XLIII explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Philology and Learning

  The narrator's translation work and compilation of Newgate lives highlight his scholarly pursuits and linguistic abilities.

• Freedom vs. Convention

  The narrator's struggle to break free from the publisher's constraints and seek his own literary path reflects the tension between independence and societal expectations.

Characters to notice

• Lavengro

  Completes two-thirds of the Newgate lives, translates philosophy into German, seeks other publishers for his ballads and Ab Gwilym, and eventually leaves the publisher.

• Taggart

  Consulted about Glorious John; takes snuff and suggests the narrator try to see Glorious John.

• The Master of the House

  The publisher who hires the narrator; furious over the German translation but eventually calms down and pays the narrator upon completion of the compilation.

• Ab Gwilym

  The narrator's translation of Ab Gwilym is rejected by publishers.

Key passages

• “By the month of October I had, in spite of all difficulties and obstacles, accomplished about two-thirds of the principal task which I had undertaken, the compiling of the Newgate lives; I had also made some progress in translating the publisher’s philosophy into German.”

  By October, despite many challenges, I had finished about two-thirds of my main project—compiling the Newgate lives—and had also advanced in translating the publisher's philosophy into German.

  The narrator summarizes his progress on the two major tasks assigned by the publisher.

• “One asked me if I had anything else—he was a snuff-taker—I said yes; and going home returned with my translation of the German novel, to which I have before alluded. After keeping it for a fortnight, he returned it to me on my visiting him, and, taking a pinch of snuff, told me it would not do.”

  One publisher, a snuff-taker, asked if I had other work. I brought him my translation of a German novel, but after two weeks he returned it, saying with a pinch of snuff that it wouldn't work.

  The narrator's attempt to sell his German novel translation is rejected by a snuff-taking publisher.

• “I had often heard of one Glorious John, who lived at the western end of the town; on consulting Taggart, he told me that it was possible that Glorious John would publish my ballads and Ab Gwilym, that is, said he, taking a pinch of snuff, provided you can see him; so I went to the house where Glorious John resided, and a glorious house it was, but I could not see Glorious John.”

  I had heard of Glorious John, a publisher in the west end. Taggart suggested he might publish my ballads and Ab Gwilym, but only if I could get an audience. I went to his grand house many times but never saw him.

  The narrator's repeated attempts to meet the famous publisher Glorious John are unsuccessful.

• “One day, on visiting the publisher, I found him stamping with fury upon certain fragments of paper. “Sir,” said he, “you know nothing of German; I have shown your translation of the first chapter of my Philosophy to several Germans: it is utterly unintelligible to them.” “Did they see the Philosophy?” I replied. “They did, sir, but they did not profess to understand English.” “No more do I,” I replied, “if that Philosophy be English.””

  One day I found the publisher furious, stamping on paper. He accused me of knowing no German, saying Germans found my translation unintelligible. I asked if they had seen the original Philosophy; he said they didn't understand English. I retorted that neither did I, if that Philosophy was supposed to be English.

  A heated exchange between the narrator and the publisher over the quality of the German translation.