When reading VN’s Commentaries to Eugene Onegin I paused on two of them:
When commenting on Tatyana’s reaction to shooting star (Stanza VI of Chapter 5) VN quotes Addison from Spectator #7, March 8th 1711 (See http://meta.montclair.edu/spectator/text/march1711/no7.html):
As if the natural Calamities of Life were not sufficient for it, we turn the most indifferent Circumstances into Misfortunes, and suffer as much from trifling Accidents, as from real Evils. I have known the shooting of a Star spoil a Night's Rest; and have seen a Man in Love grow pale and lose his Appetite, upon the plucking of a Merry-thought. A Screech-Owl at Midnight has alarmed a Family, more than a Band of Robbers; nay, the Voice of a Cricket hath struck more Terrour, than the Roaring of a Lion. There is nothing so inconsiderable which may not appear dreadful to an Imagination that is filled with Omens and Prognosticks. A Rusty Nail, or a Crooked Pin, shoot up into Prodigies.
The second from the end sentence is a short description of illness of protagonist in Signs and Symbols. S&S was published in 1958 in the year following the end of VN’s work on translation of EO. Coincidence? – may be not.
Later commenting on ‘сень черёмух и акаций’ (Stanza VII of Chapter 6) where Onegin’s neighbor Zaretski (he brings an invitation to duel from Lenski to Onegin) settled down in his life, VN says that English translation of ‘сень’ is not exactly ‘shade’ as esthetic meaning of ‘сень’ is ephemeral and sometimes is better translated as ‘below’ or ‘under’. I don’t think it bears much on John Shade’s last name but with little wishful thinking on my part I’ll dare to say that John settled in his life under ‘сень’ of shagbark tree J
- George Shimanovich