OF BURLESQUE TRANSLATION.—TRAVESTY AND PARODY.—SCARRON’S
VIRGILE TRAVESTI.—ANOTHER SPECIES OF LUDICROUS TRANSLATION.
In a preceding chapter, while treating of the translation of idiomatic
phrases, we censured the use of such idioms in the translation as do
not correspond with the age or country of the original. There is,
however, one species of translation, in which that violation of the
_costume_ is not only blameless, but seems essential to the nature of
the composition: I mean burlesque translation, or Travesty. This species
of writing partakes, in a great degree, of original composition; and
is therefore not to be measured by the laws of serious translation.
It conveys neither a just picture of the sentiments, nor a faithful
representation of the style and manner of the original; but pleases
itself in exhibiting a ludicrous caricatura of both. It displays an
overcharged and grotesque resemblance, and excites our risible emotions
by the incongruous association of dignity and meanness, wisdom and
absurdity. This association forms equally the basis of Travesty and of
Ludicrous Parody, from which it is no otherwise distinguished than by
its assuming a different language from the original. In order that the
mimickry may be understood, it is necessary that the writer choose, for
the exercise of his talents, a work that is well known, and of great
reputation. Whether that reputation is deserved or unjust, the work may
be equally the subject of burlesque imitation. If it has been the subject
of general, but undeserved praise, a Parody or a Travesty is then a fair
satire on the false taste of the original author, and his admirers, and
we are pleased to see both become the objects of a just castigation.
The _Rehearsal_, _Tom Thumb_, and _Chrononhotonthologos_, which exhibit
ludicrous parodies of passages from the favourite dramatic writers of the
times, convey a great deal of just and useful criticism. If the original
is a work of real excellence, the Travesty or Parody detracts nothing
from its merit, nor robs the author of the smallest portion of his just
praise.[67] We laugh at the association of dignity and meanness; but the
former remains the exclusive property of the original, the latter belongs
solely to the copy. We give due praise to the mimical powers of the
imitator, and are delighted to see how ingeniously he can elicit subject
of mirth and ridicule from what is grave, dignified, pathetic, or sublime.
In the description of the games in the 5th _Æneid_, Virgil everywhere
supports the dignity of the Epic narration. His persons are heroes,
their actions are suitable to that character, and we feel our passions
seriously interested in the issue of the several contests. The same
scenes travestied by Scarron are ludicrous in the extreme. His heroes
have the same names, they are engaged in the same actions, they have even
a grotesque resemblance in character to their prototypes; but they have
all the meanness, rudeness, and vulgarity of ordinary prize-fighters,
hackney coachmen, horse-jockeys, and water-men.
_Medio Gyas in gurgite victor_
_Rectorem navis compellat voce Menœtem;_
_Quo tantum mihi dexter abis? huc dirige cursum,_
_Littus ama, et lævas stringat sine palmula cautes;_
_Altum alii teneant. Dixit: sed cæca Menœtes_
_Saxa timens, proram pelagi detorquet ad undas._
_Quo diversus abis? iterum pete saxa, Menœte,_
_Cum clamore Gyas revocabat._
Gyas, qui croit que son pilote,
Comme un vieil fou qu’il est, radote,
De ce qu’en mer il s’elargit,
Aussi fort qu’un lion rugit;
Et s’ecrie, écumant de rage,
Serre, serre donc le rivage,
Fils de putain de Ménétus,
Serre, ou bien nous somme victus:
Serre donc, serre à la pareille:
Ménétus fit la sourde oreille,
Et s’éloigne toujours du bord,
Et si pourtant il n’a pas tort:
Habile qu’il est, il redoute
Certains rocs, ou l’on ne voit goute—
Lors Gyas se met en furie,
Et de rechef crie et recrie,
Vieil coyon, pilote enragé,
Mes ennemis t’ont ils gagé
Pour m’oter l’honneur de la sorte?
Serre, ou que le diable t’emporte,
Serre le bord, ame de chien:
Mais au diable, s’il en fait rien.
In Virgil, the prizes are suitable to the dignity of the persons who
contend for them:
Munera principio ante oculos, circoque locantur
In medio: sacri tripodes, viridesque coronæ,
Et palmæ, pretium victoribus; armaque, et ostro
Perfusæ vestes, argenti aurique talenta.
In Scarron, the prizes are accommodated to the contending parties with
equal propriety:
Maitre Eneas faisant le sage, &c.
Fit apporter une marmitte,
C’etoit un des prix destinés,
Deux pourpoints fort bien galonnés
Moitié filet et moitié soye,
Un sifflet contrefaisant l’oye,
Un engin pour casser des noix,
Vingt et quatre assiettes de bois,
Qu’Eneas allant au fourrage
Avoit trouvé dans le bagage
Du vénérable Agamemnon:
Certain auteur a dit que non,
Comptant la chose d’autre sorte,
Mais ici fort peu nous importe:
Une toque de velous gras,
Un engin à prendre des rats,
Ouvrage du grand Aristandre,
Qui savoit bien les rats prendre
En plus de cinquante façons,
Et meme en donnoit des leçons:
Deux tasses d’etain émaillées,
Deux pantoufles despareillées,
Dont l’une fut au grand Hector,
Toutes deux de peau de castor—
Et plusieurs autres nippes rares, &c.
But this species of composition pleases only in a short specimen. We
cannot bear a lengthened work in Travesty. The incongruous association
of dignity and meanness excites risibility chiefly from its being
unexpected. Cotton’s and Scarron’s _Virgil_ entertain but for a few
pages: the composition soon becomes tedious, and at length disgusting. We
laugh at a short exhibition of buffoonery; but we cannot endure a man,
who, with good talents, is constantly playing the fool.
There is a species of ludicrous verse translation which is not of the
nature of Travesty, and which seems to be regulated by all the laws
of serious translation. It is employed upon a ludicrous original, and
its purpose is not to burlesque, but to represent it with the utmost
fidelity. For that purpose, even the metrical stanza is closely
imitated. The ludicrous effect is heightened, when the stanza is peculiar
in its structure, and is transferred from a modern to an ancient
language; as in Dr. Aldrich’s translation of the well-known song,
A soldier and a sailor,
A tinker and a tailor,
Once had a doubtful strife, Sir,
To make a maid a wife, Sir,
Whose name was buxom Joan, &c.
_Miles et navigator,_
_Sartor et ærator,_
_Jamdudum litigabant,_
_De pulchra quam amabant,_
_Nomen cui est Joanna, &c._
Of the same species of translation is the facetious composition intitled
_Ebrii Barnabæ Itinerarium_, or _Drunken Barnaby’s Journal_:
_O Faustule, dic amico,_
_Quo in loco, quo in vico,_
_Sive campo, sive tecto,_
_Sine linteo, sine lecto;_
_Propinasti queis tabernis,_
_An in terris, an Avernis._
Little Fausty, tell thy true heart,
In what region, coast, or new part,
Field or fold, thou hast been bousing,
Without linen, bedding, housing;
In what tavern, pray thee, show us,
Here on earth, or else below us:
And the whimsical, though serious translation of Chevy-chace:
_Vivat Rex noster nobilis,_
_Omnis in tuto sit;_
_Venatus olim flebilis_
_Chevino luco fit._
God prosper long our noble King,
Our lives and safeties all:
A woful hunting once there did
In Chevy-chace befal, &c.