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LATEST EXHIBITS, deeds, and chores:
(not including endless work on Froissart and fixing
stuff and learning more tech stuff and typing.
DEC. 29, 2005. Re-formatted An Italian Portrait Gallery by Paolo Giovio (Paulus Jovius),
translated by F. A. Gragg. To add to it, finally put up some of the poems of Lorenzo De' Medici,
Angelo Poliziano, Niccolo Machiavelli in both Italian and English with brief biographical notes,
translated by Lorna de' Lucchi, from An Anthology of Italian Poems (13th-19th Century). Links
created from them to the appropriate short biographical descriptions of them by Paolo. The
English is proofed, but the Italian isn't. Let me tell ya, typing up text in a language you don't speak
is not my idea of a good time.
ALERT: If you happened to read the section on charitable tax donations, I got the wrong
information. Actually I got the right information, but not how it translated into reality. The real story
is this, You can donate 50% of your gross income. But the savings on taxes will be, at best, about
a third, at worst, 15%. (So if you donated say 10,000 you would save 3,000 on taxes. Not what I
understood at all. This was a bad time of the year to find out the truth.
DEC 28, 2005; May have found one of the most frequently misspelled words on the internet.
"Unparalled" which should be unparalleled ! ! ! Misspelled 330,000 times in a google search. MSN
search shows it misspelled 144,000+ times (which shows you the difference in the caliber of the
search engines as well).
DEC. 26, 2005. Paul Hentzner's Travels in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He
describes the day he saw the Queen go to church, translated and printed by Horace Walpole, Earl
of Orford up. Modern version, including Americanized spelling, by S. Rhoads with notes. The
Original with minor corrections (consistent spellings throughout, minor typos of punctuation) is up
as well. It even has the 'long s" intact. The text is due to the kindness of Greg Johnson, a 'sweet
Prince', and Sherrie Newcome, 'a fayre Lady,' with many thanks. (But will they read it?)
This helps to show the differences from the language and typography of the 1700's and today. As
you can see, the original is very easy to understand (once you figure out the "long s" business).
You will also see a big advance in spelling from a 100 years before, which you can compare by
looking at Sir Walter Raleigh's text. That too is still easy to read and understand compared to
Chaucer.
To supplement this, Sir Robert Carey's eye-witness account of the death of Queen Elizabeth and
his experiences with a Scottish raider called Geordie Bourne, and a brief biographical sketch from
Chambers's Cyclopaedia of English Literature.
DEC. 25, 2005. Merry Christmas! To celebrate, something by a worthy monk is up -- Of the Seven
Wonders of the World, by Venerable Bede, translated from the Latin by J. A. Giles, who did it first.
In case you didn't know. Violation of Copyright, or plagiarism, was a frequent occurrence by
publishers in the earlier 1900's (and before). That Victorian morality had some strange holes in it.
Publishers also would reprint works without crediting the translators who ended up reprinted in
their texts. Not very nice. An example is a collection of Books called Tales from the Italian and
Spanish, published by The Review of Reviews Company in New York. Rarely are the translators
acknowledged. Examples include several stories with translations by Thomas Roscoe from the
Italian Novelists including three now put up: THE PRISONER'S WIFE, by SEBASTIANO ERIZZO
[1525-1585], THE THIEF AND THE CAVALIER, by LUIGI SANVITALE, THE RESCUE OF
POLIDORO, by NICCOLO GRANUCCI [c. 1570], and the wonderful story by Niccolo Machiavelli,
Belphagor, mentioned below.
Another story in that collection is up by Giovanni Sabbadino, The Patient with the Plague. I don't
know who translated this one, they don't say. Like I said, not very nice of them.
Another instance is by J. M. Dent and E. F. Dutton, co-publishers of The Ecclesiastical History of
the English Nations by the Venerable Bede, in the Everyman's Library Series. They don't bother
to mention who did the translations. The first part, the HIstory itself,iwas probably translated by
Jane (according to google). The second part is translated by Giles from The Biographical Writings
and Letters of Venerable Bede, one portion of which is mentioned in the first entry today.
DEC. 23, 2005. A Report of the Truth Concerning the Last Sea-Fight of the Revenge, by Sir
Walter Raleigh is up, with a modernized version as well as the original. One more glimpse of the
betrayal of comrades out of cowardice. A minimal attempt to whitewash the cowardice of Lord
Howard is made by Sir Walter, but it is clear that chivalry was dead in practice once again.
DEC. 22, 2005. The Kid was singing this under her breath as she made gift baskets and curled
ribbon for my work since I have a terrible cold and am unbelievably whiney. An original quatrain to
be sung to the tune of "And so this is Christmas";
"And so this is Christmas,
And I have not killed anyone,
No one near and dear to me,
I'm not having any fun!"
What a dear creature, she is!
DEC. 20, 2005. Up: Belphagor, a story by Niccolo Machiavelli. Very funny! And one by Giovanni
Sabbadinno from the fourteenth century, The Patient With the Plague. Not that funny.
Some more tales by Franco Sacchetti, translated by Merrick Whitcomb and they include stories
about Dante.
DEC. 18, 2005. Another third of the Goldenrod Fairy Book proofed. Reminded once again that
proofreading is an endless task. Read a proofed story out loud to the night shift (Story of Princess
Vasilisa with the Golden Tress and Ivan the Pea). Found four mistakes more! So reading aloud,
is a way to spot mistakes missed on the first pass. Goody (sic). The fairy tales will be easy to find
an audience for, but the longer histories are another story! To test this theory, I read The Three
Gifts, proofed once already, aloud to the Kid. Sure enough, found three mistakes missed the first
time.
David Whitehead in Dublin says that the Lump of Coal Threat is not one used in Ireland. So the
bare naked piece of coal gift idea will not have international appeal -- at least in this way.
Somebody else, by google search, seems to have the same idea. But their coal is formed into a
rectangle. Not nearly so pretty as it comes here on Pine Mountain fresh from the stratum in all its
paleologic glory!
The rest of Thomas Roscoe's translation of his pick of Franco Sachetti's Novels are up. Not
proofed! (other than spell-checked).
Another book purported to be by Roscoe, called Tales of Humour, Gallantry and Romance from
the Italian, appear to be some of the same stories found in the Italian Novelists, with a few
variations In this edition, the original author is not mentioned and there are small illustrations by
George Cruikshank. Here is one called The Teacher Taught, which, in the Roscoe collection, he
says is translated from the Il Pecorone of Ser Giovanni Fiorentino (14th century). This translation
is different, so is the rumor that The Tales of H, G and R are by Roscoe true? Will try to find out.
Flamenca is now proofed. Only pictures to go!
DEC. 14, 2005. Proofreading done for a third of the Goldenrod Fairy Book. Found a better
bulletin board system, maybe, and so may be able to do what i promised. But I think I forgot the
password and will never be able to use it again! Which is only worth worrying about if the thing
works at all. The Fan Mail and Foe Mail Boards are up and, hopefully, the latter will never be
used.
Site revamping is proceeding slowly, slowly, but proceeding. I wonder if the lump of coal in your
stocking threat is only an American threat?
DEC. 11, 2005. Another brilliant idea of mine, via Bill Thayer (don't blame him), too late in the
year to take full advantage of it. But it is good for other occasions, besides Xmas, I imagine.
The perfect stocking stuffer! for those who you are a little peeved with: A nice, natural
large (but light) Lump of Coal! in the pre-diamond state. A Real Raw Rock. I'll pick it out
and gather it for you, with my own two hands. I am in Appalachia after all. And I'll mail it
with a sweet little ribbon, then you can do the Claus thing with it.
To get it, all you have to do is make a donation to one of my favorite causes (your choice)
and it's yours, -- and the money is all theirs (except postage). Brilliant. But hurry. Brilliant
ideas are tarnished when not timely but become a tad awkward. I have to pick it straight
off the mountainside the moment I hear, to get it to you in time. How fresh can you get?
Causes include:
Gerard Jones,
Bill Thayer
Roger Pearse
Chris Philips
and more.
We aren't talking about some tacky little over-done charcoal briquet, we're talking the real McCoy
here. Interesting in its own right. I've never seen one in my whole live-long years, (well-traveled
ones too) until Bill did his explorer stuff when he visited. He hadn';t seen one before either. He is
even more well-traveled than I am.
Want one? Want to see an example first? See One and Get One here.
Sick of political abuses of, by and for some people? Control the use of your tax dollar (in
the US). According the IRS website, an individual can control where half of his tax money
is spent. Yep, 'tis true. 50% percent of what you have to pay in taxes can go where YOU
want, by donating it to the .org or registered charity of your choice. That's better than one
measly vote. Money does make the world go round after all.
We might really be able to buy world peace, the arts, cleaner air, better education, etc.
So before the end of the year, tell payroll to send that money to somebody that does what
you want to be done with it. Take control. A Business can donate 10% to their favorite
cause. If they don't support anybody in particular, find one with a consdence.
Also The Jenkins, KY., website section is now up by Bill Thayer. He does such good work!
Back to Froissart again (what took me so long?)
For Chaucer fans, here is some information from Froissart's Chronicles, from the year 1376,
pages 509-510 of Vol. I.:
CHAPTER CCCXXVI. -- RICHARD, SON OF THE PRINCE OF WALES, IS ACKNOWLEDGED AS
PRESUMPTIVE HEIR TO THE CROWN OF ENGLAND. -- THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE
HAVING FAILED, AND THE TRUCES EXPIRED, THE WAR IS RENEWED BETWEEN THE FRENCH
AND ENGLISH.
After the feast of Michaelmas, when the funeral of the prince had been performed in a manner
suitable to his birth and merit, the king of England caused the young prince Richard to be
acknowledged as his successor to the crown after his decease, by all his children, the duke of
Lancaster, the earl of Cambridge, the lord Thomas his youngest son, as well as by all the barons,
earls, prelates, and knights of England. He made them solemnly swear to observe this; and on
Christmas-day he had him seated next to himself, above all his children, in royal state, that it might
be seen and declared he was to be king of England after his death.
The lord John Cobham, the bishop of Hereford, and the dean of London, were at this time sent to
Bruges on the part of the English. The French had sent thither the count de Saltzbourg, the lord
de Chatillon, and master Phillibert l’Espiote. The prelates, ambassadors from the pope, had still
remained there, and continued the negotiations for peace. They treated of a marriage between
the young son of the prince and the lady Mary, daughter of the king of France: after which the
negotiators of each party separated, and reported what they had done to their respective kings.
About Shrovetide, a secret treaty was formed between the two kings for their ambassadors to meet
at Montreuil-sur-mer; and the king of England sent to Calais sir Guiscard d’Angle, sir Richard
Sturey, and sir Geoffry Chaucer. On the part of the French were, the lords de Coucy and de la
Rivieres, sir Nicholas Bragues and Nicholas Bracier. They for a long time discussed the subject of
the above marriage; and the French, as I was informed, made some offers, but the others
demanded different terms, or refused treating. These lords returned therefore, with their treaties,
to their sovereigns; and the truces were prolonged to the first of May. The earl of Salisbury, the
bishop of St. David’s chancellor of England, and the bishop of Hereford, returned to Calais; and
with them, by orders of the king of France, the lord de Coucy, and sir William de Dormans
chancellor of France.
Notwithstanding all that the prelates could say or argue, they never could be brought to fix upon
any place to discuss these treaties between Montreuil and Calais, nor between Montreuil and
Boulogne, nor on any part of the frontiers; these treaties, therefore, remained in an unfinished
state. When the war recommenced, sir Hugh Calverley was sent governor of Calais.
DEC. 9, 2005. Found 2 Anglo-Saxon historians who have little good to say of J. A. Giles, the
translator into English of many Anglo-Saxon texts (sloppiness, extensive borrowing of other
translators work, etc.) . Hmmm.
Of note, Plummer says that the best, 'most vigorous and idiomatic' translation of The Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle was done by 'the learned and benevolent Miss Anna Gurney (1795-1857)' in 1821. His
note is here.
Plummer also has a note on the use of the word 'Christmas' in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles and
tells when it was first used in these texts.
DEC. 7, 2004. Sweet Dreams, Beth.
The Story of Flamenca, Arranged from the Provencal Original of the XIIIth Century by William
Aspenwall Bradley, is up I may have found the scanner cable, if so, the woodcuts by Florence
Wyman Ivins will be up soon.
The first of the short 'Novels' of Franco Sacchetti, translated by Thomas Roscoe.
A few King's Letters: William I to Gregory VII, with the royal excuse for a late bill payment.
Some of the Letters of Henry II: to the Bishop of Hereford, the Bishops, the Sheriffs, the
Archbishop of Cologne, and the Cardinals, regarding the Thomas a Becket struggle. These will
supplement the in-depth history of this struggle reported by Roger de Hoveden, who worked for
Henry II but was also a clergyman. His view is a little more balanced than the reports by the church
writers who were more biased in favor of St. Thomas then he was. To read this, go here.
DEC. 4, 2005. More from The World's Wit and Humor, of the British variety. Some Citations from
the work of George Meredith. Far better, is the wonderful discovery of E. O Sullivan and Martin
Ross (two women who wrote for Badminton Magazine). See the Extracts from Some Experiences
of an Irish R. M. [Resident Magistrate]. These are even proofed. Which proves that this chore is
entirely dependent on the subject matter being proofed.
DEC. 3, 2005. Put up (unproofed) the chapter on the soldier poet, Bertran de Born, an early
troubadour. His satires (sirventes), with a 12th century biography and modern notes and
commentary by Barbara Smythe illustrating the sad tendency to say that the work of an artist is a
true reflection of the life and character of the author, when only their works remain. Form your
own opinion.
The anonymous Irish Bulls from The Worlds Wit and Humor, English writers, Volume IX.
Some more primary source extracts (unproofed) from Edward P. Cheyney's Readings in English
History, all but one are his translations or modernizations and include his commentary. The works
of Julius Caesar, Diodorus Siculus, and Tacitus are already on the web in English translation, but
another person's translation is always helpful. See this Squib if you wonder why this is so. It is
also interesting to see what extracts Cheyney, a noted scholar, considers important enough to
include in his collection. He included an extract from the J. A. Giles translation of Gildas, an early
historian in Briton, a Letter on John Cabot's discoveries by an Italian clergyman staying in England
at the time (1497 A. D.), a Love Letter from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, a German tourist's (Paul
Hentzner) description of England in 1598, and an extract by the modern historian, Green, on early
England.
It is sort of interesting, to me anyway, to see what caught my attention and distracted me from
proofreading and continuing re-formatting more of my site, and other chores.
Also got a book for Bill Thayer, The Caves of Letcher County by Gary Jessey AND he said Bill
could use anything he wanted on his marvelous website that now includes the first detailed
information on the web on Jenkins, Kentucky and its history as an early coal-mining town in the
Appalachian Mountains.
(Note, per a native Appalachian, the word Appalachia is pronounced with all short 'a's, and the 'i' is
silent.)
Another puzzling glimpse in the world of translation and academia:
Found an interesting item: already up is an extract from the Treaty between Charles the Great
and Offa, that is in Elizabeth Kemble's Source Book of English History stating that it is from the J.
A. Giles translation of William of Malmesbury's Chronicle.
However, I put up a longer extract of THE SAME DOCUMENT, apparently, from Edward Cheyney's
Readings in English History, which states it is from Haddan And Stubbs, Vol. III, and shows that the
part that is common to both varies only by two prepositions and among in one vs amongst in the
other. Since I did them at different times, I and have a Teflon-coated brain) I didn't compare them
and thought they were 2 different documents.
I just realized this and now am puzzled:
Cheyney states that this is a Letter, not a Treaty and the date differs. Despite all that forced
memorization that seems to be the bane of modern students when studying history, the matter of
dates is common problem for historians and a matter of opinion often. Kemble lists the date as
uncertain with the usual "c." for circa (or about). But Cheyney states the year was 796, without a
qualifier thus implying certainty.
Now, Cheyney does not say definitely that he has translated this extract, however, when he uses
another person's translation, he does say so in the table of contents.. (And he specifically
mentions using translations of J. A. Giles when he uses them.
What is so curious? Well, if the extract in Haddan and Stubbs is based on J. A. Giles translation
too, should that be mentioned? If not, it is odd that the 2 different translations vary only by 6
letters. Is that all it takes to be a "new translation."? What a great job!
To try to get to the bottom of this, I will try to find the Haddan and Stubbs entry.
I will also add this longer extract and Cheyney's comments to the same page on the extract by
Kemble. For now, I will also keep the 2 original pages separate, just in case they are not really the
same.
The page with Both Versions is here (although it might be easier to compare them in 2 separate
documents) and I will highlight the common sections and the differences.
DEC. 1, 2005. The last of the fairy tales from The Goldenrod Fairy Book (partially proofed), The
Golden Bird (German), Golden Hair (Bohemian), Yanechek and the Water Demon (Bohemian),
The Frog Prince (German), The Knights of the Fish (Spanish), The Sandal-wood Necklace
(Chundun Rajah) (Hindu).
Also, some of the medieval (c. 13th century) Novelle Antiche (The Hundred Ancient Tales)
translated by Thomas Roscoe (unproofed) from The Italian Novelists, as well as the humor of
Lionel Strachey, a British author: How to Translate German, Odd Ideas, Solitude. The last,
Strachey's work, if proofed.
NOV. 17, 2005. A few more fairy tales: Golden Hair (Bohemian), The Fir-Tree (Danish), and
Snow-white and Red-rose (German), Prince Zeyn Alasnam and the King of the Genii (Arabian),
Story of Vasilisa with the Golden Tress and of Ivan the Pea (Russian). Plus some ancient Turkish
Fables translated by Epiphanius Wilson. For you Beth.
NOV. 13, 2005. My favorite fairy tale discovery (imagine it as a skit!): Huntsman the Unlucky, a
Russian story, along with Little Ruby Fish (Murchie-Lal), a Hindu Fairy Tale; The Elder-tree
Mother from the Danish; Faithful John, German in origin, and (shudder) Hop o' My Thumb, French,
Little Tiny (Danish), The Three Lemons (Italian) -- all from The Goldenrod Fairy Book by Esther
Singleton now up. Also a short bit on Sneezes, from 'A Pinch of Snuff' by William Mathews from
Hours with Men and Books.
Also up, the cream of the crop from Hearty Jokes and Drummers Yarns, a joke book from 1895,
reprinted in 1896. Drummers were the traveling salesman in America. I spared you many. If you
want to see the rest, let me know. When I say the best, I ain't lying.
Go to the Archives, for the year and a half of stuff. Now this page will load faster!