Did Planche translate from French on his own?
Yes, he spoke French with native fluency, having learned it as a child. It was not uncommon for theatrical writers in those days to “borrow” entire works from French authors, merely modifying a few details. Planche’s adaptations have the advantage of being graceful and well-written; many times, critics remarked that they could not tell whether or not a specific Planche work was taken from a French source or not. In addition, Planche never claimed to have made an original composition when he had, in fact, translated and adapted a foreign one. He also made some excellent, highly readable and painstakingly researched translations of French fairy tales, which seem to have been his favorite form of literature. He repeatedly stressed (correctly) that these tales were for adults, not for children, in their original forms.
