Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 1
A preface to the first edition of "Jane Eyre" being unnecessary, I gave none: this second edition demands a few words both of acknowledgment and miscellaneous remark.
Una prefazione alla prima edizione di «Jane Eyre» essendo superflua, non ne scrissi alcuna: questa seconda edizione richiede invece qualche parola tanto di ringraziamento quanto di osservazione varia.
My thanks are due in three quarters.
I miei ringraziamenti sono dovuti in tre direzioni.
To the Public, for the indulgent ear it has inclined to a plain tale with few pretensions.
Al Pubblico, per l'orecchio indulgente che ha prestato a una storia semplice e senza troppe pretese.
To the Press, for the fair field its honest suffrage has opened to an obscure aspirant.
Alla Stampa, per il terreno favorevole che il suo onesto consenso ha aperto a un'oscura aspirante.
To my Publishers, for the aid their tact, their energy, their practical sense and frank liberality have afforded an unknown and unrecommended Author.
Ai miei Editori, per il sostegno che il loro tatto, la loro energia, il loro senso pratico e la loro franca liberalità hanno offerto a un'Autrice sconosciuta e priva di raccomandazioni.
The Press and the Public are but vague personifications for me, and I must thank them in vague terms; but my Publishers are definite: so are certain generous critics who have encouraged me as only large-hearted and high-minded men know how to encourage a struggling stranger; to them, _i.e._, to my Publishers and the select Reviewers, I say cordially, Gentlemen, I thank you from my heart.
La Stampa e il Pubblico non sono per me che vaghe personificazioni, e devo ringraziarli in termini altrettanto vaghi; i miei Editori invece sono concreti: e così certi generosi critici che mi hanno incoraggiata come solo uomini di grande cuore e di elevato sentire sanno incoraggiare uno straniero che lotta; a loro, vale a dire ai miei Editori e ai selezionati Recensori, dico cordialmente: Signori, vi ringrazio di cuore.
Having thus acknowledged what I owe those who have aided and approved me, I turn to another class; a small one, so far as I know, but not, therefore, to be overlooked.
Avendo così riconosciuto il mio debito verso coloro che mi hanno sostenuta e approvata, mi rivolgo ora a un'altra categoria; piccola, per quanto ne so, ma non per questo da trascurare.
I mean the timorous or carping few who doubt the tendency of such books as "Jane Eyre:" in whose eyes whatever is unusual is wrong; whose ears detect in each protest against bigotry—that parent of crime—an insult to piety, that regent of God on earth.
Intendo il numero esiguo di persone timorose o ipercritiche che mettono in dubbio la tendenza di libri come «Jane Eyre»: ai cui occhi tutto ciò che è insolito è sbagliato; le cui orecchie scorgono in ogni protesta contro il bigottismo — padre del crimine — un insulto alla pietà, quella reggente di Dio sulla terra.
Vocabulary
- prefazione
- Introductory section of a book; preface
- prima
- First; preceding all others in order
- edizione
- Published version or printing of a book
- essendo
- Gerund of 'essere': 'being'
- superflua
- Unnecessary; more than what is needed
- ne
- Pronoun meaning 'of it,' 'about it,' or 'any'
- scrissi
- Past tense of 'scrivere': 'I wrote'
- alcuna
- Feminine indefinite pronoun meaning 'any' or 'none'
- seconda
- Feminine ordinal adjective meaning 'second'
- richiede
- Third-person singular of 'richiedere': 'requires' or 'demands'
- invece
- Adverb meaning 'instead' or 'on the other hand'
- qualche
- Indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'a few'
- parola
- A single unit of spoken or written language; word
- tanto
- Adverb meaning 'as much' or 'both'; so much
- ringraziamento
- Expression of gratitude; act of thanking someone
- quanto
- Adverb/conjunction meaning 'as' or 'how much'
- osservazione
- A remark or comment; act of observing something
- varia
- Adjective meaning 'various' or 'varied'; miscellaneous
- ringraziamenti
- Plural of 'ringraziamento': expressions of thanks
- dovuti
- Past participle of 'dovere': 'owed' or 'due'
- direzioni
- Plural of 'direzione': directions or areas
- Pubblico
- The general public; audience or readership
- orecchio
- The organ of hearing; ear
- indulgente
- Tolerant and lenient; not overly critical or strict
- prestato
- Past participle of 'prestare': 'lent' or 'given'
- storia
- A narrative account; story or history
- semplice
- Not complex or elaborate; simple or plain
- troppe
- Feminine plural of 'troppo': 'too many' or 'too much'
- pretese
- Plural of 'pretesa': claims, pretensions, or ambitions
- Stampa
- The press; media or printing industry collectively
- terreno
- Ground, terrain; figuratively, a field or domain
- favorevole
- Supportive and positive; favorable or advantageous
- onesto
- Characterized by integrity and fairness; honest
- consenso
- Agreement or approval given by others; consent
- aperto
- Past participle of 'aprire': 'opened'; also 'open'
- oscura
- Not well known; obscure, unknown, or dark
- aspirante
- A person who aspires to achieve something; aspirant
- Editori
- Plural of 'editore': publishers or editors
- sostegno
- Support, backing, or assistance given to someone
- tatto
- Sensitivity in dealing with people; tact or touch
- energia
- Vigour and effort applied to a task; energy
- senso
- Meaning, sense, or direction; awareness or feeling
- pratico
- Related to practice rather than theory; practical
- franca
- Feminine of 'franco': open and direct; frank
- liberalità
- Generosity in giving; liberality or open-handedness
- offerto
- Past participle of 'offrire': 'offered' or 'provided'
- Autrice
- Feminine form of 'autore': female author or writer
- sconosciuta
- Feminine adjective meaning 'unknown' or 'unfamiliar'
- priva
- Feminine of 'privo': lacking or deprived of something
- raccomandazioni
- Plural of 'raccomandazione': references or recommendations
- vaghe
- Feminine plural of 'vago': vague, imprecise, or indefinite
- personificazioni
- Plural of 'personificazione': personifications or embodiments
- devo
- First-person singular of 'dovere': 'I must' or 'I owe'
- ringraziarli
- Infinitive 'ringraziare' with clitic 'li': 'to thank them'
- termini
- Plural of 'termine': terms, words, or expressions used
- altrettanto
- Adverb meaning 'equally' or 'just as much'
- concreti
- Masculine plural of 'concreto': specific, definite, concrete
- certi
- Masculine plural of 'certo': certain or particular ones
- generosi
- Masculine plural of 'generoso': generous, giving, or magnanimous
- critici
- Plural of 'critico': critics or critical reviewers
- incoraggiata
- Past participle of 'incoraggiare': 'encouraged' (feminine)
- solo
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'only,' 'alone,' or 'just'
- uomini
- Plural of 'uomo': men or human beings
- grande
- Adjective meaning 'great,' 'large,' or 'important'
- cuore
- The heart; figuratively, compassion or courage
- elevato
- High, elevated, or noble in character or rank
- sentire
- Infinitive meaning 'to feel,' 'to hear,' or 'to sense'
- sanno
- Third-person plural of 'sapere': 'they know how to'
- incoraggiare
- To give support and confidence to someone; to encourage
- straniero
- A person from another country or place; foreigner
- lotta
- A struggle or fight; contest or conflict
- vale
- Third-person singular of 'valere': 'is worth' or 'means'
- dire
- Infinitive meaning 'to say' or 'to tell'
- selezionati
- Past participle of 'selezionare': 'selected' or 'chosen'
- Recensori
- Plural of 'recensore': reviewers who write critical assessments
- dico
- First-person singular of 'dire': 'I say' or 'I tell'
- cordialmente
- In a warm and sincere manner; cordially or warmly
- Signori
- Plural of 'signore': gentlemen or sirs; formal address
- vi
- Pronoun meaning 'you' (plural) or 'to you'
- ringrazio
- First-person singular of 'ringraziare': 'I thank'
- Avendo
- Gerund of 'avere': 'having' done something
- riconosciuto
- Past participle of 'riconoscere': 'recognized' or 'acknowledged'
- debito
- An obligation or debt owed to someone
- verso
- Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'with respect to'
- coloro
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' or 'those who'
- sostenuta
- Feminine past participle of 'sostenere': 'supported' or 'sustained'
- approvata
- Feminine past participle of 'approvare': 'approved' or 'endorsed'
- rivolgo
- First-person singular of 'rivolgere': 'I turn' or 'I address'
- ora
- Adverb meaning 'now'; also noun meaning 'hour'
- categoria
- A class or group sharing common characteristics; category
- piccola
- Feminine adjective meaning 'small,' 'little,' or 'minor'
- trascurare
- To neglect or overlook something; to disregard
- Intendo
- First-person singular of 'intendere': 'I mean' or 'I intend'
- numero
- A quantity or count; number or figure
- esiguo
- Very small in number or amount; meager or scanty
- persone
- Plural of 'persona': people or individuals
- timorose
- Feminine plural of 'timoroso': fearful, timid, or apprehensive
- ipercritiche
- Feminine plural of 'ipercritico': excessively critical or fault-finding
- mettono
- Third-person plural of 'mettere': 'they put' or 'they place'
- dubbio
- Uncertainty or suspicion; doubt about something
- tendenza
- An inclination or trend toward something; tendency
- libri
- Plural of 'libro': books or written works
- occhi
- Plural of 'occhio': eyes; organs of sight
- ciò
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this,' 'that,' or 'it'
- insolito
- Not usual or common; unusual or uncommon
- sbagliato
- Past participle of 'sbagliare': 'wrong,' 'mistaken,' or 'erroneous'
- orecchie
- Plural of 'orecchia': ears; organs of hearing
- scorgono
- Third-person plural of 'scorgere': 'they detect' or 'they notice'
- ogni
- Adjective meaning 'every' or 'each'
- protesta
- A public objection or complaint; protest or dissent
- contro
- Preposition meaning 'against' or 'in opposition to'
- bigottismo
- Intolerant devotion to one's own beliefs; bigotry
- padre
- Male parent; father or paternal figure
- crimine
- An unlawful act; serious crime or offense
- insulto
- A disrespectful or offensive remark; insult or affront
- pietà
- Compassion or mercy felt toward suffering; piety or pity
- reggente
- One who rules in place of another; regent or ruler
- Dio
- The supreme being in monotheistic religion; God
- terra
- The earth, ground, or land; also the planet Earth
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