For those who may be interested in judging the four translations on their merits, I'm providing in spoiler-boxes (in chronological order of publishing) translated extract 5 from Chapter One. As for me, I was bitterly disappointed by Vladimir Nabokov's translation and I didn't like the one made by Charles H. Johnston.
Now I clearly see why Stephen Fry chose James E. Falen's version, which, by the way, later inspired Douglas Hofstadter to come up with his own translation—the one I'm desperately looking for, to no avail so far. Also, I find the earliest translation, made by Lieutenant-Colonel Spalding in 1881, not worse than that of J.E. Falen—as far as the Onegin stanza goes. I'd be happy if someone shared their opinion on the literary quality of the translations, or helped me with a link to Douglas Hofstadter's or someone else's, yet unknown to me, translation of Eugene Onegin.
СпойлерПоказать
Original (1831)
Мы все учились понемногу
Чему-нибудь и как-нибудь,
Так воспитаньем, слава богу,
У нас немудрено блеснуть.
Онегин был, по мненью многих
(Судей решительных и строгих),
Ученый малый, но педант.
Имел он сча́стливый талант
Без принужденья в разговоре
Коснуться до всего слегка,
С ученым видом знатока
Хранить молчанье в важном споре
И возбуждать улыбку дам
Огнем нежданных эпиграмм.
Мы все учились понемногу
Чему-нибудь и как-нибудь,
Так воспитаньем, слава богу,
У нас немудрено блеснуть.
Онегин был, по мненью многих
(Судей решительных и строгих),
Ученый малый, но педант.
Имел он сча́стливый талант
Без принужденья в разговоре
Коснуться до всего слегка,
С ученым видом знатока
Хранить молчанье в важном споре
И возбуждать улыбку дам
Огнем нежданных эпиграмм.
СпойлерПоказать
Henry Spalding (1881)
We all of us of education
A something somehow have obtained,
Thus, praised be God! a reputation
With us is easily attained.
Onéguine was—so many deemed
[Unerring critics self-esteemed],
Pedantic although scholar like,
In truth he had the happy trick
Without constraint in conversation
Of touching lightly every theme.
Silent, oracular ye’d see him
Amid a serious disputation,
Then suddenly discharge a joke
The ladies’ laughter to provoke.
We all of us of education
A something somehow have obtained,
Thus, praised be God! a reputation
With us is easily attained.
Onéguine was—so many deemed
[Unerring critics self-esteemed],
Pedantic although scholar like,
In truth he had the happy trick
Without constraint in conversation
Of touching lightly every theme.
Silent, oracular ye’d see him
Amid a serious disputation,
Then suddenly discharge a joke
The ladies’ laughter to provoke.
СпойлерПоказать
Vladimir Nabokov (1964)
All of us had a bit of schooling
In something and somehow:
Hence, in our midst it is not hard,
Thank God, to flaunt one’s education.
Onegin was, in the opinion
Of many (judges resolute and stern),
A learned fellow but a pedant.
He had the happy talent,
Without constraint, in conversation
Slightly to touch on everything,
Keep silent, with an expert’s learned air,
During a grave discussion, and provoke
The smiles of ladies with the fire
Of unexpected epigrams.
All of us had a bit of schooling
In something and somehow:
Hence, in our midst it is not hard,
Thank God, to flaunt one’s education.
Onegin was, in the opinion
Of many (judges resolute and stern),
A learned fellow but a pedant.
He had the happy talent,
Without constraint, in conversation
Slightly to touch on everything,
Keep silent, with an expert’s learned air,
During a grave discussion, and provoke
The smiles of ladies with the fire
Of unexpected epigrams.
СпойлерПоказать
Charles H. Johnston (1977)
We all meandered through our schooling
Haphazard; so, to God be thanks,
It's easy, without too much fooling,
To pass for cultured in our ranks.
Onegin was assessed by many
Critical judges, strict as any)
As well-read, though of pedant cast.
Unforced, as conversation passed,
He had the talent of saluting
Felicitously every theme,
Of listening like a judge-supreme
While serious topics were disputing,
Or, with an epigram-surprise,
Of kindling smiles in ladies' eyes.
We all meandered through our schooling
Haphazard; so, to God be thanks,
It's easy, without too much fooling,
To pass for cultured in our ranks.
Onegin was assessed by many
Critical judges, strict as any)
As well-read, though of pedant cast.
Unforced, as conversation passed,
He had the talent of saluting
Felicitously every theme,
Of listening like a judge-supreme
While serious topics were disputing,
Or, with an epigram-surprise,
Of kindling smiles in ladies' eyes.
СпойлерПоказать
James E. Falen (1992)
We’ve all received an education
In something somehow, have we not?
So thank the Lord that in this nation
A little learning means a lot.
Onegin was, so some decided
(Strict judges, not to be derided),
A learned, if pedantic, sort.
He did possess the happy forte
Of free and easy conversation,
Or in a grave dispute he’d wear
The solemn expert’s learned air
And keep to silent meditation;
And how the ladies’ eyes he lit
With flashes of his sudden wit!
We’ve all received an education
In something somehow, have we not?
So thank the Lord that in this nation
A little learning means a lot.
Onegin was, so some decided
(Strict judges, not to be derided),
A learned, if pedantic, sort.
He did possess the happy forte
Of free and easy conversation,
Or in a grave dispute he’d wear
The solemn expert’s learned air
And keep to silent meditation;
And how the ladies’ eyes he lit
With flashes of his sudden wit!
СпойлерПоказать
Stanley Mitchel (2008)
We’ve all learned through our education
Some few things in some random way;
Thank God, then, it’s no tribulation
To put our knowledge on display.
Onegin was to many people
(Who judged him by the strictest scruple)
A pedant, yet an able lad.
He was by fortune talented
At seeming always to be curious,
At touching lightly on a thing,
At looking wise and listening,
When argument became too serious,
And, with a sudden epigram,
At setting ladies’ smiles aflame.
We’ve all learned through our education
Some few things in some random way;
Thank God, then, it’s no tribulation
To put our knowledge on display.
Onegin was to many people
(Who judged him by the strictest scruple)
A pedant, yet an able lad.
He was by fortune talented
At seeming always to be curious,
At touching lightly on a thing,
At looking wise and listening,
When argument became too serious,
And, with a sudden epigram,
At setting ladies’ smiles aflame.