Abstract
This chapter argues that the history of the translation into French and Portuguese of Persuasion by Jane Austen, and the work’s subsequent dissemination, is paradigmatic of the process of the circulation of novels between Britain and Brazil, in which France and Portugal played a pivotal role as mediators. It demonstrates how the circuits and crossings of foreign novels in the transatlantic space benefited from the intervention of agents like periodicals, translators, and publishers. Focusing on the participants in this process, this chapter is a case study that describes and demonstrates general aspects of the frequently meandering pathways of novels in their dissemination worldwide.
Es gehört schon zum Begriff eines Romans,dass er keine Nationalität haben muss.
Friedrich Schlegel, Literarische Notizen (It is part of the concept of the novel that it has no nationality. My translation)
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Notes
- 1.
“Extrato do Catálogo dos livros em português, novelas, romances, historietas, etc., que se acham na livraria de B.L. Garnier, no Rio de Janeiro, rua do Ouvidor n. 69, e em Paris a mesma casa, rua des Saints Peres n. 6, e Palácio nacional n. 214 a 216” [Excerpt from the Catalogue of books in Portuguese, novels, novellas, short stories, and so on, which are found at B.L. Garnier’s bookshop, in Rio de Janeiro, rua do Ouvidor no. 69, and the same House in Paris, rue des Saints Peres no. 6, and National Palace nos 214 to 216], in Diário do Rio de Janeiro, 22 November and 19 December 1854, p. 5 (updated spelling).
- 2.
MEYER, Marlyse. “O que é, ou quem foi Sinclair das Ilhas?”, in: Revista do Instituto de Estudos Brasileiros 14 (1973), pp. 37–63. Madame La Baronne Isabelle de Montolieu (1751–1832) became well known as the author of the novel Caroline de Lichtfield, ou Mémoires d’une Famille Prussienne, published in 1786.
- 3.
The listings are headed by the title “Livros chegados pelo último paquete que se acham à venda na livraria Garnier, à rua do Ouvidor n. 69” [Books arriving on the last packet boat which are found for sale at Garnier Bookshop, at Rua do Ouvidor no. 69], for example, in Diário do Rio de Janeiro, 7 January 1855.
- 4.
MEYER, Marlyse. In VASCONCELOS, Sandra Guardini. A Formação do Romance Inglês. Ensaios Teóricos. São Paulo, 2007 [inside flaps].
- 5.
MORETTI, Franco. “Narrative Markets, ca 1850”, in: Atlas of the European novel, 1800–1900. London, 1999.
- 6.
‘Fluminense’ was the nineteenth-century demonyn for the city of Rio de Janeiro.
- 7.
MORETTI, Atlas of the European Novel, p. 186.
- 8.
The publication was postdated to 1818.
- 9.
Jan Fergus remarks that this was Jane Austen’s option, among those available to writers who would like to be paid for a published novel; ‘on commission’ was “a system whereby the author was responsible for paying all the expenses of publication while the publisher distributed the copies and took a commission on all sold”. See “The Literary Marketplace”, in: JOHNSON, Claudia L., and TUITE, Clara (eds). A Companion to Jane Austen. Oxford, 2012, p. 42.
- 10.
The information about the edition is taken from ST. CLAIR, William. The Reading Nation in the Romantic Period. Cambridge, 2004, p. 580. For the first time, Austen was publicly acknowledged as the author of the novels (“By the author of Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park &”).
- 11.
Unsigned review of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, in: The Quarterly Review 24 (January 1821), pp. 352–376. In: SOUTHAM, B.C. (ed.). Jane Austen. The Critical Heritage, vol. 1, 1811–1870. Abingdon, 2009, pp. 87–105. The quotation is on pp. 100–101.
- 12.
Walter Scott published an unsigned review of Emma, in The Quarterly Review 16 (March 1816), pp. 188–201. See SOUTHAM, Jane Austen, vol. 1, pp. 58–69.
- 13.
MACKINTOSH, R. J. Memoirs of Sir James Mackintosh (1835), vol. 2, p. 471, quoted by SOUTHAM, Jane Austen, p. 116. When they met in London in 1813, Madame de Staël responded to Mackintosh’s recommendation that she should read the recently published Austen’s novel. See also DEVONSHIRE, M.G. The English Novel in France 1830–1870. New York, 1967, p. 272. In her biography of Austen, Claire Tomalin explains that there was an attempt to introduce the English writer to Mme de Staël, when the latter visited London in the winter of 1813–1814, an opportunity turned down by Austen. Tomalin adds: “Later, de Staël expressed her view that Austen’s novels were vulgaire, too close to the English provincial life she detested for its narrowness and dullness, its emphasis on duty and stifling of wit and brilliance.” See TOMALIN, Claire. Jane Austen: A Life. New York, 1999, p. 242.
- 14.
CHASLES, Philarète. “Du Roman en Angleterre depuis Walter Scott”, in: Revue des Deux Mondes (15 July 1842), vol. 31.4, p. 194.
- 15.
See http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009368369 (accessed 23 September 2013).
- 16.
COSSY, Valérie Cossy. Jane Austen in Switzerland. A Study of the Early French Translations. Geneva, 2006, p. 29.
- 17.
See COSSY, Jane Austen in Switzerland, p. 50.
- 18.
“Jealous of concentrating our efforts on the more generally useful objects, we have entertained our readers with everything that essentially involves the happiness of individuals and societies. We have searched for precepts in morality; lessons and examples in history; studies on man and nature in travels; instructive amusement in light productions.” In: Bibliothèque Britannique, Préface, XVI (1801), p. 4. In: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510009686426;view=1up;seq=10 (accessed 11 March 2015). My translation and emphasis.
- 19.
See HERMETET, Anne-Rachel, and WEINMANN, Frédéric. “Prose Narrative”, in CHEVREL, Yves, D’HULST, Lieven, and LOMBEZ, Christine (eds). Histoire des traductions en langue française, XIXe siècle, 1815–1914. Paris, 2012, pp. 540–541.
- 20.
According to Cossy, it was through the Mercure de France that Montolieu heard about Bertrand, who published the periodical. Montolieu kept a long-term contract with the publisher, who was responsible for the publication of her translations of Austen and of Montolieu’s collection of works. See COSSY, Jane Austen in Switzerland, p. 195.
- 21.
The translations of Emma by an unidentified author followed in June 1816 (La Nouvelle Emma, ou les caractères anglais du siècle, Paris, Arthus-Bertrand), and of Mansfield Park in September 1816, by Henri Vilmain (Le Parc de Mansfield, ou les trois cousines, Paris, J.G. Dentu).
- 22.
In two volumes, the novel corresponds to vols XV and XVI of Madame La Baronne Isabelle de Montolieu’s Oeuvres Complètes, published in Paris in 1828 by the same Arthus-Bertrand. Montolieu’s collection of original works and translations is said to amount to 105 volumes; yet, Ellen Moody claims that the Bibliothèque nacionale de France (BNF) lists only 84, of which a couple are misattributions.
- 23.
Valérie Cossy remarks that in the edition of Austen’s complete works by the prestigious Pléiade, in 2000, the general editor Pierre Goubert still wrote of Austen that she was “un auteur méconnu” in France. See COSSY, Valérie, and SAGLIA, Diego. “Translations”, in: TODD, Janet (ed.). Jane Austen in Context. Cambridge, 2005, p. 169.
- 24.
Madame la Baronne Isabelle de Montolieu, preface to the 1843 edition of Caroline de Lichtfield, ou Mémoires d’une famille prusienne, published in Paris by the same Arthus-Bertrand.
- 25.
“This would be the occasion, I believe, of responding to the kind reproach continuously aimed at me, that I translate instead of composing. Perhaps only one confession would suffice, very humiliating to make, but which I owe to the truth, that I lack this gift of genius, this creative imagination that enables the invention of new situations, remarkable or interesting events, original characters; in the last analysis, all that goes into the composition of a good novel. To inspire me, it is necessary that something, either in the reality or in the narration catches me, thrills me; then I can perhaps give free course to that impulse, stretch it, add incidents to it, prolong or modify it, in sum take advantage of it. This is how I acted with many of my translations (…)”. Idem, ibidem, p. 9. My translation.
- 26.
Idem, ibidem, p. 1.
- 27.
See http://www.jimandellen.org/montolieu/s&s.preface.html (accessed 23 September 2013).
- 28.
“I have translated with enough fidelity as far as I could, according to my custom, with a few slight changes that I believed necessary. This genre seems at first very easy to translate, for the simplicity of its style; but for that very reason I think we could easily make it boring and slow”. Isabelle de Montolieu. “Préface du traducteur”, in: Raison et Sensibilité, ou Les deux manières d’aimer. Traduit librement de l’anglais. 4 vols. Paris, 1815. My translation. For information about the Arthus Bertrand publishing house, which specialised in travel writing, guides, and photography, see PARENT, Isabelle. La librairie Arthus Bertrand (1797–1842). CHARLE, C. (ed.). Paris, 2000.
- 29.
See BURKE, Peter. ‘Translating Knowledge, Translating Cultures’, in: NORTH, M. (ed.). Kultureller Austausch: Bilanz und Perspektiven der Frühneuzeitforschung. Cologne, 2009, pp. 69–77.
- 30.
WEINMANN, Frédéric. “Théories”, in: CHEVREL, Yves, D’HULST, Lieven, and LOMBEZ, Christine (eds). Histoire des traductions en langue française, XIXe siècle, 1815–1914. Paris, 2012, p. 63.
- 31.
Letter from Jane Austen to her niece Fanny Knight, dated 23-March 25, 1817, in LE FAYE, Deirdre (ed.). Jane Austen’s Letters. Oxford, 1997, p. 335.
- 32.
Chapter 18 of the modern editions, in one volume.
- 33.
For a detailed study of the use of free indirect discourse by Montolieu, see RUSSELL, Adam. “Isabelle De Montolieu Reads Anne Elliot’s Mind: Free Indirect Discourse in la Famille Elliot”, in: Persuasions: The Jane Austen Journal 32 (2010); and also RUSSELL, Adam. Isabelle de Montolieu reads Jane Austen’s Fictional Minds. The First French Translations of Free Indirect Discourse from Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Bern, 2011.
- 34.
See “Note du Traducteur”, p. xxii.
- 35.
See PARENT-LARDEUR, Françoise. Les Cabinets de Lecture. La Lecture Publique à Paris sous la Restauration. Paris, 1982. In the catalogue of the best-known authors, Montolieu appeared with 17 titles, being the third most quoted writer. (Idem, Lire à Paris au Temps du Balzac. Les cabinets de lecture à Paris, 1815–1830. Paris, 1999, p. 33 and p. 226, respectively).
- 36.
Pigoreau was the inspiration for Doguereau, Balzac’s character in Les Illusions Perdues. PIGOREAU, Alexandre-Nicolas. Petite bibliographie biographico-romancière, ou Dictionnaire des romanciers tant anciens que modernes, tant nationaux qu’étrangers. Paris, 1821–1828 (including supplements).
- 37.
PIGOREAU, Alexandre-Nicolas. Premier Supplément à la petite bibliographie biographico-romancière. Paris, 1821, p. 19. [“Frédéric Wentworth loved Alice Elliot, Alice loved Frédéric. To the graces of his person he added all the qualities that make an amiable young man; but he had no birth or fortune. Alice’s parents refused him her hand. He goes away from his country, overseas, searching for death or oblivion in battle. But he finds glory and returns with the honours of war. He wants to escape from Alice, but Alice reigns in his heart. “One always goes back to one’s first love”. Soon the crown of myrtle is joined with the laurels of victory. Delicate feelings, sweet effusions of friendship, family pictures, this is what makes this pretty novel by Miss Austen, which Mad. de Montolieu’s translation brings into new relief”.] My translation.
- 38.
PIGOREAU, Alexandre-Nicolas. Second Supplément à la petite bibliographie biographico-romancière. Paris, 1822, p. 12.
- 39.
PIGOREAU, Alexandre-Nicolas. Cinquième Supplément à la petite bibliographie biograhico-romancière. Paris, 1823, p. 18. [“The lively and light Frenchman does not read a novel but to amuse himself for a few moments; he wants to be led to the end by the shortest route. The phlegmatic Englishman loves to insist on the details and wants to reach the denouement only after having strolled through the long, intricate passages of a maze”.] My translation.
- 40.
PIGOREAU, Second Supplément à la petite bibliographie biographico-romancière, p. 12.
- 41.
See GUEDES, Fernando. Os livreiros franceses em Portugal no séc. XVIII. Tentativa de compreensão de um fenómeno migratório e mais alguma história. Lisboa, 1998, p. 64.
- 42.
The diligent survey made by Antonio Augusto Gonçalves Rodrigues gives evidence of the importance of translation of foreign novels in Portugal and corroborates the massive presence of French novels and novels of other provenances, translated into French. See A novelística estrangeira em versão portuguesa no período pré-romântico. Coimbra, 1951; also his A tradução em Portugal. Lisboa, 1992. Vol. 1: 1495–1834; A tradução em Portugal, 1835/1850. Lisboa, 1992. For Portuguese editions in France, see RAMOS, Vitor. A edição de língua portuguesa em França (1800–1850). Paris, 1972.
- 43.
GUEDES, Fernando. O livro e a leitura em Portugal. Subsídios para a sua história, séculos XVIII-XIX. Lisboa, 1987, pp. 137–138.
- 44.
GUEDES, O livro e a leitura em Portugal, p. 146. All translations are mine.
- 45.
RODRIGUES, Antonio Augusto Gonçalves. A tradução em Portugal. Lisboa, 1992. Vol. 1: 1495–1834; A tradução em Portugal, 1835/1850. Lisboa, 1992; A Novelística estrangeira em versão portuguesa no período pré-romântico. Coimbra, 1951.
- 46.
GUEDES, O livro e a leitura em Portugal, p. 146.
- 47.
He also translated works by Wilkie Collins, Oliver Goldsmith, Elizabeth Inchbald, and Laetitia Pilkington, according to the catalogues of the holdings of Gabinete Português de Leitura do Rio de Janeiro. The first record of the incorporation of A Família Elliot to this collection can be found in the 1858 catalogue, although the copy itself is lost. Gabinete Português de Leitura do Pará and Biblioteca Rio-Grandense hold a copy each. I thank both Valéria Augusti and Maria Eulália Ramicelli, who were kind enough to provide me with a photocopy of the novel.
- 48.
“It is all over now; remembrance, love, and hope, you must leave my heart for good! This cruel moment destroys the chimera which still flattered it!” My translation.
- 49.
Catálogo dos livros do Gabinete Português de Leitura no Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, 1858.
- 50.
States situated in the far north and in the far south of the country, respectively.
- 51.
THOMAS, François. “Belles infidèles ou belles étrangères? La critique des traductions françaises par les romantiques allemands”, in: Fabula/Les colloques, La conquête de la langue, available at: http://www.fabula.org/colloques/document1999.php (accessed 23 September 2013).
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Vasconcelos, S.G.T. (2017). Circuits and Crossings: The Case of A Família Elliot . In: Abreu, M. (eds) The Transatlantic Circulation of Novels Between Europe and Brazil, 1789-1914. New Directions in Book History. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46837-2_7
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