André Paul Guillaume Gide (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃dʁe pɔl ɡijom ʒid]) (22 November 1869 – 19 February 1951) was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1947. Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars. Known for his fiction as well as his autobiographical works,Andre Gide translated some poems of Gitanjali in French (at least 25) which was published in their journal Nouvelle Revue Francaise and subsequently an issue of 500 copies was published on 26th Nov, 1913 under the title L'Offrande Lyrique. The translation was praised by many. Later on the 2nd edition with an introduction was published on 1914. Gide avoided to add Yeats' introduction.
In the translation in Dutch Von Aden also avoided to add Yeats' introduction in his translated publication.
Though many had praised Yeats' introduction but some did not like it. Robert Brijesh wrote Yeats on 20 April 1913;
" Binyon brought us Tagore's poems with your lovely preface. What a delight it was.! O most blessed one ! there is no one but you who could write so."
The edition of Gitanjali published by India Society Andrews wrote Rothenstein before its proof reading on 6th Oct 1912,
" I don't altogether care for the Introduction. Perhaps willing Yeats will revise it. The sentence I would specially like out is in section II. We would at parting ... the fair Olympia etc.This seems to me throw the reader quite a side trench & completely away from Rabindra." He also wrot to Rabindranath on the same day;
I have written to Mr. Rothemstein about that sentencde in the Introduction I do hope it may be ommitted. I wish this Introduction was more worthy of poems. I read it over again yesterday in tne train & it was altogether not satisfying and very superficial."
Next day he wrote to Rothenstein ;
"I had a letter frrom Fox Strangways by the same post. He is cutting it out tentatively with the option to Yeats realtering if he feels he would wish it."
