Sin, — None of your correspondents have dealt with yoar criticisms on
the new version of " Lucia Creator optima " (" Blest Creator of the light"). The simple explanation of these changes is that the revisers have evidently wished to preserve more faithfully (1) the metre, (2) the meaning of this very ancient hymn, ascribed to St. Gregory, and according to some authorities dating even from the fifth century. As regards the change of metre, the principle of translating
" Ne mens gravata crimine Vitae sit exul munere Dum nil perenne cogitat Seseque culpis illigat" ;— which is translated by the revisers :-
" 0 let us not by guilt oppressed
Stray from the path of life and rest, Lest thinking but the thoughts of time We bind our souls in chains of crime."
It will be seen that all the expressions attacked in your article—" life and rest," " thoughts of time," " chains of
crime "—are closer to the Latin than the words or phrases which they have displaced. I think this explanation is due to the revisers, as your article must have done much to spread the idea that they have made changes out of mere wanton- ness. The translation in this case may be thought stiff and pedantic, but their motive—the desire to give a more faithful rendering of (probably) the most venerable evening hymn of Western Europe—is at any rate a respectable one.—I
am, Sir, &c., F. H. COLSON.
Plymouth.
Previous page
