'When the stars threw down their spheres,
And sprinkled heaven with shining tears,
Did he smile, his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?'
A comparison of the versions of the other poems and passages quoted by Cunningham with their originals in the Poetical Sketches shows that unauthorized readings are introduced into almost every line, and it is plain that Cunningham treated Blake's text with the same freedom which he would have thought himself entitled to use in an old Scots ballad. No manuscript authority of Blake's can therefore be claimed for this version. The interest attaching to everything relating to this poem, called by Swinburne 'the most famous of Blake's lyrics,' may be thought sufficient excuse for adding to the length of this note by reprinting Dr. Julius's German translation of 'The Tyger' from the Vaterländisches Museum, Bd. II, Heft i. (Hamburg, 1806). This spirited and admirably literal rendering appeared, it will be noticed, at a time when Blake's Songs were almost unknown to his own countrymen.
'DER TIGER.
'Tiger, Tiger, Flammenpracht
In den Wäldern düstrer Nacht!
Sprich, welch Gottes Aug' und Hand
Dich so furchtbar schön verband?
'Stammt vom Himmel, aus der Höll',
Dir der Augen Feuerquell'?
Welche Flügel trägst du kühn?
Wer wagt wohl, zu nah'n dem Glüh'n?
'Welche Stärke, welche Kunst,
Wob so sinnreich Herzensbrunst?
Als dein Herz den Puls empfand,
Welch ein Fuss und welche Hand?
'Was ist Hammer, Kettenklirr'n?
Welche Esse schmolz dein Hirn?
Was ist Amboss? Welcher Held
Muth in deinem Arm behält?
'Aus den Sternen flog der Speer,
Thränend ward der Himmel Meer:
Schaut' er lächelnd da auf dich?
Der das Lamm schuf, schuf er dich?
'Tiger, Tiger, Flammenpracht
In den Wäldern düstrer Nacht!
Sprich, wess Gottes Aug' und Hand
Dich so furchtbar schön verband?'
