The chief merit of a translator is, in the first place, to adhere closely to the
narrative; the second is to dress his version in elegant and polished language. Both
of these circumstances are peculiarly interesting to the author of the original work,
who necessarily feels (in some degree) his own fame connected with that of his
translator; the triumph and the gale, if not equally divided, being in a great
measure participated.

The translator of these volumes has performed his first task with commendable
accuracy: but we cannot, with justice, pay the same tribute of praise to the last
requisite accomplishment, namely, language. Here, however, we will not be fastidious,
because the French author himself allows his style to have no claim to be ranked in
the first class for elegance, and very candidly acknowledges 'aukward faults:'—yet
we
think that the translator might have spared the reader the aggravation of these
defects by increasing their number.—We are here too often disgusted with 'aukward'
expressions; for example: ' Well adjusted ornaments improve every one:'' It is impressed on the minds of trades
people:'' 'Twas then he set up for an enemy.'' Said I, embracing his neck,' &c.

These are certainly inelegancies: yet we would not discourage the translator from
persevering in his very useful though laborious path, since in this field of
literature these labourers are very beneficial to the Republic of Letters.

We noticed the original in our xxxivth Vol. N. S. p. 531.