means of inducing some abler and more worthy (but not more
earnest) labourer to enter upon the same field, the riches of
which will remain unaltered and undiminished in value, even
although they may be for the moment tarnished by the hands of the
less skilful workman who first endeavours to transplant them to a
foreign soil.


PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.


I have taken advantage of the publication of a Second Edition
of my translation of the Poems of Goethe (originally published in
1853), to add to the Collection a version of the much admired
classical Poem of Hermann and Dorothea, which was previously
omitted by me in consequence of its length. Its universal
popularity, however, and the fact that it exhibits the
versatility of Goethe's talents to a greater extent than,
perhaps, any other of his poetical works, seem to call for its
admission into the present volume.

On the other hand I have not thought it necessary to include
the sketch of Goethe's Life that accompanied the First Edition.
At the time of its publication, comparatively little was known in
this country of the incidents of his career, and my sketch was
avowedly written as a temporary stop-gap, as it were, pending the
production of some work really deserving the tittle of a life of
Goethe. Not to mention other contributions to the literature of
the subject, Mr. Lewis's important volumes give the English
reader all the information he is likely to require respecting