immortality," sufficient to dispel all lurking doubts and suspicions on so fathomless a subject, have only to rely, with cheerful resignation, on the wise disposal of the Supreme Being. If we take care to do right here, there can be no doubt that God will do right there. Meanwhile, let us cherish kindly the memory of all our great and good men, for they are "the salt of the earth;" and, by their own exist. ence and their own actions, furnish us with a proof of the higher destination of the human soul, greater perhaps than all the objections which their anxious scepticism can raise Amongst the questions most interesting to humanity which are chiefly agitated at present, we may specify particularly such as re against it. We have little doubt, indeed, that surer and more rapid step in the career of the name of Karl von Knebel will live not improvement. only in Germany, but in Europe; were it only by that fragment of his being, the translation of Lucretius. But the works of great men are not like pictures in a picture gallery, late to the condition of those who form the hung up one here and one there, accessory and adventitious; they are like leaves of a plant, all parts of one beautiful organization. And we are much deceived if Knebel be not one of those plants, which it is impossible to examine, even in the minutest leaf, without feeling a desire to trace to the root the whole process of its metamorphosis. ART. II.—1. Guida dell' Educatore, foglio 2. Rapporto presentato dai Segretarj alla 4. Rapporto e Regolamenti degli Asili in- vorno. 1836. 5. Intorno alla Fondazione, ed allo Stato attuale, degli Asili di Carità per l'Infanzia, in Milano. Milano, 1837. most numerous class in every society, such as the policy of a legal provision for the poor, commerce and industry, popular education, the wages of labor, the prices of the neces saries of life, the employments of the laboring classes, the amount of property possessed by them, savings' banks, and many other particulars which will suggest themselves to all who take an interest in the progress of human improvement. That there is a progressive improvement in the organization of society throughout Europe, we think few will be found to ques tion, and among the many indubitable proofs of this cheering fact, which we derive from the advance of science, the amelioration of laws, the obliteration of prejudices and of barbarous animosities, as nations become better acquainted,—no circumstance appears to us more striking, none fraught with more certainty of happiness to mankind, than that conviction of the supreme importance of popular education, which is now awakening on all sides. For the progress of the higher sciences, and the more ornamental branches of education, our forefathers have made magnificent provision; but it is chiefly to the present century that must be awarded the honor of endeavoring to render instruc. tion a universal blessing, and to adapt it to THE neighboring countries of Europe, which elevate the moral character and to improve have become in many respects so familiar the happiness and comfort of the humblest to us during above twenty years of peace members of society. In our own country, and of increasing intercourse, still present a however, we may hitherto boast more of wide field for important researches to those isolated efforts and experiments than of the who, not content with observing only the actual establishment of a well-proportioned outward aspect of manners or of nature, or system of popular education, and for us of enjoying the treasures of art which they may this generation has been reserved the gloricontain, will penetrate beneath the surface ous task of laying the foundations, at least, of and investigate their social condition. There an edifice, commensurate with the just deare many important questions which are mands of the most numerous classes of our now forcing themselves, in a greater or less countrymen. In this position of things, any degree, on the attention of all the nations information becomes valuable as to the excomposing the great European family, and ertions making in foreign countries towards the traveller who will collect accurate infor- the attainment of the same object, in order mation as to the progress which different that the example and experience of other countries have made in their solution, may nations may encourage and direct us, in be assured that he is spending his time in a a work of such magnitude and importance. manner not unprofitable to his own country, In a former Number we gave an account and making a valuable contribution to the of the state of elementary instruction in Ger. materials of sound legislation. Circum many. From Switzerland, where perhaps stances have developed different institutions, everything relating to popular education as Nature has distributed various products may be best studied, we hope soon to have in different countries, and each, by availing some interesting details in a report which itself of the experience of its neighbors, may will shortly be made on the subject to the avoid many mistakes, and advance with a French government by M. Dumont, who has been travelling there for that purpose during 200fr. the department may be called upon the past summer. Had an individual been by the communes within it which are defiselected for this duty better acquainted with cient, to distribute among them as much as German, the language of the majority of the two centimes for every franc of government inhabitants of that country, his task would taxes. Should any deficiency yet reinain perhaps have been more satisfactorily exe- unprovided for, it is made up from the public euted. The system established in France, revenue. As to the other portion of the upon the information hastily collected on that master's salary, viz. that contributed by the subject by Baron Cousin, in his rapid journey scholars, it is fixed by the conseil municipal through Germany, has been so short a time of the commune. This conseil may divide in operation, that the intentions of M. Guizot the scholars into classes, paying different (at that time minister of public instruction), sums for their instruction, and may even rather than the practical effect of the mea- allow some children of the poorest inhabisure, comprise all that is yet to be known on tants to frequent the school gratuitously. the subject. This power is found to require to be more The law which first established one uni- strictly limited, since in places where a preform system for the elementary education of judice exists against education, as is not rare the whole of the lower orders in France bears in France, the commune, by allowing an undate July, 1833. By this law it is provided, due number of children to be educated gratis, that within six years from that date, every attempt to take back with one hand the 200fr. one of the 37,263 communes into which which they have been obliged to give with France is divided must posses at least one the other. From these two sources the elementary school (école primaire).* To- average salary of a master was stated to us wards those built within the six years the state furnishes one-third of the expense. The management of these schools is in the hands of a committee of the commune (comité communale), consisting of three or four inhabitants, of whom the mayor, the priest, or the Protestant pasteur, if there be one, are members ex officio, the others being appointed by the committee of arrondissement. This latter committee has a veto upon the appointment of the schoolmaster (instituteur) selected by the communal committee. This superior committee consists of those who have been chosen by the arrondissement as representatives in the conseil général du département, and of one schoolmaster named by the souspréfet. The master's salary arises from two sources, being partly fixed, of which the minimum is 200fr. (about 8.) a year, besides which each scholar pays something monthly. The commune is obliged by law to furnish lodging for the schoolmaster and his family, and if it cannot afford the whole of the fixed salary, it must contribute towards it at least three centimes for every franc of taxes which pays to the government. To complete the it * In 1830, only 22,992 communes possessed elementary schools, so that more than one-third of the communes were without any.-Degerando, Report to the Society of Public Instruction. to be in the south of France about 400fr. a year (16/.), a sum utterly insufficient to secure the services of a person competent for so important an office, or to enable him to support the station in which the law ranks him as equal to the mayor and the parish priest. In order to procure a supply of masters. properly prepared, a school for their educa. tion (école normale) is established in each department; but the demand as yet exceeds what these schools can furnish, that for the department of Vaucluse, for instance, not producing above ten a year. Those intend. ed for masters remain two years at these establishments, to which a school for exercising them in the practice of teaching (école d'application) is attached. In order to induce young men to adopt this profession, those who engage to serve as masters in an école primaire for ten years are exempted from conscription for the army. The children are admitted to primary schools at six years of age, but the irregularity of their attendance is frequently such as to cause them to forget, during the months that they are absent, all they have previously learned. Some persons see no other remedy for this than the German system of making it obligatory on the parents to send In 1837, amongst 326,298 young men of all them, from the age of six to ten, without inclasses included in the list of those of proper age terruption. All that has been heretofore for the conscription for the French army, 45 59 stated applies to boys' schools only, it having per cent., or nearly one half, could not read or write. The year before, the proportion of unin- been found impossible to oblige the comstructed was nearly the same, viz. 45 84 per cent. munes to furnish the expenses of those for To remedy this deficiency, two regimental girls also. To encourage those which are schools, one for soldiers and the other for non commissioned officers, are established in each disposed to afford education to girls, the goregiment. See Journal de l'Instruction Publique, vernment offers half the expenses of these for May 21, 1837. schools. It was the wish of the government, |