THE SAME TRANSLATED.

Cum mea virgineas inter stat Laura catervas

Eximio vestita decore,

Quo magis excellens alias nitet, hôc magis arctâ

Me retinet complexa catenâ :

Tunc soleo laudare locum, tunc tempus et horam, Quæ mihi castum accenderit ignem,

Atque animæ, Fortuna tibi faustissima, dico,

Dignetur quæ munere tali.

Illa tibi sensum prima inspiravit amandi,

Summum ut scire bonum potis esses,

Quæque aliis in honore viris contemnere nugas : Et virtutem increscere fecit,

Unde mihi ad cœlum pateat via, dura ferentem

Interea sublimis alat spes.

TRANSLATION

FROM THE GERMAN OF UHLAND.

The learned of our land,

Her tongue who understand,

With all their skill combine

The structure to explore,

And ever more and more
To polish and refine.

While they our outward speech
With all its beauties teach
Expertly to unfold,

Ye men of German breed,
"Tis yours by life and deed

Its inward strength to mould.

'Tis yours to give the light,

The purity, the might,

Which hearts alone inspire;

The full poetic glow,

From which mankind may know

'Tis warm'd with heavenly fire.

THE SAME TRANSLATED.

In hôc laborant nostra doctorum manus,

Usum ut loquendi patrium

Lustrare possint, quæque pulchra cognitis, Ornatiorem reddere.

Solerter illi dum refingendi modum

Sermonis externi docent,

Firmare vos oportet, Anglorum genus,

Interna linguæ robora;

Sic agere, sic sentire, voci ut influant

Vis, lumen, atque puritas,

Poeticusque fervor, unde appareat

Quo caleat illa spiritu.

Let nothing shame you so
As falsehood's guileful show;
Still in the right be strong:

Let honest German truth

Be planted in your youth,

With words of German tongue.

Use not your lips to prate

In amorous debate;

But still in language clear Your duteous thoughts express,

Your simple trustfulness

And earnest love sincere.

Lisp not in courtly phrase,
To soothe with empty praise

The proud, the vain man's ear;

But speak in lofty strain,

Like freemen who maintain

The rights they hold most dear.

And when our speech improved
And all its faults removed

Shall crown your great design,

Ye ne'er shall speak, but they
Who hear your words shall say,

Ye breathe a voice divine.

Virtute fretis sit pudori maximo

Struxisse mendacem dolum;

Et cum Britannis hæreat vocabulis

Britanna cordi veritas.

Ne garrientes cum puellarum choro
Inepta nugari juvet,

Sed fari honesto quæ quis animo sentiat

Simpliciter ac fideliter.

Ne vana balbutite quæ potentium

Subblandiantur auribus:

Clametis altâ voce digna liberis

Qui sancta jura vindicant.

Sic vestra linguam norma cum correxerit,

Mendis remotis omnibus,

Quisquis loquentes audiet fatebitur

Vos ore divino loqui.