Percy Edward Pinkerton (19 June 1855 – 31 August 1946) was an English translator and poet. His translations included two novels by Émile Zola and a Puccini libretto.
Early life Pinkerton was born at Stamford Hill, Middlesex, the third child of metal broker George Pinkerton (1823-1899), son of the missionary and linguist Rev. Robert Pinkerton, DD, and Mary (née Easum; 1823-1868). His siblings included the architect Godfrey Pinkerton.
Writing Pinkerton published some volumes of poetry: Galeazzo, a Venetian Episode: with other Poems (Venice and London, 1886), which was praised by John Addington Symonds,"It has individuality: the mark of a true poet, of a finely-gifted nature." See Kirk, A supplement to Allibone's critical dictionary, 1891 Adriatica (1894), At Hazebro (1909), and Nerina, a lyrical drama in three acts (Cambridge, 1927). He also wrote for the Magazine of Art,"Cecil van Haanen", Magazine of Art 10 (1887), pp. 1–6; "Ludwig Passini: A Painter of Modern Life", Magazine of Art 10 (1887), pp. 127–132. and in 1889 edited Christopher Marlowe's plays. However most of his literary work consisted of English translations of European songs and literature. He was a member of the late Victorian Lutetian Society, dedicated to unexpurgated translations of the works of Émile Zola. The Society included Ernest Dowson, Havelock Ellis, Arthur Symons, Victor Plarr and Alexander Teixeira de Mattos.Denise Merkle, The Lutetian Society, TTR: traduction, terminologie, rédaction 16:2 (2003) He translated other works from German, Italian, French and Russian.
TranslationsFrom GermanWilliam Müller, Field-Marshal Count Moltke, 1800–1878, 1879 Heinrich Düntzer, The Life of Schiller, 1883From ItalianMatteo Bandello, Novellieri Italiani. Twelve stories selected and done into English with a memoir of the author, 1892From FrenchMemoirs of Constant, the Emperor Napoleon's head valet, 1896 Émile Zola, Restless House, 1924 Émile Zola, "Pot Bouille" 1894-95 (Lutetian House, London)From RussianMikhail Artsybashev, Sanine, 1914 Mikhail Artsybashev, The Millionaire, 1915Operas and cantatas''' Puccini, La Bohème, 1896. Performed for radio in 1930The Times, 29 January 1930 Puccini, The witch-dancers, performed at Manchester in 1897The Times, 1 April 1955 Niccola Spinelli, A Basso Porto, performed at Brighton in 1900The Times, 15 November 1900 Franz Schubert, songs with pianoforte accompaniment Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, The New Life, 1902 Johann Sebastian Bach, Phoebus and PanHector Berlioz, Le Temple universelFrancis Poulenc
LyricsPansies'', to Salut d'Amour by Edward Elgar
Personal life In 1909, aged 54, Pinkerton married 41-year-old Emily Harriet, spinster daughter of Rev. James Richard Woodgates, rector of Putley, Herefordshire. They lived at Red Lodge, Happisburgh, Norfolk. Pinkerton died on 31 August 1946, aged 91, at Ealing House, Porthleven, Cornwall.The Times, 5 September 1946. and was buried at Porthleven Cemetery alongside his wife. They had no issue.
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