The Poems of Goethe | Page 5

only by its own merits, with the unfriendly welcome which it very probably deserves, I trust that I shall at least be pardoned for making an attempt, a failure in which does not necessarily imply disgrace, and which, by leading the way, may perhaps become the means of inducing some abler and more worthy (but not more?earnest) labourer to enter upon the same field, the riches of which will remain unaltered and undiminished in value, even although they may be for the moment tarnished by the hands of the less skilful workman who first endeavours to transplant them to a foreign soil.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
I have taken advantage of the publication of a Second Edition of my translation of the Poems of Goethe (originally published in 1853), to add to the Collection a version of the much admired classical Poem of Hermann and Dorothea, which was previously omitted by me in consequence of its length. Its universal?popularity, however, and the fact that it exhibits the?versatility of Goethe's talents to a greater extent than,?perhaps, any other of his poetical works, seem to call for its admission into the present volume.
On the other hand I have not thought it necessary to include the sketch of Goethe's Life that accompanied the First Edition. At the time of its publication, comparatively little was known in this country of the incidents of his career, and my sketch was avowedly written as a temporary stop-gap, as it were, pending the production of some work really deserving the tittle of a life of Goethe. Not to mention other contributions to the literature of the subject, Mr. Lewis's important volumes give the English reader all the information he is likely to require respecting Goethe's career, and my short memoir appeared to be no longer required.
I need scarcely add that I have availed myself of this?opportunity to make whatever improvements have suggested?themselves to me in my original version of these Poems.
E. A. B.?London, 1874.
CONTENTS.
Original Dedication?Original Preface?Preface to the Second Edition?List of the principal Works of Goethe?Author's Dedication
SONGS?Sound, sweet Song, from some far Land?To the kind Reader?The New Amadis?When the Fox dies, his Skin counts?The Heathrose?Blindman's Buff?Christel?The Coy One?The Convert?Preservation?The Muses' Son?Found?Like and Like?Reciprocal Invitation to the Dance?Self-Deceit?Declaration of War?Lover in all Shapes?The Goldsmith's Apprentice?Answers in a Game of Questions?Different Emotions on the same Spot?Who'll buy Gods of love??The Misanthrope?Different Threats?Maiden Wishes?Motives?True Enjoyment?The Farewell?The Beautiful Night.?Happiness and Vision?Living Remembrance?The Bliss of Absence?To Luna?The Wedding Night?Mischievous Joy?Apparent Death?November Song?To the Chosen One?First Loss?After Sensations?Proximity of the Beloved One?Presence?To the Distant One?By the River?Farewell?The Exchange?Welcome and Farewell?New Love, New Life?To Belinda?May Song?With a painted Ribbon?With a golden Necklace?On the Lake?From the Mountain?Flower-Salute?In Summer?May Song?Premature Spring?Autumn Feelings?Restless Love?The Shepherd's Lament?Comfort in Tears?Night Song?Longing?To Mignon?The Mountain Castle?The Spirit's Salute?To a Golden Heart that he wore round his neck?The Bliss of Sorrow?The Wanderer's Night-song?The Same?The Hunter's Even-Song?To the Moon?To Lina?Ever and Everywhere?Petition?To his Coy One?Night Thoughts?To Lida?Proximity?Reciprocal?Rollicking Hans?The Freebooter?Joy and Sorrow?March?April?May?June?Next Year's Spring?At Midnight Hour?To the rising full Moon?The Bridegroom?Such, such is he who pleaseth me?Sicilian Song?Swiss Song?Finnish Song?Gipsy Song?The Destruction of Magdeburg
FAMILIAR SONGS.?On the New Year?Anniversary Song?The Spring Oracle?The Happy Couple?Song of Fellowship?Constancy in Change?Table Song?Wont and Done?General Confession?Coptic Song?Another?Vanitas! vanitatum vanitas!?Fortune of War?Open Table?The Reckoning?Ergo Bibamus!?Epiphanias
BALLADS.?Mignon?The Minstrel?Ballad of the banished and returning Count?The Violet?The Faithless Boy?The Erl-King?Johanna Sebus?The Fisherman?The King of Thule?The Beauteous Flower..?Sir Curt's Wedding Journey?Wedding Song?The Treasure-digger?The Rat-catcher?The Spinner?Before a Court of Justice?The Page and the Miller's Daughter?The Youth and the Millstream?The Maid of the Mill's Treachery?The Maid of the Mill's Repentance?The Traveller and the Farm-Maiden?Effects at a distance?The Walking Bell?Faithful Eckart?The Dance of Death?The Pupil in Magic?The Bride of Corinth?The God and the Bayadere
The Pariah
I. The Pariah's Prayer.?II. Legend?III. The Pariah's Thanks?Death--lament of the noble Wife of Asan Aga
CANTATAS.?Idyll?Rinaldo?The First Walpurgis-Night
ODES.?Three Odes to my Friend?Mahomet's Song?Spirit Song over the Waters?My Goddess?Winter Journey over the Hartz Mountains?To Father Kronos. Written in a Post-chaise?The Wanderer's Storm Song?The Sea-Voyage?The Eagle and Dove?Prometheus?Ganymede?The Boundaries of Humanity?The Godlike
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.?The German Parnassus.?Lily's Menagerie?To Charlotte?Love's Distresses?The Musagetes?Morning Lament?The Visit?The Magic Net?The Goblet?To the Grasshopper. After Anacreon?From the Sorrows of Young Werther?Trilogy of Passion :?
I. To Werther
II. Elegy?III. Atonement?The Remembrance of the Good?When I was still a youthful Wight?For Ever?From an Album of 1604?Lines on seeing Schiller's Skull?Royal Prayer?Human Feelings?On the Divan?Hans Sachs' Poetical Mission
SONNETS.?The Friendly Meeting?In a Word?The Maiden Speaks?Growth?Food in Travel?Departure?The Loving One Writes.?The Loving One once more?She Cannot End?Nemesis?The Christmas Box?The Warning?The Epochs?The Doubters and the Lovers?Charade
EPIGRAMS.?To Originals?The Soldier's Consolation?Genial Impulse?Neither this nor that?The way to behave?The best?As broad as it's long?The Rule of Life?The same, expanded?Calm at Sea?The Prosperous Voyage?Courage?My only Property?Admonition?Old Age?Epitaph?Rules for Monarchs?Paulo post futuri?The Fool's Epilogue
PARABLES.?Joy?Explanation of an antique Gem?Cat-Pie?Legend?Authors?The Critic?The Dilettante and the Critic?The Wrangler?The Yelpers?The Stork's Vocation?Celebrity?Playing at Priests?Songs?Poetry?A Parable?Should e'er the loveless day remain?A Plan the Muses entertained?The Death of the Fly?By the River?The Fox and Crane?The