But both books give good, sound knowledge of Breviary hymns and thus help to make their recitation a pious and a rational exercise, not a mechanical, soulless labour.
Translation of poetry has ever been a study and a pastime. Every cleric is familiar with the prose translations which aided his boyhood"s labours in rendering the poetry of Horace and Euripides into modern speech. But prose efforts are one thing, and poetical efforts are another, and just as many have laboured to present Virgil and Homer in modern language, in metre, in rhyme, in rhythm; so, many poets and verse-makers, in different ages and in different climes, have laboured to turn into modern poetic form and into their own national tongue the poems of the Breviary. The Breviary hymns have met with several good, kind, translating poets; but very often they have been rudely handled by well-meaning verse builders. Pa.s.sing over in charitable silence the indifferent efforts of those people, it may interest some students of the Breviary to read the efforts of well-known authors to translate the liturgy, its anthems, responses, collects, hymns, into good English.
(1) _The Day Hours of the Church_.--A translation of the Horae Diurnae, with the psalms, etc., arranged according to the reform of Pope Pius X.
This is a good book, giving in parallel columns on the same page, Latin and English translations. It includes the very best hymn translations by Catholic authors, John Dryden, Cardinal Newman, Father Caswall, etc.
(Burns & Gates. 8s.). This book is intended for the use of the laity, and, owing to the strict regulations issued for the printing of the new Roman Breviary, this book may not lawfully be used to replace the Breviarium Romanum. But, as it is a complete translation of the little Hours of the Church, it is a very useful aid to the attentive and devout recitation of the Hours. A look at its pages before each hour"s recitation, or a glance to see the meaning of some verse of psalm or hymn will repay anyone. It is a wonderfully careful production, has a beautiful _format_, and is good value at the price marked.
(2) _Annus Sanctus_, by Orby Shipley (Burns & Oates. 1884). This book contains the work of many Catholic translators, and their translations of Breviary hymns vary in merit. It contains a good introduction, the translations attributed to Dryden, and it gives some things which are always interesting, the efforts of several minds, poets and verse-makers, to render the same Latin hymn into English verse. It includes verses from several Irishmen.
(3) _Hymns from the Roman Breviary_, translated (Catholic Truth Society, London. Price 1s. 6d). A good selection from Catholic and non-Catholic translators. The translations of Dr. Neale, Anglican--held to be superior in fidelity and in poetic form to that of any English translator--are given in this booklet. Neale"s _Collected Hymns_ (Hodder & Stoughton, 6s.) are useful for translators and composers of vernacular hymns. But his work is, I think, over-rated.
(4) Other translations of Breviary hymns are found in the collections of hymns used in Anglican churches: _Hymns, Ancient and Modern; The English Hymnal; The Hymner from the Sarum Breviary_ (Plain-song and Mediaeval Society, London); _Songs of Sion_, by Woodward, etc.
For advanced study of liturgy, Dom Cabrol"s _Dictionaire D"Archeologie Chrietienne Et Liturgie_ (Paris: Letouzey et Ane) is indispensable. Its study delights and consoles those who possess it.