TC TO J. W. PARKER; 12 January 1849; DOI: 10.1215/lt-18490112-TC-JWP-01; CL 23: 200-201
TC TO J. W. PARKER
Chelsea, January 12th, 1849.
DEAR SIR,
I read, about a year ago, the Campaner Thal of Jean Paul F. Richter, translated by Miss Juliette Bauer,1 of which you now receive a copy from that young lady,—which, pray, look at, a little. Apart from a little indistinctness about the punctuation,—due probably to the printer,—I considered the translation really good: and that it was a work worth translating, calculated to interest all serious and ingenious persons, is a fact that needs no testimony of mine.
The same young lady, it appears, has now prepared a translation of the little book called Selina,2 which is a kind of sequel and completion to the other. Of this also she sends you the MS., or at least a specimen of the MS. Whether you can do anything with it is quite uncertain to me; but I wish you to examine and consider; and would not refuse this my faithful testimony on the subject, to induce you so to do.
Jean Paul was never yet popular among English readers: but there is a small and increasing public to whom he irresistibly appeals; and that small, not entirely inconsiderable, and continually increasing public is withal (the excellence of the man being indisputable) a quite certain one, in my opinion. Perhaps either for the Magazine,3 or, which would be pleasanter, for a small separate volume, you may be able to turn these papers to account? The young lady's style of work is as I describe it to you. Some judicious and speedy answer I can at least promise her from you.
Believe me, always, Very sincerely yours,
T. Carlyle.
J. W. Parker, Esq., Publisher,
West Strand.
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