V OLPI'S POEMS.
'THIS volume consists of two distinct parts,—the first contains a 'collection of imitations, attributed to various hands ; the second, a translation of DANTE. The professed collector of the whole is one ODOARDO VOLPI—a nom de guerre ; and the assigned cause of their publication is the stale and worn-out story of the .manuscripts having been bequeathed to the editor. Of the imitations, the two longest are Arnaldo, a tale in the manner of the Giaour, and Gadd°, a desultory story of adventures in the Style of Bappo. In both, the more °Wog§ and vulgar points of the original are caught ; but we have seen better and. closer imitations of BYRON, by persons of far inferior abilities to our author. BYRON was digressive, inclined to overlay the prin. cipal image, and involved in his construction of ideas; but this writer outherods Herod. He encumbers his chief idea with so many accessories, that it sometimes takes a page to reach the actual close of a sentence, when we find a thought for which one couplet would have sufficed instead of a dozen. The author's fluency of diction and facility of versification are his bane. His words run away with him. In the shorter pieces this defect is not so glaring, from the ne- cessity of selecting his images, which brevity imposed upon the writer. They do not, however, display sufficient merit to call for particular remarks. The partial translation from DANTE is of a much higher order, and requires more extended notice. The cri- tical preface, which introduces the version, shows that the trans- lator has deeply studied his author, and possesses a clear and defi- nite idea as to the plan he should pursue. In the execution, he has successfully achieved his own purpose, and produced a spirited and characteristic translation. There is strength in his language and nerve in his verse. The translator has .struggled, and not unsuccessfully, to throw over the whole an antique and Gothic air, which harmonizes witlt the subject of the poem and the age and character of the poet. His determination to render his author faithfully—smoothing no abruptness, softening no harsh- ness, changing no obscurity, using the tertian rhyme, and evea struggling after literal exactness—has cramped him occasionally, and will rather repel than allure the common reader ; but it has the great advantage of repressing his verbose exuberance. The writer's power over words tells in his favour when the thoughts are " found him."
The translator has only proceeded as far as the tenth canto, We are introduced to the darksome wood, the far-off shining hill top, and the allegorical animals which puzzle the commentators, un- til the arrival of Virgil : with him a tid Dante, we proceed to the con- fines of Hell ; cross Acheron, by Charon's aid ; traverse the four outer circles of punishment, each increasing in intensity ; pass over the Stygian marsh, whose bubbles are the sighs of the wicked tormented at the bottom ; and enter the deeper deep, where Atheists and the political enemies of the poet's party are punished: and there the translator leaves us, somewhat abruptly.
Of course it is not easy to take effective extracts from such a work. In reading DANTE, Ille mind throws itself back for centuries, and besides adopting itself to the peculiar defects of the author and of his age, prepares to have the attention tasked; none of which essentials exist in piecemeal reading. We will, however, take a few short passages. Here is the picture of the confines of " There sighs, atilt birler nlaints, and wailings loud Resounded all throughout the starless air, So that, at first, I wept in wretched mood.
There divers tongues of horrible despair, \Voids of great wo, accent, of wrath and dread, Clapping of hands, arid loud hoarse voices there, A tumult made that ever widely spread Through the stained air, but not with clouds imbrowned, Like saud when whirlwinds lift it high o'er head."
The reader of the Commedia and of Paradise Lost cannot have avoided noticing what an intluence the growing refinement of more than three hundred years had in modifying the popular no- tions of Hell. In MILTON, the material punishment is generalized, and mental torments are a prominent feature. In DANTE, all is specific, grotesque, and calculated to act upon the senses alone. See an instance in the description of Cerberus.
" What time my mind returned, which failed me late, Through pity of tlioQe hapless kindred souls Who filled my wildered thoughts with sadness great, New torments, new tormented, I behold Around me ; wheresoe'er I move is pain, Where'er I turn, whate'er my gaze mifold. At the third circle am I of the rain Accursed, everlasting, heavy and chill, Which no new quality or rules retain. Huge hail, discoloured water, snow-drifts, still Fall thick and ceaseless through the darkened air, And the earth stinks whereon those showers distil.
The wild beast Cerberus, fierce and cruel, there, With his three maws ay barketh doggishly Against the folk sunk in that filthy lair. Red eyes, a b17..1 and oily beard hath he,
A swollen paunch, and claws upon his hands;
Piecemeal he tears the sprites his food to be. The rain makes these to howl, like dogs in bands; One side they make a shelter 'gainst the other ; Oft the profane ones turn, as pain commands."
The translator promises to complete his task if the present at- tempt should succeed. Clogged with the miscellaneous poems, we do not think the volume is likely to attain much success; nor, if the translation were finished and published alone, would it pro- bably receive very great popular favour. Its completion, however, would be an addition to English literature; for, except Mr. WRIGHT'S attempt, which we have not seen, there exists no trans.. Wien of DANTE at once faithful and poetical. But should our author feel disposed to finish his task, we would suggest an owes- sional sacrifice of literal exactness to more readable qualities. It is perfectly right to pay attention to the character of the poet and his age, but some little regard should also be had to ours and to the English language. We require no change in the general colour of the translation, but many asperities might be reruoved to the pleasure of the reader.
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