Letter to Irena Krońska written in 22.05.1954

Author Irena Krońska

Category outgoing correspondence, Polish researchers in Roman Ingarden's correspondence

Archive Archive of Science PAN in Cracow

Date of creation 22.05.1954

Reference code in archive K_III-26_D_34

Resource type letter

Subject matter publication issues, translations

Field literature, philosophy

Tags #"Critique of Pure Reason", #Baruch Spinoza, #Committee meeting, #concept of literary works, #correction of translation, #Editorial Committee of the Library of Classics of Philosophy, #ethics, #Faust, #footnotes, #functions of language, #German translations, #Ingarden's works, #Irena Krońska, #Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, #lack of paper, #lack of time, #Library of Classics of Philosophy, #literary language, #literary work, #On the difference between translating an artistic work and translating a scientific work, #On the difficulties of translating the works of philosophy classics, #philosophical works, #Rainer Maria Rilke, #scientific articles, #scientific publications, #structure of a literary work, #structure of a scientific work, #translation issue, #translations

Krakow, 5/22/1954

c Dear Ms. Irena,

    c           c     Upon my return home from the city, wherefrom I sent a letter to the Committee with the rest of the corrections for Spinoza’s Ethics, I found your letter from May 19. Therefore, I would like to reply to said letter, which I thank you very much for.
    c     I have somehow managed with paper for now. I introduce corrections on those pages of the typescript that are not too bad. I do rewrite the worst as well as all new footnotes. I do it myself for now, because the person who was supposed to rewrite it for me is busy for now. Maybe they will have the time next week. I can re-check some things on the typing machine myself, restore the original text in some places, etc., so it is not without its advantages, but unfortunately it progresses very slowly. I did 35 pages in five days and would like to send 332. But maybe I will get some help later, and there are fewer corrections in the remainder of the typescript. The second preface is the most problematic. In any case, I am trying to meet the deadline.
    c     As I wrote, the date of the meeting of the 16th IV. he is answering me just in case I am asking for official notification, because something can always change.

    c     As for the dissertation on the latest translations, I have two ready works that are basically finished: “On the difficulties of translating the works of philosophy classics”, which I once read at a Committee meeting” and “On the difference between translating an artistic work and translating a scientific work”. The latter would have to be supplemented with concrete examples. I have said it twice. I have said it twice and I have prepared examples, but I did not feel like writing it. But the examples are only from translations from German, because, as far as other languages go, I am afraid of not trusting my literary knowledge of French or English. In addition, the examples are derived from translations of various different materials /prose and poems by Rilke, who is probably now politically inconvenient, but I used him because I thought I understood him quite well. I could also use Geothe’s translations /e.g. Faust or something poetical/, but I would still have to compile it. Now, I hardly even have the time to write down the examples I have ready to go, because I must finally get done with that filth, excuse me, with “Critique”. Together both dissertations have about 80 pages, except adding examples can increase them by another 20 pages or so.
    c     But I doubt I should propose it at all. Both of these works should be printed together, because only in juxtaposition do they gain a certain level of meaning /the second one more theoretical, discusses extensively the functions of language, the differences in the structure of a scientific and literary work/. Both papers are built based on my concept of literary works – they are also a test of this concept. But, as you know, it is “unscientific,” so cui bono should I actually be exposing it to the “scientific” attacks. I am not desperate to print them at all. As I have recently mentioned, I have published over 4,000 pages of philosophical works, 1/4 in foreign languages. It is enough for me for now, the rest will remain for the “Nachlass” / some specialists would actually do so, and even that I care little about /. So, I am not eager to send anything in for now. But since you asked, I shall answer: these I have ready, and I am willing to submit both together if they can be received as they are. It would be necessary to add examples, otherwise the whole is not very illustrative. Hence, I could only deliver in a while. Anyway, I am now so far away from literature that it is like a different incarnation.
    c     So much for now. I send you my cordial regards and just please let me know what you think about this whole matter and if you are for or against.