ORIGINAL
HUYGENS AAN BARLAEUS
1644, 5 Dec.
...Caussam scriptioni dedit salebrosus interpres, qui eosdem versiculos a se translatos typographo Amstelodamensi vulgandos tradidit; nuper id quidem ut videtur, sed stilo metroque et verbis mihi valde ingratis. Tu dices, ecquid minus incommode me exposuerim. Suspicantur, alteram illam versionem Vondelii esse. Si accedis conjecturae, gratum erit, si et mea per te videat, sed quasi inscio me, et cui nihil de ipso in mentem venerit.
TRANSLATION
HUYGENS TO BARLAEUS
December 5, 1644
...The reason for writing was a clumsy translator who handed over the same verses he translated to an Amsterdam printer to be published. This seems to have happened recently, but I find his style, meter, and words very unpleasant.
You might say that I have expressed myself less awkwardly. They suspect that the other version is by Vondel. If you agree with this guess, I would appreciate it if you could also look at mine, but as if I were unaware and had no thoughts about it.
Metadata
- Sender: Christiaan Huygens
- Recipient: Caspar Barlaeus
- Subject: Concerns about a translation of verses
- Send Date: 1644
- Location: Unknown
- Geolocation: Unknown
- Language: la
- Summary: Huygens writes to Barlaeus about an unsatisfactory translation of his verses that was recently published by an Amsterdam printer. He suspects that the other version might be by Vondel and asks Barlaeus to review his own translation discreetly.