'n Edisietegniese voorstel vir die samestelling van 'n histories-kritiese uitgawe van die eerste lewe van Colet (Etienne Leroux)

Abstract

English: The primary aim of this study was to put forward a proposal, within the scientific framework of the textual criticism, on how a historical-critical edition of Die eerste lewe van Colet by Etienne Leroux could be constituted. In emulation of a textual-critical tradition which, on the European mainland, has a span of many decades, the objective was to propose certain guidelines on how such a project could be adhered to within the South African, or more specifically the Afrikaans context. In this regard the origin, development and nature of such an edition have been explored extensively. With reference to the first-mentioned it was established that modern historical-critical editions originated during the nineteenth century with the publication of GE Lessing's Sámtliche Schriften (1838 - 1840) by Karl Lachmann. The aim of this edition as initiated by Lachmannn was in the first instance to constitute an authentic text which, in the words of Plachta (1995:505) would "record, organize, and 'restore' all the author's texts." Secondly it was also intended to capture the development or growth of the author's works. Many historical-critical editions published afterwards would follow the guidelines set by Lachmann. However, over the years, such editions would undergo certain changes, which led to the increasing prominence of the variant apparatus. Different variant models were developed with the specific objective of presenting the development of an author's work in a more simplified, synoptic, complete, and easily accessible manner. With regard to the nature of the historical-critical edition, the definition of Kanzog (1970), namely that such an edition must reflect the historical development of all the versions of a work or works, was used as a starting point. This definition of Kanzog (1970) was also used as a basis in formulating a proposal for the establishment of a historical-critical edition of Die eerste lewe van Colet. Taking the viewpoints of mainly German and Dutch theorists as a point of departure, procedures have been proposed with regard to the constitution of inter alia the critical reader's text, the variant apparatus and the commentary ofa historical-critical edition. In the case of the first-mentioned, namely the establishment of a critical reader's text, the focus was placed on the selection and preparation of the copy-text. One of the most important issues within the framework of the textual criticism on which there is general consensus, is that, when selecting a copy-text, the authority thereof should be established. From this it follows that any version of a work of which the authority has been established with certainty could be used as a copy-text. After careful critical consideration of the different authoritative versions of a particular text, and taking into account the advantages and disadvantages associated with each version, the editor or compiler of a historical-critical edition is at liberty to select any version as a copy-text. The selected text is then collated with the other versions to determine the occurrence of any errors that cannot be attributed to the author. As Mathijsen (1997:58) puts it, the selected text is subject to expurgation from any elements "buiten de bedoeling van de outeur om". Emendations that take place must, however, be accounted for in the historical-critical edition. Mistakes which occurred as a result of ignorance on the part of the author or which were deliberately caused by him are not to be emended. In the case of Leroux, with his idiosyncratic style of writing and his open declaration that he, for the sake of achieving a specific effect with his writing style, would not hesitate to spell or use words incorrectly, it would not seem appropriate to precipitately bring about changes in his texts for the sake of emendation, as it would be contradictory to the aims and objectives of a historical-critical edition. Only those errors that occurred without the knowledge of the author and which can therefore be attributed to others (e.g. setter or copytypist) should be rectified as such. With regard to the typography of a text, such as the use of inverted commas, modernization may take place provided that it does not alter the meaning of a particular text. In this case it is not necessary to account for such changes. A proposal regarding the constitution of a variant model of the historical-critical edition of Die eerste lewe van Colet is that the synoptic model, as a result of its surveyability, completeness, readability and relative simplicity, could be used as a starting point. Different viewpoints exist within the paradigm of the textual criticism on how the commentary of a historical-critical edition should be constituted. Whilst some theorists hold the opinion that the commentary should be placed before or after the readers text in the same volume, others conclude that it should appear separately from the readers text and variant apparatus, the reason for this being the fact that the commentary, unlike the other components, is likely to become obsolete. Some criteria over which there is unanimity within textual critical circles is that it should be synoptic and accessible - something that should also apply to a historical-critical edition of Die eerste lewe van Colet. Although several elements can be included in the commentary of a historicalcritical the proposal with regard to Die eerste lewe van Colet is that only its history of origin, reception and transmission should be reflected in such an edition. Within textual practice such a procedure is fairly acceptable, especially where it concerns partial editions. To illustrate how the recording of the history of origin of Die eerste lewe van Colet should be taking place the procedure was, in the first instance, to give a short summary of the origin of the novel; subsequently related fragments from secondary documents such as diaries and letters were included. Concerning the history of reception of a particular work, Mathijsen (1997:60) holds the opinion that it need not be comprehensive; therefore it was also endeavoured, by means of meaningful reviews and discussions in newspapers, magazines and books, to give a summary of the reception history of the different editions of Die eerste lewe van Colet. The transmission of a work has to do with its embodiment and perpetuation in different versions. When the history of transmission of a work is recorded, it is important that the different primary sources be described in chronological fashion and that the authority of each primary source be determined. Against this background an attempt was made to describe each and every transmitted version of Die eerste lewe van Colet and to determine their authority. Concerning the location or position of the commentary within a historical-critical edition of Die eerste lewe van Colet the proposal is that it can either be placed before or after the readers text, or even be bound in a separate book. In view of the fact that in South Africa a central body, such as the Constantijn Huygens Instituut voor tekstedities en intellectuele geschiedenis (CHI) and the Center for Scholarly Editions (CSE) situated in The Hague and America respectively which strives towards the attainment of authentic textual editions, is nonexistent, the proposal would be that the establishment of a historical-critical edition of Die eerste lewe van Colet be undertaken by an individual or a group of individuals who not only have a sound knowledge of the particular novel but also have a profound understanding of the entire body of works of Leroux. In the final analysis it can also be mentioned that such an enterprise would not be possible without any subsidy from some source or other.

Afrikaans: Die primêre doelwit van hierdie studie was om binne die paradigma van die edisietegniek 'n voorstel aan die hand te doen vir die samestelling van 'n historieskritiese uitgawe van Die eerste lewe van Colet van Etienne Leroux. In navolging van 'n edisiewetenskaptradisie wat reeds vele dekades in die Europese vasteland aan die orde is, was die oogmerk om enkele riglyne te verskaf oor hoe sodanige uitgawe binne die Suid-Afrikaanse en meer bepaald die Afrikaanse konteks aangepak behoort te word. In hierdie verband is die oorsprong, ontwikkeling, en aard van sodanige uitgawe in 'n ruime mate verken. Wat eersgenoemde betref, is onder andere vasgestel dat die moderne histories-kritiese uitgawe gedurende die negentiende eeu sy beslag gekry het met die samestelling van GE Lessing se Samtliche Schriften (1838 - 1840) deur Karl Lachmann. Die doelwit van hierdie uitgawe, soos dit deur Lachmann geïnisieer is, was in die eerste instansie om a outentieke teks, wat soos Plachta (1995:505) dit stel, daarop gemik was" to record, organize, and 'restore' all the author's texts". In die tweede plek was dit bedoel om die ontwikkeling van die werk of werke van 'n outeur te dokumenteer. Oor die jare heen sou hierdie tipe uitgawe egter verskeie ontwikkelings ondergaan wat daartoe gelei het dat veral die rol van die variantapparaat in prominensie toegeneem het. In hierdie verband is ook verskeie variantmodelle ontwikkel wat hoofsaaklik daarop gemik was om die groei van 'n werk op 'n eenvoudige, oorsigtelike, volledige en lesersvriendelike wyse te dokumenteer. Wat die aard van die histories-kritiese uitgawe betref, is die defmisie van Kanzog (1970) as vertrekpunt gebruik, naamlik dat sodanige uitgawe alle versies van 'n werk of werke in hul historiese ontwikkelingsvolgorde behoort te reflekteer. Dit is dan ook hierdie genoemde definisie van Kanzog (1970) wat as uitgangspunt gedien het by die voorstel rakende die samestelling van 'n histories-kritiese uitgawe van Die eerste lewe van Colet van Leroux. Op grond van die standpunte van hoofsaaklik Duitse en Nederlandse teoretici is werkwyses voorgestel vir die samestelling van onder andere die kritiese leesteks, die variantapparaat en die kommentaargedeelte van 'n histories-kritiese uitgawe. In die geval van eersgenoemde, naamlik die samestelling van 'n kritiese leesteks, is onder andere ingegaan op die seleksie van die basisteks en die voorbereiding daarvan. Die belangrikste uitgangspunt waaroor daar binne die paradigma van die edisiewetenskap eenstemmigheid is, is dat, wat die seleksie van die basisteks betref, daar van outorisering sprake moet wees. Juis as gevolg hiervan is die standpunt dat enige geoutoriseerde versie van 'n bepaalde werk of werke as basisteks gebruik kan word. Na die versigtige, kritiese oorweging van die verskillende oorgelewerde, geoutoriseerde versies, en met die inagneming van bepaalde voor- en nadele verbonde aan elke versie, berus die fmale besluit by die redakteur of samesteller om 'n uiteindelike keuse te maak. Hierdie gekose versie word met ander versies vergelyk ("kollasie") om vas te stelof daar enige foute daarin voorkom wat nie die intensies van die outeur verwoord nie. Soos Mathijsen (1997:58) dit stel, word die gekose basisteks gesuiwer van al daardie elemente "buiten de bedoeling van de auteur om". Hierdie verbeteringe moet vervolgens in die historieskritiese uitgawe verantwoord word. Foute wat doelbewus deur die outeur of as gevolg van sy onkunde in die teks aangebring is, word in die histories-kritiese uitgawe nie verbeter nie. In die geval van Leroux met sy idiosinkratiese skryfstyl en openlike verklaring dat hy ter wille van effek doelbewus foute begaan, sou dit wenslik wees om nie goedsmoeds sy tekste te verbeter nie, aangesien dit teenstrydig met die ideaal van 'n histories-kritiese uitgawe is. Slegs daardie foute wat sonder die medewete van die outeur aan iemand anders toegeskryf kan word (byvoorbeeld 'n setter of kopietikster), word as sodanig verbeter. Ook kan tipografiese veranderings wat nie afbreek doen aan die betekenis van die teks nie, soos onder andere aanhalingstekens, gemoderniseer word sonder dat dit enigsins verantwoord hoefte word. 'n Voorstel rakende die samestelling van die variantapparaat van 'n historieskritiese uitgawe van Die eerste lewe van Colet is dat die sinoptiese model vanweë sy oorsigtelikheid, volledigheid, leesbaarheid en relatiewe eenvoud as uitgangspunt gebruik behoort te word. Binne die edisiewetenskap bestaan daar verskillende sienswyses oor hoe die kommentaardeel van die histories-kritiese uitgawe saamgestel behoort te word. Terwyl sommige teoretici van mening is dat dit voor of na die leesteks in dieselfde band opgeneem moet word, is die mening van ander dat dit apart moet verskyn. 'n Argument wat veral ter ondersteuning van laasgenoemde standpunt aangevoer word, is dat die kommentaar vinniger gedateer raak en as sulks apart gepubliseer behoort te word. Waaroor daar wel eenstemmigheid binne edisiekringe bestaan, is dat die kommentaar oorsigtelik en toeganklik moet wees - 'n uitgangspunt wat ook ten opsigte van Die eerste lewe van Colet behoort te geld. Hoewel verskeie elemente in die kommentaardeel van 'n histories-kritiese uitgawe opgeneem kan word, is die voorstel rakende Die eerste lewe van Colet dat slegs die ontstaans-, resepsie- en oorleweringsgeskiedenis van die betrokke werk daarin gereflekteer behoort te word. Binne die raamwerk van die edisiewetenskap is sodanige werkwyse heeltemal aanvaarbaar veral waar dit gaan om deeluitgawes. Ter illustrasie van hoe die ontstaansgeskiedenis van Die eerste lewe van Colet aangebied behoort te word, was die procédé om eerstens 'n kort oorsigtelike verloop van die betrokke roman te verskaf; daarna is verbandhoudende fragmente uit rondom die ontstaan van Die eerste lewe van Colet uit sekondêre dokumente soos dagboekinskrywings en briewe opgeneem. Met betrekking tot die resepsiegeskiedenis van 'n werk is die standpunt van Mathijsen (1997:60) dat dit nie volledig hoefte wees nie; daarom is daar gepoog om na aanleiding van betekenisvolle resensies en besprekings in koerante, tydskrifte en boeke 'n oorsigtelike resepsiegeskiedenis van die verskillende uitgawes van Die eerste lewe van Co/et te verskaf. Die oorlewering van 'n werk het te doen met die perpetuering daarvan in verskillende versies. Wanneer die oorleweringsgeskiedenis van 'n werk derhalwe opgeteken word, is dit belangrik om die primêre bronne noukeurig in chronologiese volgorde te beskryf en die outoriteit van elke oorgelewerde bron vas te stel. Teen hierdie agtergrond is daar dus gepoog om elke versie van Die eerste lewe van Colet noukeurig te beskryf en om die outoriteit daarvan vas te stel.