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PROGRAMM

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Königl. und Stadt-Gymnasiums
zu Cöslin,

womit zu der

öffentlichen Prüfung und Schlussfeier,

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den 27ten, 29ten und 30ten März

veranstaltet werden sollen,

ehrerbietigst einladet

TH. ADLER, Director.

Inhalt:

1. Remarks on and Translation of Milton's Treatise: Of Education. By Dr. J. Zelle.

2. Schulnachrichten über das Jahr 1857 vom Director.

58

COESLIN, 1858.

Gedruckt bei A. L. Bu da ck.

Harr, (Coll.)
English. H.

6-21-1922

gen
C=

82.8

11668 t151

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Remarks on and Translation of Milton's Treatise: Of Education.

Since about twenty years the knowledge of English literature has greatly increased among the German nation, and now-a-days it may be said to have attained a most elevated degree. There has scarcely been any time which has given day by day through all European countries in general so great a number of translations from a foreign tongue, (and J doubt, whether our posterity may call this period of literature the age of translations) in which respect our nation certainly is deserving of the uppermost place. Besides that, the number of English works and collections that now are printed by German printers and published by German booksellers has never hitherto been equalled, Moreover the influence of modern English literature on our German productions is not easy to be mistaken, who but knows, that Macaulay's historical style for instance is rivalled and imitated by historians of our nation and that a great many novel-writers of these days give only English stories and depict English institutions. It is, however, greatly to be wondered at, that the works of Milton, whom we know to be one of the greatest English poets, are not completely known in Germany, Every body knows that the Paradise Lost is a wonderful poem, perhaps a great number of our countrymen taking interest in the English literature have read this epopec, some, perhaps, have an imperfect knowledge of the Paradise Regained, that Milton himself thought to be his best work — but who does know Milton's Defence of the People of England, a polemic treatise against Salmasius,,,a giant of literature, who was renowned for learning throughout Europe", that greatly extolled the literary reputation, Milton had till then acquired by his theological treatises and Areopagitica, a Speech for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing, in England, and caused him to become for several years,,the theme of conversation throughout Europe" who, J say, except those belonging properly to the learned men, has a superficial knowledge of Miltons prose works? *) These works have not yet appeared in German editions and only two prose treatises are extant in German translations**).

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*) Macaulay (Essays I., 57. Tauchnitz edit.) finds the same fault with the English: It is to be regretted, that the prose writings of Milton should, in our time, be so little read. As compositions, they deserve the attention of every man who wishes to become acquainted with the full power of the English language. They abound with passages compared with which the finest declamations of Burke sink into insignificance. They are a perfect field of cloth of gold. The style is stiff with gorgeous embroidery. Not even in the earlier books of the Paradise Lost has the great poet ever risen higher than in those parts of his controversial works in which his feelings, excited by conflict, find a vent in bursts of devotional and lyric rapture. It is, to borrow his own majestic language, „a sevenfold chorus of hallelujahs and harping symphonies." **) Viz. Roepel: Milton's Rede über Pressfreiheit. Berlin, 1852. F. v. Holtzendorff: John Milton's Abhandlung über Lehre und Wesen der Ehescheidung. Berlin, 1855,

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