Beowulf, an Old English Poem, translated into Modern Rhymes, by
Lieut.-Colonel H. W. Lumsden[1]. London: C. Kegan Paul & Co., 1881.
8vo, pp. xx, 114.
Beowulf, an Old English Poem, translated into Modern Rhymes, by
Lieut.-Colonel H. W. Lumsden, late Royal Artillery. Second edition,
revised and corrected. London: Kegan Paul, Trench and Co., 1883. 8vo,
pp. xxx, 179.
Fifth English Translation. Ballad Measures.
_Differences between the two Editions, and Indebtedness to Preceding
Scholars._
In the first edition of the translation a number of passages were
omitted. Some of these omissions were owing to corrupt text, some to
extreme obscurity of the original, and some merely to the fact that the
original was deemed uninteresting. The principal omissions were: 83-86;
767-770; 1724-1758; 1931-1963; 2061-2062; 2214-2231; 2475; 2930-2932;
3150-3156. These passages were inserted in the second edition.
‘In this edition I have endeavoured to remove some of the blunders
which disfigured its predecessor.... Some parts have been entirely
rewritten, and the passages formerly omitted ... have been
inserted.... A few notes have been added; and the introduction has
been materially altered and, I hope, improved.’ --Preface to the
Second Edition, p. v.
_Aim and Nature of the Translation._
Lumsden’s desire was to produce a readable version of the poem. Thus his
work resembles that of Wackerbarth[2]; and, like Wackerbarth, he couched
his translation in ballad measures. Lumsden does not vary his measure,
but preserves the iambic heptameter throughout. His lines rime in
couplets.
No attempt is made to preserve alliteration or archaic diction.
The Introduction and Notes contain popular expositions of the work of
preceding scholars. Several of the Notes are original and well worth
while (see Notes A, C, G, M).
_Texts Used._
The translation is based on Grein’s text of 1857[3] and Arnold’s text
(1876)[4]. Garnett has shown[5] that Lumsden ignored the 1867 text of
Grein and the editions of Heyne. These defects were remedied to some
extent in the second edition. Lumsden himself never emends the text.