256. EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd
An amended version of the text that appeared in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 39–41.
Hope End
Saturday evening [24 March 1827] [1]
Sir,
I should have written before, but have been so much occupied, that, till this evening, I was forced to run the hazard of appearing ungrateful to the letters & verses you have honored me by sending. It is only an appearance: for I am naturally gratified & obliged by your good opinion. I must not say any more, as it would certainly be very impertinent in me either to praise your Greek, or disclaim your praise. Your praise cannot mean flattery, because you assure me it does not,—& therefore, when you commend more merit than exists, I attribute the kind mistake to an indulgent judgment, or perhaps to your poetry—your ποιησις [2] —the creating power of your mind.
With regard to δροσος [3] pray acquit poor Jones, [4] who is no more guilty of advising me wrong, than I am of having ever seen his grammar or Lexicon. I must observe that Hederich, whose quarto lies by me just now, makes the word masculine,—& ut Hedericus sic Schrevelius, [5] —with Jones (tho’ he be a “quack”) to bring up the rear.
You desire to know whether I read the Tragedians, & whether I read them by myself. As far as your question relates to Sophocles, I may answer in his words
και φημι δρασαι κουκ ἀπαρνουμαι το μη. [6]
but I only know Euripides by his Medea, & Æschyelus [sic] by his reputation. What I read, I read without assistance.
You seem rather angry with me for preferring your translation from the Electra, to the translation from Achilles Tatius: [7] & speak of having taken very little pains with the former. Nevertheless I must maintain that, if you had taken no pains at all, it is still a beautiful translation, & striking in many points of view. By a happy transmigrating process, you have communicated the immortal soul of Sophocles’ poetry to another body, graceful enough to be worthy of it: and such poetry! so different from those artificial compositions, which, like the Heathen idols are “overlaid with silver & gold” but, in whom, is no breath!
I must thank you again for the real pleasure your works have given me; & beg you to believe me, on this & several other accounts,
Your obliged
E B Barrett.
Address, on integral page: Hugh S. Boyd Esqr / Ruby Cottage / Malvern Wells.
Publication: BC, 2, 39–41 (as [?17 March] [1827].
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Dated by reference to Boyd’s Electra translation, which places this letter after letter 255. EBB’s draft (ms at ABL) is dated 25 March 1827, a Sunday, probably in error for the 24th.
2. “Creation.”
3. “Dew.”
4. Rowland Jones (1722–74), philologist, published several works on the Greek and Latin languages.
5. “As Hederich, so Schrevel.” Benjamin Hederich (1675–1748) and Cornelis Schrevel (1608–64), both published classical lexicons.
6. “I say I did it: I deny it not” (Antigone, line 443).
7. “A Hymn to the Rose” (Thoughts on An Illustrious Exile, pp. 49–50). Achilles Tatius of Alexandria (fl. ca. 450 A.D.) was the author of an erotic romance, Adventures of Leucippe and Cleitophon. The translation of the scene from Sophocles’ Electra, in which Electra is holding the urn containing the ashes of Orestes, is on pp. 40–42 of Boyd’s book.
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