MY attempt at an English rendering of the Letters is, I think, the first since the days of Bowles’ ‘Letters from a Portuguese Nun to an Officer in the French Army,’ London, 1808.[1] But during the two centuries which have elapsed since their first publication quite a small literature has grown up around them, and they have been turned into several European tongues, the French editions alone amounting to more than thirty. If the numerous so-called ‘Replies’ and ‘Imitations’ were added to this reckoning the number would be nearly doubled, and this without taking into account the critiques and studies which have appeared about them. I do not propose here to enter into a comparison of the Letters with those of HeloÏse, as many writers have done, but shall content myself with referring the curious to the excellent work of Senhor Cordeiro, ‘Soror Marianna. A Freira Portugueza,’ Lisbon, 1888; 2nd edition, 1891. It is from him that I have learnt nearly all that I know about Marianna, and in my Introduction I have made a liberal use of his book, as well as of M. Asse’s preface to the edition of the ‘Lettres Portuguises avec les RÉponses,’ Paris, 1889, upon which I have based my rendering.

If my translation should arouse any interest in things Portuguese, and lead others to read and make versions of such masterpieces of the world’s literature as the ‘Frei Luiz de Sousa’ and the ‘Folhas Cahidas’ of Garrett, or the poems of JoÃo de Deus, I should be more than rewarded for any trouble the present work may have cost me. But who can hope to succeed where Burton has apparently failed? The English public—and the critics too—will probably continue to believe that there is nothing worth reading in Portuguese literature with the exception of the Lusiads. Here too there is perhaps a lesson to be learnt from the Germans, especially from such as Storck, Reinhardstoettner, and MichaËlis de Vasconcellos.

I should like to thank Mr. York Powell of Christ Church for the kind help which he has given me in the difficult task of translation. My aim has been throughout to keep as close to the French text as possible—seeing that the original Portuguese is lost,—aided by the masterly re-translation of Senhor Cordeiro. L’Estrange’s version—‘Five Love Letters from a Nun to a Cavalier,’ London, 1678,—is somewhat free at times, but it has aided me in the Third Letter. I have followed Cordeiro in his re-arrangement of the order of the Letters, the Second and Fourth changing places.

The historical facts which concern the hero and heroine of these Letters I have given briefly in the Introduction, and a Bibliography and Appendix will be found at the end of the volume. The text of the first French edition of 1669 has been copied in Paris purposely for this work, and will, it is hoped, add much to its interest and value.

And so I deliver poor Marianna’s passionate Epistles to the consideration of those who can appreciate them and feel for her.

EDGAR PRESTAGE.

Bowdon, 1892.