← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 3

English → It Preface Level 7/10

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.

Ma supponendo che tutte queste congetture siano false, non potete contestare l'inestimabile beneficio che conferirò a tutta l'umanità, fino all'ultima generazione, scoprendo un passaggio vicino al polo verso quei paesi, per raggiungere i quali sono attualmente necessari così tanti mesi; o accertando il segreto della calamita, che, se mai possibile, può essere realizzato solo da un'impresa come la mia.

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.

Queste riflessioni hanno dissipato l'agitazione con cui ho iniziato la mia lettera, e sento il mio cuore ardere di un entusiasmo che mi eleva al cielo, poiché nulla contribuisce tanto a tranquillizzare la mente quanto uno scopo costante — un punto su cui l'anima può fissare il suo occhio intellettuale.

This expedition has been the favourite dream of my early years.

Questa spedizione è stata il sogno prediletto della mia giovinezza.

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.

Ho letto con ardore i resoconti dei vari viaggi che sono stati compiuti nella prospettiva di raggiungere l'Oceano Pacifico del Nord attraverso i mari che circondano il polo.

You may remember that a history of all the voyages made for purposes of discovery composed the whole of our good Uncle Thomas' library.

Ricorderete forse che una storia di tutti i viaggi compiuti a scopi di scoperta componeva l'intera biblioteca del nostro buon zio Thomas.

My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading.

La mia istruzione fu trascurata, eppure ero appassionatamente dedito alla lettura.

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.

Questi volumi erano il mio studio giorno e notte, e la mia familiarità con essi accrebbe quel rimpianto che avevo provato, da bambino, nell'apprendere che l'ultima ingiunzione di mio padre morente aveva proibito a mio zio di permettermi di intraprendere una vita marinara.

Vocabulary

Ma
But; however; yet
supponendo
Supposing; assuming; in case that
che
That; which; who; what
tutte
All; every; entire (feminine plural)
queste
These; these ones (feminine plural)
congetture
Conjectures; guesses; suppositions; hypotheses
siano
Be; are (subjunctive present third person plural)
false
False; untrue; incorrect (feminine plural)
non
Not; no; negation particle
potete
Can you; are you able; you may (plural)
contestare
To contest; to dispute; to deny; to challenge
inestimabile
Invaluable; priceless; beyond estimation or price
beneficio
Benefit; advantage; profit; good deed
conferirò
I will confer; I shall bestow; grant
tutta
All; whole; entire (feminine singular)
umanità
Humanity; mankind; human race; compassion
fino
Until; till; up to; as far as
all
To the; at the (contraction of a+il)
ultima
Last; final; ultimate (feminine singular)
generazione
Generation; offspring; descent; age group
scoprendo
Discovering; uncovering; finding; revealing
un
A; an; one (masculine singular)
passaggio
Passage; passage way; crossing; route
vicino
Near; close; nearby; next to
al
To the; at the (contraction of a+il)
polo
Pole; geographic pole; North or South Pole
verso
Toward; towards; against; about; line of poetry
quei
Those; those ones; that (masculine plural)
paesi
Countries; lands; regions; villages (plural)
per
For; to; by; in order to; through
raggiungere
To reach; to attain; to achieve; to arrive at
quali
Which; which ones; whom; that (plural)
sono
Am; are; is (present tense)
attualmente
Currently; presently; at present; at this time
necessari
Necessary; needed; required (masculine plural)
così
So; thus; in this way; therefore
tanti
So many; so much; such many; numerous
mesi
Months; lunar cycles; periods of time
accertando
Ascertaining; determining; verifying; establishing certainty
il
The (masculine singular definite article)
segreto
Secret; mystery; confidential matter; hidden thing
della
Of the; from the (feminine singular)
calamita
Magnet; lodestone; magnetic attraction force
se
If; whether; in case that; supposing
mai
Ever; never; hardly; seldom; scarcely
possibile
Possible; able; feasible; achievable; capable
può
Can; is able; may; is possible
essere
To be; to exist; to remain; to stay
realizzato
Realized; achieved; accomplished; completed; made real
solo
Only; alone; sole; single; by oneself
da
From; by; since; for; out of
impresa
Enterprise; undertaking; venture; business; feat
come
Like; as; how; as if; since
la
The (feminine singular definite article)
mia
My; mine (feminine singular possessive pronoun)
Queste
These; these ones (feminine plural)
riflessioni
Reflections; thoughts; meditations; considerations; musings
hanno
Have; has; they have (present perfect auxiliary)
dissipato
Dissipated; dispersed; scattered; dispelled; wasted
agitazione
Agitation; disturbance; restlessness; anxiety; excitement
con
With; together with; by means of; along
cui
Which; whom; whose; that (relative pronoun)
ho
Have; I have (present perfect auxiliary)
iniziato
Initiated; started; begun; commenced; opened
lettera
Letter; correspondence; missive; written message
sento
Feel; I feel; sense; perceive; experience
mio
My; mine (masculine singular possessive pronoun)
cuore
Heart; core; center; essence; feelings
ardere
To burn; to blaze; to glow; to be ardent
di
Of; from; about; by; with (preposition)
entusiasmo
Enthusiasm; eagerness; passion; fervor; zeal
mi
Me; to me; myself (indirect object pronoun)
eleva
Elevates; raises; lifts; exalts; promotes upward
cielo
Sky; heaven; heavens; firmament; celestial realm
poiché
Since; because; as; inasmuch as; for
nulla
Nothing; naught; no one; not anything
contribuisce
Contributes; helps; aids; advances; promotes; assists
tanto
So much; so many; as much; very
tranquillizzare
To calm; to soothe; to reassure; to pacify
mente
Mind; intellect; reason; memory; consciousness
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