Atalacha00chat.Pdf

n I npulfarAXaHtli^ IDYLS &'PlRST JS^^TIG^rOH. Lom>o:T. 1817. ATALAi BY yi. DE ClIATEAUDRIAKT. INDIAN COTTAGE BY J. II. B. SAINT-PI£RUF,. IDYLS; FIRST NAVIGATOR BY SOLOMON GESSxNLR. LONDON: Prill. J for Walker and Edwards; F. C. and J. Rivingtou ; J. Nunn; Cadell and Da- vics ; Longman, IIur»t, Rees, Orme, and Brown ; J. Richardson; Law and Whittaker ; Newni.tu and Co. ; Lackington and Co. ; Black, Parbury, anfl Allen; J. Black and Son; Sherwood, Ntely, and Jones; R. Scholey; IJaUlwin, Cradock, aiitl Joy; Gule aud Tenuer ; J. Robinson ; and li. lit) uoids. 1U17. AT ALA BY M. DE CHATEAl BRIANT: WITH EXPLANATORV ^;OT£i. Pity melts iht Kmi to \o\t."—Dr>jden. PREFACE TRANSLATOR. Monsieur de Chateaubriant, llie inge- nious author of Alala, was led In a curiosity, jialural to ^outli, to visit I/Oui>iana, a country no very new, and so entirely different from any he had seen in Europe. In 1789 he went to North America. " In the midst of deserts, Hnder the huts of savas^es," says he, " was Alala written. I do not know wlielher the public will like this story, which differs so much from all others, and describes manners and customs quite foreign to our own. To give this work the most antique form, I have divided it into Prologue, Becitation, and Epilogue. The principal parCs of the narration 1 have denominated The Huntsmen, The. Husbandmen, <Sc. in imi- tation of the rbapsodists, who, in the time of primitive Greece, sung fragments of Homer, Buder different titles. " Every one knows what has been the sad fate of France for these many years. Covered with the blood of an onl v brother, of his wife's, and that illustrious old man's, their father j* • Monsieur de Malesherbcs. ^Vh^le my family was thus massacred, imprisoaed, or banished, one of ray sisters, who owed her liberty to the death of her bus. J vi PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. having seen my mother, and my most accom- plished sister, perish, in consequence of the sufferings lliey underwent in a dungeon, 1 wan- dered in a foreign land, where the only friend 1 bad preserved slabbed himself in my pre- sence.* " Of all my manuscripts on America, I have only sa>ed a few fragments; Atala in particu* lar. The subject is not entirely my own inven- tion : it is true that a savage became a galley- slave, and was brought afterwards to the court of Louis XlV. it is true that a French mis- sionary did all I ha% e related ; it is certain also liiat I have seen savages carrying the bones of their fathers, and a young mother drying the bnd\ of her infant child on the branches of a tree. Some few more circumstances are equally true ; but, as they are of no material import- ance, 1 shall not mention them here." The uncommon success this book has met banil, was al Fongeres, a small town in Britanny. When the Vendean army arrived there with eight hiunlrcd rtpubiicau prisoners, whom they bad con- demned to be shot, my sister threw Lerstlt at the feet of La" Roche Jaquelin, and obtained the prisoners* pardon. She hastened to the Revolutionary Tribuoal al Rtnnes, where she shewed tlie certificate of bec having save) the lives of eight hundred meu, and only asked, as a reward, the liberty of her sisters. The president of the tribunal answered, " Thou must be a D. B. of a royalist, whom I have a great mind to send to the guillotine; since the briijaDds have so readily li»ieii.d to Ihy interfcrcnc*-. The republic is nut at all obliged to thee for wh.«t tlioa hast done. She baa but too many defenders -, she wants bread." f Note of the author'. • Wt bad been five day« wilhoui food.—^/d. ; PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. vii with in Paris, tlie great noise it lias made aincngst the Fiencli literati, and the serere criticisms tliat ha\ebeen levelled at it, snlHci- eiitly prove the merit of Al.;la. A fictitious slorv mvist be very interestinjj indeed, that can attract the attention of a peoide, whose oiind has been so lon;^ agitated by the most melau- choly and dreadful realities. The moral tendency of Atala will, I am sure, equally please and surprise the reader, when he considers that it was published in a country, which had then laid aside every kind of religious principle; but some just still remain- ed in that modern Niniveh ; their prayers were heard, and the hand of persecution, which was lifted up against the worship of their forefa- thers, will, i hope, no longer disturb them in their sacred rites. If, like the apple of discord, this little book has kindled a war between the njodern philo- sophers, who spit their malicious venom against every thing that bears the stamp of Christian virtue ; sereral honest and moral writers have taken up its defence. Even one, who acknow- ledging his past errors, courageously retracted them in a preliminary discourse to his translation of the Psalter. La Harpe himself has not disdained to wield his pen against the scurri- lous attacks of atheists. The simplicity of this affecting story, and the lively interest kept up throughout, have induced me to think that a translation of it might be acceptable to the English reader. I do not flatter myself in having attained tie originality and elegance of style of my autlior yet I have endeavoured to preserve the spirit of this poetical writer. Till PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. Some passages will, I imagine, appear rallier bold ; and some sentiments overstrained ; but we must recollect that tlie scene lies in the deserts of North America, that the two principal actors are savages, who think and feel very different from us, and whose unbridled passions have not been curbed by civilization. —Let those, who constantly declaim against the evils attending social life, peruse these few sheets, and draw a comparison between the bar- barous customs of savages, and the humane and refined manners of men governed by just and equitable laws. Let them look round on this prosperous island, whose shores, secure in the valour of their loyal inhabitants, will prove, I sincereh' hope, the immoveable rock which Gallic rash and frantic ambition shall ever split upon. I have spared no trouble to render this little story pleasing to an English reader. I have thought it necessary to alter, suppress, or soften, some parts, which no doubt escaped the author in the warmth of composition. Wishing to join the usefnl to the entertain- ing, I have added notes to describe the va- rious natural productions, to elucidate several passages, which might not be easily understood, and to give an account of the customs of the savages in North America. O you, my fair countrywomen, whose social and religious virtues are the admiration of our neighbours, and the pride and orna- ment of our isle, it is under your auspices 1 shall venture to offer Atala to the public. If this affecting story move your hearts to pity, one sympathetic tear will amply repay all lUa pains 1 have taken for your amiuement. BIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE. Of the Aulliors wliose works compose the present volume, oue only as yet is the subject of biographical notice — Gessner, usually styled The German Theocritus. Solomon' Gessner was born at Zurich in 1730. His father was a printer and booksel- ler, and gave him such a liberal education, as well fitted hiia to succeed in the same trades. The firm of his faliier's house was that of OreT, Gessner, and Company, well known over all Europe, and distinguished for the accuracy and elegance of its typographical productions. Young Gessner, like all born to display ge- nius, shewed an early taste and predilection for study, and his masters, knowing that his pursuits might eventually be serviceable to their interest, encouraged them with proper liberality, and aflorded him every facility to coulinne his studies. In 1752, Avhen he had reached the twenty- second year of his age, he travelled through a considerable part of Germany on business be- longing to the house, but took, at the same time, every opportunity to cultivate Lis ta- Iv BIOGRAnilCAL PREFACE. lenld, and become acquainted with men of emi- nence in llie literary world. Nor was itlon^ before he put in his claim to be considered as one of that number. In 1753, after his return In Zurich, he published a small poem, entitled •* Night," and the favourable reception this met with, encouraged him to produce, soon afterwards, his more celebrated pastoral ro- mance, entitled " Daphnis," in tliree cantos. In these publications there is somewhat of the irregularity and extravagance which mark the age of the author, but they are not delicient in that luxuriance of imagery and amenity of sentiment, which distinguished his more ma- ture works. He appears to have at this time studied Ovid, and was not unsuccessful iu adopting the manner of that poet. His taste seemed to be decidedly in favour of pastoral poetry, and he now produced, what is before the reader, his " Id vis," iu which he was a professed imitator tif Theocri- tus. They were the principal and favourite objects of his attention, and he seems to have considered them as laying the foundation of liis fame, nor iu this respect did he rale them loo high, for they procured him the highest reputation throughrjut Swilzeiland and Ger- many. For elegant and tender fancy and ex- pres.sion, he was allowed to stand unrivalled.

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