The French Translations of Thomson's The Seasons, 1754–1818

Abstract

Between 1754 and 1818 Thomson's poem was translated into French four times in full and more often in part. This article surveys this history, characterizing its phases, and attends to print-cultural contexts as well as the textual transformations of the translation process. Most French translators in the second half of the eighteenth century turned Thomson's verse into prose, with the intention of making The Seasons as accessible as possible to French readers. Generally attempting fidelity, they nevertheless tended to highlight and expand on the sentimental and moralizing dimensions of the poem so as to adapt it to French tastes. Once its status as an English classic had been established around the turn of the century, The Seasons was increasingly used as a tool of instruction to acquaint readers with British culture.