The First Printed Translations into English of the Great Foreign Classics by Harris

(8 User reviews)   4847
By John White Posted on Jan 3, 2026
In Category - Pilot Stories
Harris, William James Harris, William James
English
Ever wonder how Shakespeare read Homer, or what Jane Austen might have known about Cervantes? This book isn't about the classics themselves, but about the quiet revolution that brought them into English. It follows the story of the first people who decided works like Dante's 'Inferno' or Cervantes' 'Don Quixote' were too important to stay in their original languages. William James Harris tracks down these pioneering, often anonymous translators, revealing a hidden history of how our literary world was built, one risky, passionate translation at a time. It's a detective story for book lovers, uncovering the origins of the stories we now take for granted.
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for the professional examinations of the Library Association. Students of literature, more particularly of English literature, experience much difficulty in tracing the outside influences which at various periods, or, perhaps, speaking more correctly, at all periods, have affected or moulded our literature. The great foreign classics have exercised a direct and decided influence upon English literature and the object of this bibliography is to give in concise form the authors and titles, translations and dates of the first English translations of the chief foreign authors, and incidentally to enable students to note the effect of such translations on the works of many of our great imaginative writers. So far as it has been possible to discover, no work of this kind exists in this country. Students are frequently reminded of the special need for such a bibliography as this, and to all interested in the subject it should serve a useful purpose, and perhaps help to fill a gap in literary bibliography. Students have been asked such questions as--give the date of the first translation into English of _Don Quixote_, of _The Arabian Nights_, Boccaccio's _Decameron_, or of Homer. Such questions as these naturally involve some inquiry and research on the part of the student, and occupy a larger amount of time than is necessary for the purpose. Hence the necessity for a brief bibliography of this nature, which will show at a glance the first translations into English of the most important foreign classics, and save inquirers the fatigue of searching catalogues, bibliographies and similar works. The dictionary form of arrangement has been adopted with the authors in alphabetical order. In some instances a work has been noticed twice, in which case the first entry will generally be found to be an edition, either issued in an incomplete form, or with a doubtful date. It has also been found necessary to enumerate in nearly all cases the separate works of each author; the complete works not appearing till a much later time. The date of original publication has occasionally been given in brackets, and where a date is seen in square brackets [ ], it denotes the approximate date of publication. The anthologies, collections, folk and fairy tales, poetical and traditional literature have been placed in their national order under French, German, etc., many important minor works have been published in these forms, and many important poems have been first translated in these anthologies, often long before they have appeared in the author's translated works. The most important of the Anglo-Saxon, etc., romances have been included in this Bibliography and appear generally under their titles. These have played a very important part in the development of our literature, and many may be considered as foreign, having derived their origin from foreign sources. No one is more conscious than the compiler of the difficulties this little work has entailed, and no one is more conscious of its imperfections. As far as possible each entry has been verified at least three times, and from different sources, yet inaccuracies may have crept in, and any corrections, additions or suggestions will be thankfully acknowledged. This bibliography could have been much enlarged, but the endeavour has been to include only those authors whose work has gone to the making of English literature, or who stand pre-eminent as introducing a special school, class or form. I desire to offer to Mr. James D. Brown my best thanks for his suggestions in the early stages of this compilation, and to Dr. Baker for his kindly criticism, and also for going through the proofs. WILLIAM JAMES HARRIS....

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This book isn't a dry academic list. Instead, it's a journey back to a time when most people in England couldn't read French, Italian, or Spanish. William James Harris acts as a guide, showing us the moment someone first had the bold idea to put a major foreign work into English. He looks at early versions of classics like 'The Divine Comedy,' 'Don Quixote,' and ancient Greek epics, asking simple but fascinating questions: Who did this? Why did they take the risk? And what did their English version actually look like?

Why You Should Read It

If you love books, this changes how you see them. Harris makes you appreciate that every classic on your shelf had to cross a language barrier to get there. The book shines a light on these forgotten middlemen—the translators. Some did it for money, some for prestige, and some out of pure love for the story. Reading about their choices, their mistakes, and their successes makes the whole world of literature feel more connected and human. It's about the shared hunger for a great story, no matter where it comes from.

Final Verdict

Perfect for curious readers who have ever looked at a translation credit and wondered about the person behind it. It’s not a light beach read, but it’s surprisingly accessible. You'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the books you love and the invisible history they carry. If you enjoy the 'behind-the-scenes' stories of how things came to be, this is a treasure trove.



✅ Legacy Content

There are no legal restrictions on this material. Knowledge should be free and accessible.

Anthony Taylor
10 months ago

Based on the summary, I decided to read it and the narrative structure is incredibly compelling. This story will stay with me.

Joseph Smith
1 year ago

I didn't expect much, but the depth of research presented here is truly commendable. I learned so much from this.

Ashley Thomas
11 months ago

Great read!

4.5
4.5 out of 5 (8 User reviews )

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