dies iræ

As Minas do Rei Salomão

Não é possível considerar a transcriação de Eça de Queirós superior ao original, embora seu trato da língua seja por certo mais belo e agradável.

O original, redigido de modo quase rústico, não apenas soa mais apropriado à alta escolaridade do narrador, como possui uma cadência naturalmente mais acelerada, propícia a aventuras, e piadas ligeiras que se enfraquecem nos floreios da tradução.

Não faço, porém, juízos de valor; apenas exalto esta e aquela qualidades das versões. A quem desejá-los, as palavras do narrador, à guisa de introdução...

"Now that this book is printed, and about to be given to the world, a sense of its shortcomings both in style and contents, weighs very heavily upon me. As regards the latter, I can only say that it does not pretend to be a full account of everything we did and saw (...)

And now it only remains for me to offer apologies for my blunt way of writing. I can but say in excuse of it that I am more accustomed to handle a rifle than a pen, and cannot make any pretence to the grand literary flights and flourishes which I see in novels --for sometimes I like to read a novel.

I suppose they -- the flights and flourishes -- are desirable, and I regret not being able to supply them; but at the same time I cannot help thinking that simple things are always the most impressive, and that books are easier to understand when they are written in plain language, though perhaps I have no right to set up an opinion on such a matter. 'A sharp spear,' runs the Kukuana saying, 'needs no polish'; and on the same principle I venture to hope that a true story, however strange it may be, does not require to be decked out in fine words."