Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 3
But supposing all these conjectures to be false, you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind, to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine.
Aber selbst wenn alle diese Vermutungen falsch sein sollten, können Sie den unschätzbaren Nutzen nicht bestreiten, den ich der gesamten Menschheit bis zur letzten Generation erweisen werde, indem ich in der Nähe des Pols einen Durchgang zu jenen Ländern entdecke, deren Erreichen gegenwärtig so viele Monate erfordert; oder indem ich das Geheimnis des Magneten ergründe, was, wenn es überhaupt möglich ist, nur durch ein Unternehmen wie das meine bewerkstelligt werden kann.
These reflections have dispelled the agitation with which I began my letter, and I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillise the mind as a steady purpose—a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.
Diese Betrachtungen haben die Aufgewühltheit zerstreut, mit der ich meinen Brief begann, und ich spüre, wie mein Herz von einer Begeisterung erfüllt wird, die mich in den Himmel erhebt, denn nichts trägt so sehr zur Beruhigung des Geistes bei wie ein festes Ziel — ein Punkt, auf den die Seele ihr geistiges Auge richten kann.
This expedition has been the favourite dream of my early years.
Diese Expedition war der Lieblingstraum meiner frühen Jahre.
I have read with ardour the accounts of the various voyages which have been made in the prospect of arriving at the North Pacific Ocean through the seas which surround the pole.
Ich habe mit Begeisterung die Berichte über die verschiedenen Reisen gelesen, die in der Hoffnung unternommen wurden, durch die den Pol umgebenden Meere den Nordpazifischen Ozean zu erreichen.
You may remember that a history of all the voyages made for purposes of discovery composed the whole of our good Uncle Thomas' library.
Sie erinnern sich vielleicht, dass eine Geschichte aller zu Entdeckungszwecken unternommenen Reisen die gesamte Bibliothek unseres guten Onkels Thomas ausmachte.
My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading.
Meine Erziehung wurde vernachlässigt, dennoch war ich leidenschaftlich gern beim Lesen.
These volumes were my study day and night, and my familiarity with them increased that regret which I had felt, as a child, on learning that my father's dying injunction had forbidden my uncle to allow me to embark in a seafaring life.
Diese Bände waren mein Studium bei Tag und Nacht, und meine Vertrautheit mit ihnen verstärkte jenen Kummer, den ich als Kind empfunden hatte, als ich erfuhr, dass das sterbende Gebot meines Vaters meinem Onkel verboten hatte, mir zu gestatten, ein Leben zur See einzuschlagen.
Vocabulary
- Aber
- But; however; yet; used to introduce contrast.
- selbst
- Self; even; myself, yourself, himself, etc.
- wenn
- If; when; in case that; conditional conjunction.
- alle
- All; everyone; every person or thing.
- diese
- This; these; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
- Vermutungen
- Conjectures; guesses; suppositions or assumptions.
- falsch
- False; wrong; incorrect or mistaken.
- sein
- To be; auxiliary and main verb in German.
- sollten
- Should; ought to; conditional form of sollen.
- können
- Can; to be able to; possibility or ability.
- Sie
- You; formal polite form of address.
- den
- The; masculine accusative article or relative pronoun.
- Nutzen
- Benefit; use; utility or advantage gained.
- nicht
- Not; negation particle in German sentences.
- bestreiten
- To dispute; to deny; to contest or challenge.
- ich
- I; first person singular nominative pronoun.
- der
- The; masculine article or relative pronoun.
- gesamten
- Entire; whole; all or complete in extent.
- Menschheit
- Humanity; mankind; the human race collectively.
- bis
- Until; till; up to a point in time.
- zur
- To the; contraction of zu and der.
- letzten
- Last; final; the most recent or ultimate.
- Generation
- Generation; age group; period of thirty years.
- erweisen
- To prove; to show; to demonstrate or exhibit.
- werde
- Will be; future tense first person singular.
- indem
- By; while; through the act of doing something.
- in
- In; into; within or inside a location.
- Nähe
- Vicinity; proximity; the state of being near.
- des
- Of the; genitive masculine article contraction.
- Pols
- Pole; geographic or magnetic pole location.
- einen
- A; an; masculine accusative indefinite article.
- Durchgang
- Passage; passage way; route or corridor.
- zu
- To; towards; in the direction of.
- jenen
- Those; that; distant or those over there.
- Ländern
- Countries; lands; geographic political regions.
- entdecke
- Discover; find; uncover something previously hidden.
- deren
- Their; whose; possessive relative pronoun feminine.
- Erreichen
- Attainment; reaching; achievement of a goal.
- gegenwärtig
- Currently; at present; now or presently.
- so
- So; thus; in such a manner or way.
- viele
- Many; much; a large number or quantity.
- Monate
- Months; plural of month; period of time.
- erfordert
- Requires; demands; necessitates or calls for.
- oder
- Or; either; alternative conjunction in sentences.
- das
- The; that; neuter article or demonstrative.
- Geheimnis
- Secret; mystery; something kept hidden or unknown.
- Magneten
- Magnets; magnetic objects that attract iron.
- was
- What; which thing; interrogative or relative.
- es
- It; that; neuter third person singular pronoun.
- überhaupt
- At all; in general; fundamentally or basically.
- möglich
- Possible; feasible; capable of happening or being.
- ist
- Is; third person singular present tense of sein.
- nur
- Only; merely; solely or exclusively one thing.
- durch
- Through; by; by means of or via.
- ein
- A; an; indefinite article nominative masculine.
- Unternehmen
- Enterprise; undertaking; business venture or project.
- wie
- Like; as; how; in what manner.
- meine
- Mine; my; possessive pronoun or adjective.
- werden
- Will; become; future tense auxiliary or main.
- kann
- Can; is able; third person singular of können.
- Betrachtungen
- Considerations; reflections; thoughts about something.
- haben
- Have; to possess; auxiliary or main verb.
- die
- The; feminine or plural article or pronoun.
- zerstreut
- Scattered; dispersed; distracted or absentminded.
- mit
- With; together with; accompanied by or beside.
- meinen
- My; mine; possessive adjective or pronoun.
- Brief
- Letter; written message; correspondence or epistle.
- begann
- Began; started; past tense of beginnen.
- und
- And; conjunction connecting words or clauses.
- spüre
- Feel; sense; perceive or notice something.
- mein
- My; mine; possessive adjective or pronoun.
- Herz
- Heart; organ; center of emotions or feelings.
- von
- Of; from; indicating origin or possession.
- einer
- A; an; feminine singular indefinite article.
- Begeisterung
- Enthusiasm; excitement; passionate interest or zeal.
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