China and the West

[Brandes, Georg]. [Bailun]. Zhang Wentian yi. [ID D26458].
Zhang Wentian translated the Byron section in the book of Georg Brandes' Main currents in 19th century literature in Chinese.
Brandes schreibt : "It is probable that the subject of love between brother and sister was one often discussed by Shelley and Byron. What incensed Byron more than anything else was the pious horror displayed by the orthodox Bible Christians, one article of whose faith it is that the human race, as descended from one man and woman, multiplied by means of marriage between brother and sister."
Chu Chih-yu : Brandes attributed Byron's loneliness and his erratic behaviour to genetic factors : "thus the poet [Byron] had wild blood in his veins". This view was readily accepted by Chinese scholars. Wang Tongzhao wrote "Genetics has become one of the important sciences” and most of Byron's neurotic behavious was “inherited from his mother". Gan Naiguang argued : "If we ascribe Byron's romantic character to the society, then we underestimate the power of genetics". The term 'romantic character' used by Wang Tongzhao refers to 'uncontrollable passion' or simply to Byronism in its broadest sense. Byron's lifestyle, his spirit of revolt, his passion, impulsiveness, restlessness, indignation, revenge, cynicism, etc. It may seem superficial for the Chinese to have simply borrowed from Brandes whatever he had to say about Byron. But this borrowing demonstrates respect not so much for Brandes as for a totally new and scientific approach to literature hitherto absent in Chinese criticism. Georg Brandes' interpretation of Byron's fortunes in England, both literary and personal, was conveyed faithfully to Chinese readers, although few of the Chinese writers acknowledged their sources. He accredited the fall of Byron's reputation, not unustifiably, to his wife and the general public, and most of all to other jealous writers. It is true that Byron's marriage [with Annabella Milbanke] was a big mistake.
The Chinese are more circumspect in dealing with matters like incest. It is obvious, that almost every contribution of Xiao shuo yue bao had read Brandes' book, or at least the chapters on Byron. But they all avoided touching on this sensitive subject directly. Xi He mentioned the separation briefly and his only comment was : "Generally speaking, English society resented Byron's conduct and sympathized with Annabella Milbanke". Wang Tongzhao's version was more ambiguous : "Byron returned to London to find, to his surprise, that he was attacked without reason by the blind public". Gan Naiguang put the blame on Miss Milbanke but his argument was hardly convincing. He observed that the English reasonably expected Miss Milbanke to be able to tame the wild horse [Byron] once they were married, but that Miss Milbanke did not prove equal to the heavy task. She was a woman who observed the so-called moral principles of the time ; she was upright but unfeeling. She never sinned but she never forgave. Gan's article was basically a free translation of passages from Hippolyte Adolphe Taine's History of English literature. Transl. From French into English by J. Scott Clark. (New York, N.Y. : Colonial Press, 1900).