has wholly lost the
Force and Beauty of many Emphatical Words. +Terence+ had some Words
taken in a great many several Sences, such as +Contumelia+ and
+Injuria+, +Odiosus+, +Tristis+, &c. these we have been very careful
about; but where he plays upon Words (tho' never so prettily) he
ought not in some places to be imitated at all, because the Fineness
is more lost that way, than the other; yet we try'd at several when
they were Natural and tolerable in +English+. As for his +Allusions+
and the like, many of them perhaps are quite lost to us. However
they are commonly lost in our Language. On such places (as well as
some others) we made +Remarks+ or +Notes+ at the latter end; some of
which we are oblig'd to the +French+ Lady for; these serving to shew
our Author's fine Stroaks, as well as to vindicate our Translation.
For his +Sense+ and +Meaning+, we have taken more than ordinary care
about, and weigh'd all Circumstances before we fix'd. Several of the
Passages are done contrary to the general Opinion, and some few
differently from all, both as to the +Person that speaks+ as well as
the +Meaning+, but not without good Grounds; and if any be so nice
in censuring, we desire that Person to shew us three +Terences+ that
exactly agree with one another, either in Points or Words, for two
Acts together. Of those Passages that were absolutely doubtful, we
always took the best, and that, which seem'd to us, the most
probable Way and Meaning; and all such as were difficult, knotty or
obscure in the Original, we made as plain and clear as we cou'd;
and we presume to phansie there are very few Passages in ours,
unintelligible to the meanest Capacity. In his +Jests+ and
+Repartees+ (except they were +Allusions+ or the like) we hope that
the force of 'em is seldom lost. For making every Person speak so
exactly like themselves (a thing that our Author was so famous for)
is much more difficult in +English+ by reason of its greater variety
of +Idioms+ and +Phrases+ than in the +Latin+; and to suit these
always right, requires a greater +Genius+ than we can pretend to.
+Terence+, tho' reckon'd very genteel in his Days, seems in some
place to have a sort of familiarity and bluntness in his Discourse,
not so agreeable with the Manners and Gallantry of our Times; which
we have mollify'd as well as we cou'd, still making the +Servants+
sawcy enough upon occasion. In some places we have had somewhat more
of +Humour+ than the Original, to mak