The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 82

_Max._ Farewell!

_Octavio._ How? not one look Of filial love? No grasp of the hand at parting?

It is a b.l.o.o.d.y war, to which we are going, And the event uncertain and in darkness. 90 So used we not to part--it was not so!

Is it then true? I have a son no longer?

[_MAX falls into his arms, they hold each [other] for a long time in a speechless embrace, then go away at different sides._

_The Curtain drops._

LINENOTES:

[Before 1] (_MAX enters almost in a state of derangement from extreme agitation, his eyes roll wildly, his walk is unsteady, and he appears not to observe his father, who stands at a distance, and gazes at him with a countenance expressive of compa.s.sion. He paces with long strides through the chamber, then stands still again, and at last throws himself into a chair, staring vacantly at the object directly before him_).

1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 19] _Max (rises and contemplates his father with looks of suspicion)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[28] what] that 1828, 1829.

[33] The single holy spot is our love 1800.

[Before 41] _Octavio (more urgently)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 62] _Octavio (trembling, and losing all self-command)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[63] _think_ 1800.

[75] _thou_ 1800.

THE DEATH OF WALLENSTEIN

A TRAGEDY IN FIVE ACTS

PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR TO THE FIRST EDITION

The two Dramas, PICCOLOMINI, or the first part of WALLENSTEIN, and WALLENSTEIN, are introduced in the original ma.n.u.script by a Prelude in one Act, ent.i.tled WALLENSTEIN'S CAMP. This is written in rhyme, and in nine-syllable verse, in the same _lilting_ metre (if that expression may be permitted) 5 with the second Eclogue of Spenser's Shepherd's Calendar.

This Prelude possesses a sort of broad humour, and is not deficient in character; but to have translated it into prose, or into any other metre than that of the original, would have given a false notion both of its style and purport; to have 10 translated it into the same metre would have been incompatible with a faithful adherence to the sense of the German, from the comparative poverty of our language in rhymes; and it would have been unadvisable from the incongruity of those lax verses with the present taste of the English Public. Schiller's intention 15 seems to have been merely to have prepared his reader for the Tragedies by a lively picture of the laxity of discipline, and the mutinous dispositions of Wallenstein's soldiery. It is not necessary as a preliminary explanation. For these reasons it has been thought expedient not to translate it. 20

The admirers of Schiller, who have abstracted their conception of that author from the _Robbers_, and the _Cabal_ and _Love_, plays in which the main interest is produced by the excitement of curiosity, and in which the curiosity is excited by terrible and extraordinary incident, will not have perused without some 25 portion of disappointment the Dramas, which it has been my employment to translate. They should, however, reflect that these are Historical Dramas, taken from a popular German History; that we must therefore judge of them in some measure with the feelings of Germans; or by a.n.a.logy, with the interest 30 excited in us by similar Dramas in our own language. Few, I trust, would be rash or ignorant enough to compare Schiller with Shakspeare yet, merely as ill.u.s.tration, I would say that we should proceed to the perusal of Wallenstein, not from Lear or Oth.e.l.lo, but from Richard the Second, or the 35 three parts of Henry the Sixth. We scarcely expect rapidity in an Historical Drama; and many prolix speeches are pardoned from characters, whose names and actions have formed the most amusing tales of our early life. On the other hand, there exist in these plays more individual beauties, 40 more pa.s.sages the excellence of which will bear reflection, than in the former productions of Schiller. The description of the Astrological Tower, and the reflections of the Young Lover, which follow it, form in the original a fine poem; and my translation must have been wretched indeed, if it can have 45 wholly overclouded the beauties of the Scene in the first Act of the first Play between Questenberg, Max, and Octavio Piccolomini.

If we except the Scene of the setting sun in the _Robbers_, I know of no part in Schiller's Plays which equals the whole of the first Scene of the fifth Act of the concluding Play. It 50 would be unbecoming in me to be more diffuse on this subject.

A Translator stands connected with the original Author by a certain law of subordination, which makes it more decorous to point out excellencies than defects: indeed he is not likely to be a fair judge of either. The pleasure or disgust from his 55 own labour will mingle with the feelings that arise from an afterview of the original. Even in the first perusal of a work in any foreign language which we understand, we are apt to attribute to it more excellence than it really possesses from our own pleasurable sense of difficulty overcome without effect. 60 Translation of poetry into poetry is difficult, because the Translator must give a brilliancy to his language without that warmth of original conception, from which such brilliancy would follow of its own accord. But the translator of a living Author is enc.u.mbered with additional inconveniences. If he render his 65 original faithfully, as to the sense of each pa.s.sage, he must necessarily destroy a considerable portion of the spirit; if he endeavour to give a work executed according to laws of compensation, he subjects himself to imputations of vanity, or misrepresentation. I have thought it my duty to remain 70 bound by the sense of my original, with as few exceptions as the nature of the languages rendered possible.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] Part Second. The Death of Wallenstein. A Tragedy. The Death of Wallenstein. Preface of the Translator. 1828, 1829.

[10] notion] idea 1800, 1828, 1829.

[21] conception] idea 1800, 1828, 1829.

[41] the excellence of which] whose excellence 1800, 1828, 1829.

[60] effect] effort 1834.

[66] sense] _sense_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[67] spirit] _spirit_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[68] compensation] _compensation_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[After 72] S. T. Coleridge 1800, 1828, 1829.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

_WALLENSTEIN, Duke of Friedland, Generalissimo of the Imperial Forces in the Thirty Years' War._ _d.u.c.h.eSS OF FRIEDLAND, Wife of Wallenstein._ _THEKLA, her Daughter, Princess of Friedland._ _THE COUNTESS TERTSKY, Sister of the d.u.c.h.ess._ _LADY NEUBRUNN._ _OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI, Lieutenant-General._ _MAX PICCOLOMINI, his Son, Colonel of a Regiment of Cuira.s.siers._ _COUNT TERTSKY, the Commander of several Regiments, and Brother-in-law of Wallenstein._ _ILLO, Field Marshal, Wallenstein's confidant._ _BUTLER, an Irishman, Commander of a Regiment of Dragoons._ _GORDON, Governor of Egra._ _MAJOR GERALDIN._ _CAPTAIN DEVEREUX._ _CAPTAIN MACDONALD._ _NEUMANN, Captain of Cavalry, Aide-de-Camp to Tertsky._ _SWEDISH CAPTAIN._ _SENI._ _BURGOMASTER of Egra._ _ANSPESSADE of the Cuira.s.siers._ _GROOM OF THE CHAMBER_, } _belonging to the Duke._ _A PAGE_, } _CUIRa.s.sIERS, DRAGOONS, SERVANTS._

THE DEATH OF WALLENSTEIN

ACT I

SCENE I

SCENE--_A Chamber in the House of the d.u.c.h.eSS OF FRIEDLAND._

_COUNTESS TERTSKY, THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN (the two latter sit at the same table at work)._

_Countess (watching them from the opposite side)._ So you have nothing, niece, to ask me? Nothing?

I have been waiting for a word from you.

And could you then endure in all this time Not once to speak his name?

[_The COUNTESS rises and advances to her._