CHAPTER I.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GERMAN TRANSLATIONS, IMITATIONS, CRITICAL REVIEWS, ETC.

Introduction.

The following bibliography makes no claim to absolute completeness. The material required was in some instances so difficult of access, that exact data could not everywhere be given, but most of the entries are based upon personal investigation. Most of the short bibliographies that have hitherto appeared go back directly or indirectly to those of Denis[1] and Gurlitt,[2] both of which are incomplete and not without errors; the former contains less than thirty titles that come into question here.

A few words as to the composition of this bibliography may not be amiss. The pivot of the whole is that collection of the so–called Poems of Ossian published by James Macpherson from 1760 to 1763, and as the titles of the different portions of this collection are frequently misquoted, I have deemed it advisable to prefix them to the German bibliography, together with the most important later editions. As to the German material, we have in the first place to consider the German translations of the whole or a part of these poems, together with the English reprints made in Germany, as well as the translations into other tongues published in Germany.[3] Several other collections, however, are so closely bound up in their influence in Germany with that of Macpherson, that I have not hesitated to include them. In the second place there are the critical essays upon the poems of Ossian, together with the historical and geographical treatises bearing upon the authenticity of the poems. Thirdly, we have an immense category of German imitations, in which department the drawing of strict lines has been most difficult; here the few epigrams and other poems in praise of Ossian may also be inserted. In the department of music I have given a number of compositions that have come directly to my notice. Several paintings and illustrations of scenes from the poems of Ossian are also mentioned, but in neither of these fields is any pretension made to completeness. In both it has been found difficult to observe the exact chronological order, for which reason the works under these headings have been arranged at the end alphabetically according to authors. Finally, we are to regard the critical reviews and notices of all the above categories in periodicals and newspapers published in Germany. The reviews and notices are not given in strict chronological order, but are in almost every case inserted directly below the work to which they refer. Advance notices when long are frequently given separately. During the years in which the influence of Ossian was at its height, everything has been given in the latter department that could be found, whereas in later years most reviews and short notices are omitted. As a rule the pages given in the reviews refer to those portions only that deal with Ossian.

Abbreviations have been but rarely used and never at the sacrifice of clearness and convenience. In cases where various editions come into consideration, the general rule has been observed to mention all where it seemed requisite, as _e. g._, in the case of translations; of less important works, only the first and the standard editions have been mentioned. It would, for example, be impossible to include an exhaustive list of the various editions of _Werthers Leiden_ within the limits of this bibliography.

Important English Works.

Gentleman’s Magazine, June, 1760, pp. 287–8: Two Fragments of Ancient Poetry collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Gallic or Erse Language.

Fragments of Ancient Poetry, Collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and Translated from the Galic or Erse Language. Edinburgh. 1760.

_The same._ The Second Edition. Edinburgh. 1760. One entire poem is added, which stands No. 13 in this edition.

Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem, In Six Books: Together with several other Poems, composed by Ossian the Son of Fingal. Translated from the Galic Language, By James Macpherson. London: 1762.[4]

Temora, an Ancient Epic Poem, In Eight Books: Together with several other Poems, composed by Ossian, the Son of Fingal. Translated from the Galic Language, By James Macpherson. London: 1763.

The Works of Ossian, the Son of Fingal. In Two Volumes. Translated from the Galic Language By James Macpherson. The Third Edition. London: 1765.

The Poems of Ossian. Translated by James Macpherson, Esq.; In Two Volumes. A new Edition, carefully corrected, and greatly improved. London: 1773.

Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, appointed to inquire into the nature and authenticity of the Poems of Ossian. Drawn up, according to the direction of the committee by Henry MacKenzie, Esq. its convener and chairman, with a copious appendix, containing some of the principal Documents on which the report is founded. Edinburgh, 1805.

The Poems of Ossian, in the original Gaelic, with a literal Translation into Latin, By the late Robert Macfarlan, A.M. Together with a Dissertation on the Authenticity of the Poems, by Sir John Sinclair, Bart. and a Translation from the Italian of the Abbé Cesarotti’s Dissertation on the Controversy respecting the Authenticity of Ossian, with Notes and a supplemental Essay, By John M’Arthur, LL.D. Published under the Sanction of the Highland Society of London. 3 Volumes. London: 1807.

@1762.@ Bremisches Magazin zur Ausbreitung der Wissenschaften Künste und Tugend Von einigen Liebhabern derselben mehrentheils aus den Englischen Monatsschriften gesammelt und herausgegeben. Bremen und Leipzig. Vol. 5, ii, pp. 448–52: Zwei Fragmenten der alten Dichtkunst von den Hochländern in Schottland, aus der alten Gallischen oder Ersischen Sprache übersetzet.

A prose translation of Carric–Thura, p. 152, l. 12–p. 153, l. 7, and of The Songs of Selma, p. 210, l. 28–p. 211, l. 34,[5] the originals of which had appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine for June, 1760. Cf. _infra_, p. 76.

Bibliothek der schönen Wissenschaften und der freyen Künste. Leipzig. Vol. 8, ii, p. 349: Notice of Fingal. Cf. _infra_, p. 75.

@1763.@ Hannoverisches Magazin. Erster Jahrgang vom Jahre 1763. Hannover, 1764. No. 92, pp. 1457–70: Nachricht von den Gedichten des Ossian, eines alten schottischen Barden; nebst einigen Anmerkungen über das Alterthum derselben.

_Ibid._, No. 94, pp. 1489–1504, No. 95, pp. 1505–20, No. 96, pp. 1521–34, No. 97, pp. 1534–46: Auszug und Uebersetzung des Fingal, eines alten epischen Gedichtes. Von R. E. R.

The author of both the article and the translation is Rudolf Erich Raspe, 1737–94. Cf. _infra_, pp. 76–7.

Bremisches Magazin. Vol. 6, ii, p. 461: Notice of Fingal. Cf. _infra_, p. 76.

Bibliothek der schönen Wissenschaften. Vol. 9, ii, pp. 315–6: Review of Temora. Cf. _infra_, p. 75.

@1764.@ Fragmente der alten Hochschottländischen Dichtkunst, nebst einigen andern Gedichten Ossians, eines Schottischen Barden; aus dem Englischen übersetzt. Hamburg.

Weak prose translation by Joh. Andr. Engelbrecht of the original sixteen fragments together with Macpherson’s Preface; also of Comala, The War of Caros, Carthon, The Death of Cuthullin, Carric–Thura, and Berrathon from the first ed. of Fingal (1761). Instead of the 10th, 11th and 12th fragments, The Songs of Selma are given from the ed. of Fingal. The notes to Berrathon contain also the translation of Minvane’s Lament for Ryno, pp. 250–4. Denis, Bibliography, 1784, Ersch und Gruber, Allgemeine Encyklopädie, _sub_ Ossian (p. 429), and others have 1763, but I have been unable to trace an edition published in that year. This and the following translation are sometimes given as one made by Engelbrecht and Wittenberg, _e. g._, Saunders, The Life and Letters of James Macpherson, p.236, etc. They were, however, published as two distinct and separate books. Cf. _infra_, p. 77.

Fingal, ein Helden–Gedicht, in sechs Büchern, von Ossian, einem alten schottischen Barden. Nebst verschiedenen andern Gedichten von eben demselben. Hamburg und Leipzig.

Literal prose translation by Albrecht Wittenberg, 1782–1807, of Fingal together with Macpherson’s Preface to the same; also of Comala, The War of Caros, The War of Inisthona, The Battle of Lora, Conlath and Cuthona, and Carthon.—Vorrede des deutschen Uebersetzers: 8 pp. The translation is not by Engelbrecht and Wittenberg, as stated in Kürschner’s Dtsche Nat.–Litt., Klopstock, iv, p. ii, in Hofmann–Wellenhof’s biography of Denis, pp. 165, 194, Knothe’s biography of Kretschmann, etc. Cf. _infra_, p. 77.

Bremisches Magazin. Vol. 7, i, p. 227: Notice of the Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian, the Son of Fingal. _Ibid._, p. 229: Notice of Temora. Cf. _infra_, p.7 6.

@1765.@ Mémoire de M. de C. au Sujet des Poëmes de M. Macpherson. Köln. Cf. _infra_, pp. 77–8.

An essay throwing doubt upon the authenticity of the poems of Ossian, reprinted from Le Journal des Sçavans, Paris, May–December, 1764. Amsterdam reprint, June–August, October, 1764, and February, 1765.

Göttingische Anzeigen von gelehrten Sachen. Göttingen. i, pp. 129–31: Review of Fingal.

The author of the review is Albrecht von Haller, 1708–77; cp. _ibid._, 1767, and cf. his Tagebuch (1787); for contents cf. _infra_, p. 78.

@1766.@ Neues Bremisches Magazin. Bremen. Vol. I, i, pp. 1–54: Fragmente der Alten Dichtkunst in den Hochländern von Schotland, gesammelt und aus dem Englischen übersetzet.

Prose translation of the first sixteen fragments together with Macpherson’s Preface.—A separate reprint of this translation was published in Bremen in the same year. Cf. _infra_, p. 80.

Briefe über Merkwürdigkeiten der Litteratur. Erste Sammlung. Schleswig und Leipzig. Achter Brief: Memoire eines Irrländers über die ossianischen Gedichte...

An account of the above Mémoire (1765) by Heinrich Wilhelm Gerstenberg.—A reprint of the Schleswigische Litteraturbriefe appeared as No. 29 of the Deutsche Litteraturdenkmale des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts; the notes with regard to the Mémoire are found on pp. 56–7 (cf. also p. lxxii). Cf. _infra_, pp. 105–6

REVIEW: Neue Bibl. der schönen Wissenschaften, Vol. 3, ii, pp. 308–9 (1767).

Unterhaltungen. Hamburg. Vol. I, No. 4, pp. 329–40: Aufsatz des Herrn von C. über die Gedichte des Herrn Macpherson.

_Ibid._, No. 5, pp. 420–36: Fortsetzung des Aufsatzes über Herrn Macphersons Gedichte.

_Ibid._, No. 6, pp. 504–23: Beschluss des Aufsatzes über Herrn Macphersons Gedichte.

An account and partial translation of the Mémoire mentioned above (1765).

Neue Bibliothek der schönen Wissenschaften und der freyen Künste. Leipzig. Vol. i, ii, p. 387: Review of Cesarotti’s Italian translation of the poems of Ossian. Cf. _infra_, p. 79.

_Ibid._, Vol. 2, ii, pp. 245–61: Review of the Works of Ossian, Third Edition, 1765 (cf. English Bibliography).

_Ibid._, Vol. 3, i, pp. 13–38: Continuation and conclusion of the Review.

The author of the review of the Works of Ossian is Christian Felix Weisse, 1726–1804; cp. Gött. gel. Anz., 1768, Von den Barden ... (1770), Gallische Alterthümer (1781), and cf. _infra_, pp. 79–80.

@1767.@ Unterhaltungen. Hamburg. Vol. 4, No. i, pp. 617–20: Episode aus dem altschottischen Gedichte Fingal.

Iambic translation by Ludwig Gottlieb Crome, 1742–94, of the song of the unfortunate Colma, The Songs of Selma, p. 209, l. 3–p. 210, l. 12, being Fragment X of the first edition of the Fragments (1760). The translation is reprinted in Schmid’s Zusäzze (1769), in Ursinus’s Balladen und Lieder (1777), and in Crome’s Gedichte (1795). Cf. _infra_, p. 80.

_Ibid._, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 688–91: Derwins Thränen, aus dem alten Cornischen.

A lament, Ossianic in spirit, translated into rhythmic prose from the Royal Magazine, May, 1767, pp. 264–6. Reprinted in Schmid’s Zusäzze (1769).

_Ibid._, Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 1001–8: Armyns Klage an Kirmor. Ein altes schottisches Gedicht.

Free translation in rimed stanzas by L.G. Crome of the Lament of Armyn, The Songs of Selma, p. 212, l. 8–p. 213, l. 31, being Fragment XI of the first edition (1760). Reprinted in Schmid’s Zusäzze (1769), in the Musenalmanach (Göttingen, 1772), in Ursinus’s Balladen und Lieder (1777), in Crome’s Gedichte (1795), and in Matthisson’s Lyrische Anthologie (1804). Cf. _infra_, p. 80.

Göttingische Anzeigen von gelehrten Sachen. ii, pp. 1132–4, 1137–40: Review of the Works of Ossian, Third Edition, 1765 (cf. English Bibliography).

The author of the review is Albrecht von Haller; cp. _ibid._, 1765, and cf. his Tagebuch (1787); for contents cf. _infra_, pp. 78–9.

Theorie der Poesie ... von M. Christian Heinrich Schmid. Leipzig, p. 75: Ossian is designated as the Scotch Homer and the authenticity of the poems is stated in emphatic terms.—Cp. Zusäzze, 1769. Litteratur der Poesie, 1776.

@1768.@ Göttingische Anzeigen von gelehrten Sachen. i, pp. 361–71: Review of John Macpherson’s Critical Dissertations on the Origin, Antiquities, Language, Government, Manners and Religion of the ancient Caledonians ...—pp. 367–8: The Bards. Cf. _infra_, p. 85, and cp. Von den Barden ... (1770), etc.

Die Gedichte Ossians eines alten celtischen Dichters, aus dem Englischen übersetzt von M. Denis, aus der G. J. (Gesellschaft Jesu.) Vols. 1 and 2. Wien. 4^o.

@1769.@ _The same_, Vol. 3, containing Dr. Hugh Blair’s Critical Dissertation, pp. i–cxliv.

[Pp. 182–5: Mors Oscaris, Filii Carvthi, a translation of the Death of Oscar in Macpherson’s Notes to Temora into Latin hexameters; cp. Carmina quaedam (1794) and for German translations cf. Der Tod Oskars (1772), Deutsches Museum (1783), and Nachlese zu Sineds Liedern (1784)].—A translation of Ossian’s poems in hexameters, which appeared in 1768–9, not in 1767–9, as Gurlitt (April 9, 1802, p. 6) and others have it. An octavo edition appeared synchronously. Cp. Ossians und Sineds Lieder (1784; 1791–2). Cf. _infra_, pp. 120–6. To Vol. 1 a translation of Macpherson’s first dissertation was prefixed, to Vol. 2 the second.[6]

REVIEWS: Göttingische Anzeigen von gelehrten Sachen, 1768, ii, pp. 1281–5 (Vol. 1 only).

Staats– und Gelehrte Zeitung des Hamburgischen unpartheyischen Correspondenten, 1768, No. 202 (Vol. 1 only). At the close an anecdote in proof of the genuineness of the works of Ossian is related.

Neue Bibliothek der schönen Wissenschaften. Leipzig, Vol. 8, i, pp. 99–112 (1769): Review of Vols. 1 and 2.

Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek, Vol. 10, i, pp. 63–9 (1769): Review of Vol. 1; Vol. 17, ii, pp. 437–47 (1772): Review of Vols. 2 and 3. Johann Gottfried Herder is the author of these reviews, the first of which was reprinted in Herder’s Lebensbild (1846), Vol. 1, iii, 2, pp. 119–28, and in the Sämmtliche Werke, ed. Suphan, Vol. 4, pp. 320–5, and the second in the Sämmtliche Werke, ed. Suphan, Vol. 5, pp. 322–30, where the first draft without the ending is given on pp. 416–20. The Frankfurter gelehrte Anzeigen for 1772 contains a notice of Herder’s review of Vols. 2 and 3 on p. 811.

Almanach der deutschen Musen auf das Jahr 1770. Leipzig, pp. 113–4: Review of Vols. 2 and 3. In the second edition of the Almanach (Leipzig, Berlin und Frankfurt) the review is found on pp. 123–4.

Erfurtische gelehrte Zeitungen für das Jahr 1769, pp. 27–9: Review of Vol. 1; pp. 417–9: Vol. 2; pp. 713–7: Vol. 3.

M. Christian Heinrich Schmids Zusäzze zur Theorie der Poesie und Nachrichten von den besten Dichtern. Dritte Sammlung. Leipzig. pp. 218–30: Ossian.

Pp. 218–20 contain a review of the first volume of Denis’s translation, pp. 220–2 a reprint of the Episode aus dem altschottischen Gedichte Fingal, Unterhaltungen, Vol. 4, No. 1, (1767), pp. 223–5 a reprint of Derwins Thränen, _ibid._, No. 2, and pp. 225–30 a reprint of Armyns Klagen an Kirmor, _ibid._, No. 6. Cp. Theorie der Poesie, 1767, Litteratur der Poesie, 1776.

Unterhaltungen. Hamburg. Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 76: Nachricht von einer lateinischen poetischen Uebersetzung der Ossianischen Werke.

_Ibid._, Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 541–2: Probe der lateinischen Uebersetzung des Ossian.

Latin translation of an extract from Temora, Book i, taken from Robert Macfarlan’s Temoræ Liber Primus versibus latinis expressus (London, 1769), of which the above is a notice. Cp. Neue Bibliothek, 1770.

Kritische Wälder. Oder Betrachtungen die Wissenschaft und Kunst des Schönen betreffend, nach Maasgabe neuerer Schriften. Erstes Wäldchen, pp. 38–41: Sentiments of the people of Ossian.

These notes are found on pp. 27–9 of Vol. 3 of Herder’s Sämmtliche Werke, ed. Suphan.

Comala. Ein dramatisches Gedicht von Johann Joachim Eschenburg, dem Geburts–Feste der Durchl. Erbprinzessinn von Braunschweig Königl. Hoheit unterthänigst gewidmet; vorgestellt von der Ackermannischen Gesellschaft den 12ten August 1769. Braunschweig.

A free rendering of Comala in three scenes, mainly in iambic pentameters, with a happy ending substituted for Comala’s tragic death as narrated by Macpherson. The subject is not taken from an episode in Fingal, as stated in Ersch und Gruber, Encyklopädie, _sub_ Eschenburg (p. 53). Cp. Letter of Boie to Raspe, dated Göttingen, Aug. 29, 1769, in the Weimarisches Jahrbuch für deutsche Sprache, Litteratur und Kunst. iii. Hannover, 1855, pp. 13–5. Eschenburg (1743–1820) edited the first four volumes of the Unterhaltungen, also the Brittisches Museum, _q. v._ under 1777.

REVIEWS: Staats– und Gelehrte Zeitung des Hamburgischen unpartheyischen Correspondenten, 1769, No. 150.

Almanach der deutschen Musen auf das Jahr 1770, p. 82. Second Edition, pp. 87–8.

@1770.@ Almanach der deutschen Musen auf das Jahr 1770. Leipzig.[7] pp. 194–204: Comala. Ein dramatisches Gedicht von Eschenburg, d. 12. Aug. dem Geburtsfeste der Erbprinzessinn von Braunschweig gewidmet.

A reprint of the above, which appeared also in the Zwote, verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage of the Almanach, Leipzig, Berlin und Frankfurt, pp. 198–208.

Von den Barden, nebst etlichen Bardenliedern aus dem Englischen. Leipzig.

A translation by Christian Felix Weisse of John Macpherson’s Critical Dissertations on the Origin, Antiquities, Language, Government, Manners, and Religion of the ancient Caledonians (London, 1768), to which are added prose translations of four so–called bardic songs, none of which, however, is taken from Ossian. Cp. Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen (1768), Gall. Alterthümer, 1781, etc.

Neue Bibliothek der schönen Wissenschaften. Leipzig. Vol. 9, ii, pp. 344–9: Review of Robert Macfarlan’s Temorae Liber Primus versibus latinis expressus. Cp. Unterhaltungen, 1769.

@1771.@ Silbernes Buch. MS. in the Berlin Royal Library. p. 103: Todeslied auf einen Helden. p. 104: Todeslied auf ein Mädchen. p. 105: An den Mond. p. 106: Trauergesang eines Mädchen.

The first is a translation of Dar–Thula, p. 287, ll. 10–18, the second of Dar–Thula, p. 288, l. 31–p. 289, l. 3 (cp. Volkslieder, 1779), the third of Dar–Thula, beginning, p. 278–p. 279, l. 13 (cp. Vom Geist der Ebräischen Poesie, 1782), and the fourth of Temora,