lank
verse has been the medium employed, not as at all representing the
beautiful and harmonious interchange of rhymes and play of rhythm so
conspicuous in the Polish lines; but as securing, by reason of freedom
from the necessity for rhymes, a truer verbal rendering, and as being the
measure par excellence best suited to English narrative verse. The
"Wajdelote's Tale" has for similar reasons been rendered into the same
form, instead of being reproduced in the original hexameter stanza, as
strange to the Polish as to the English tongue, wherein, despite the works
of Longfellow and Clough, it can hardly be said to have yet become
thoroughly naturalised. Most of the lyrics are translated into the same
metres as the originals, with the sole exception of the ballad of
Alpujara. This, as being upon a Spanish or Moorish subject, it was judged
best to render into a form nearly resembling that of the ancient Spanish
ballad, and employed by Bishop Percy in translation of the "Rio Verde,"
and other poems from a like source. Moreover, the original "Alpujara" is
couched in a metre which, though extremely well suited to the Polish
tongue, is difficult of imitation in English; or only to be imitated by
great loss of accuracy in rendering.

In concluding, the translator begs to express a hope that this humble
effort to present, however feebly, to the reading public of Great Britain
an image of the work of the greatest of Polish poets, may, not be wholly
unacceptable. Any defects which the critical eye may note, must
undoubtedly be laid rather to the charge of the copyist, than to the
original of the great master. I dare, however, to trust, that the shadow
of so great a name, and the sincere wish to contribute this slender homage
to the memory of one of Europe's most illustrious writers, may serve as an
excuse for over-presumption.

LONDON, _March_ 1882.

KONRAD WALLENROD

_AN HISTORICAL TALE._

(FROM THE ANNALS OF LITHUANIA AND PRUSSIA.)

"Dovete adunque sapere come sono due generazioni da combattere... bisogna
essere volpe e leone."

MACCHIAVELLI, _Il Principe_.

INTRODUCTION.

A HUNDRED years have passed since first the Order
Waded in blood of Northern heathenesse;
The Prussian now had bent his neck to chains,
Or, yielding up his heritage, removed
With life alone. The German followed after