On Liberty — Page 4
_Liberty_ was published shortly after, as well as the _Thoughts on Parliamentary Reform_, and no year passed without Mill making important contributions on the political, philosophical, and ethical questions of the day.
_La Liberté_ fut publiée peu après, ainsi que les _Pensées sur la Réforme parlementaire_, et il ne se passa pas une année sans que Mill apportât d'importantes contributions aux questions politiques, philosophiques et éthiques de l'époque.
Seven years after the death of his wife, Mill was invited to contest Westminster.
Sept ans après la mort de sa femme, Mill fut invité à se présenter à Westminster.
His feeling on the conduct of elections made him refuse to take any personal action in the matter, and he gave the frankest expression to his political views, but nevertheless he was elected by a large majority.
Ses convictions sur la conduite des élections le conduisirent à refuser toute démarche personnelle en la matière, et il exprima ses opinions politiques avec la plus grande franchise, mais il fut néanmoins élu avec une large majorité.
He was not a conventional success in the House; as a speaker he lacked magnetism.
Il ne remporta pas un succès conventionnel à la Chambre ; en tant qu'orateur, il manquait de magnétisme.
But his influence was widely felt.
Mais son influence se fit largement sentir.
"For the sake of the House of Commons at large," said Mr. Gladstone, "I rejoiced in his advent and deplored his disappearance.
« Dans l'intérêt de la Chambre des communes dans son ensemble, » dit M. Gladstone, « je me suis réjoui de son arrivée et j'ai déploré sa disparition.
He did us all good."
Il nous a tous fait du bien. »
After only three years in Parliament, he was defeated at the next General Election by Mr. W. H. Smith.
Après seulement trois ans au Parlement, il fut battu aux élections générales suivantes par M. W. H. Smith.
He retired to Avignon, to the pleasant little house where the happiest years of his life had been spent in the companionship of his wife, and continued his disinterested labours.
Il se retira à Avignon, dans l'agréable petite maison où il avait passé les années les plus heureuses de sa vie en compagnie de sa femme, et poursuivit ses travaux désintéressés.
He completed his edition of his father's _Analysis of the Mind_, and also produced, in addition to less important work, _The Subjection of Women_, in which he had the active co-operation of his step-daughter.
Il acheva son édition de l'_Analyse de l'esprit_ de son père, et produisit également, en plus de travaux moins importants, _L'Assujettissement des femmes_, à laquelle sa belle-fille apporta une collaboration active.
A book on Socialism was under consideration, but, like an earlier study of Sociology, it never was written.
Un ouvrage sur le Socialisme était en préparation, mais, comme une étude antérieure sur la Sociologie, il ne fut jamais écrit.
Vocabulary
- La
- Feminine definite article meaning 'the'.
- Liberté
- Freedom or liberty, absence of constraint.
- fut
- Past simple of 'être'; was, third person singular.
- publiée
- Published, past participle of 'publier', feminine form.
- peu
- A little, few, not much in quantity.
- après
- After, following in time or order.
- ainsi
- Thus, so, in this manner or way.
- que
- That, which, than; subordinating conjunction.
- les
- Plural definite article meaning 'the'.
- Pensées
- Thoughts, reflections, written philosophical musings.
- sur
- On, upon, about, concerning a topic.
- la
- Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
- Réforme
- Reform, an improvement or change to a system.
- parlementaire
- Parliamentary, relating to a legislative parliament.
- et
- And, coordinating conjunction joining elements.
- il
- He, third person singular masculine pronoun.
- ne
- Negation particle used with 'pas' or alone.
- se
- Reflexive pronoun meaning oneself, himself, herself.
- passa
- Passed, went by; past simple of 'passer'.
- pas
- Not, negation particle used with 'ne'.
- une
- Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
- année
- Year, a period of twelve calendar months.
- sans
- Without, lacking something or someone entirely.
- apportât
- Brought, contributed; imperfect subjunctive of 'apporter'.
- d'
- Contracted preposition 'de', meaning of or from.
- importantes
- Important, significant, of great value or consequence.
- contributions
- Contributions, inputs made to a cause or field.
- aux
- Contraction of 'à les', meaning to the or at the.
- questions
- Questions, issues or topics under consideration.
- politiques
- Political, relating to governance and public affairs.
- philosophiques
- Philosophical, relating to philosophy and deep inquiry.
- éthiques
- Ethical, relating to moral principles and conduct.
- de
- Of, from, preposition indicating origin or possession.
- l'
- Elided definite article 'le' or 'la' before vowel.
- époque
- Era, period, a particular time in history.
- Sept
- Seven, the number 7.
- ans
- Years, referring to age or duration of time.
- mort
- Death, the end of life; or dead adjective.
- sa
- His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective.
- femme
- Woman, wife; adult female person or spouse.
- invité
- Invited, asked to participate or attend something.
- à
- To, at, in; common French preposition.
- présenter
- To present, introduce, or stand as a candidate.
- Ses
- His, her, its; plural possessive adjective.
- convictions
- Convictions, firmly held beliefs or principles.
- conduite
- Conduct, behavior, manner of acting in situations.
- des
- Of the, some; plural partitive or definite article.
- élections
- Elections, processes of voting to choose representatives.
- le
- Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
- conduisirent
- Led, brought; past simple of 'conduire', third plural.
- refuser
- To refuse, decline, reject an offer or request.
- toute
- All, every, any; feminine singular of 'tout'.
- démarche
- Step, approach, formal action taken toward a goal.
- personnelle
- Personal, relating to oneself, private or individual.
- en
- In, on, by; versatile French preposition.
- matière
- Matter, subject, field or area of concern.
- exprima
- Expressed, stated; past simple of 'exprimer'.
- ses
- His, her, its; plural possessive adjective.
- opinions
- Opinions, personal views or judgments on topics.
- avec
- With, together with, in company of someone.
- plus
- More, most; used to form comparatives and superlatives.
- grande
- Great, big, large; feminine form of 'grand'.
- franchise
- Frankness, openness, candid and honest expression.
- mais
- But, however; coordinating conjunction showing contrast.
- néanmoins
- Nevertheless, nonetheless, yet despite that fact.
- élu
- Elected, chosen by vote for a position.
- large
- Large, wide, broad; referring to great majority.
- majorité
- Majority, more than half of votes or people.
- Il
- He, third person singular masculine subject pronoun.
- remporta
- Won, achieved; past simple of 'remporter'.
- un
- A, an, one; masculine indefinite article.
- succès
- Success, favorable outcome of an effort or action.
- conventionnel
- Conventional, ordinary, following established norms.
- Chambre
- Chamber, legislative assembly or parliamentary house.
- tant
- As much, so much; used in comparisons or extent.
- qu'
- Elided form of 'que', meaning that or as.
- orateur
- Orator, public speaker who addresses an audience.
- manquait
- Lacked, was missing; imperfect of 'manquer'.
- magnétisme
- Magnetism, charisma, compelling personal attraction.
- Mais
- But, however; coordinating conjunction showing contrast.
- son
- His, her, its; masculine singular possessive adjective.
- influence
- Influence, power to affect others or outcomes.
- fit
- Made, did; past simple of 'faire', third singular.
- largement
- Widely, broadly, to a great extent or degree.
- sentir
- To feel, sense, smell; perceive through senses.
- Dans
- In, inside, within a place or context.
- intérêt
- Interest, benefit, importance to someone or group.
- communes
- Commons, common people or municipal communities.
- dans
- In, within, inside; spatial or temporal preposition.
- ensemble
- Together, as a whole, collectively as one group.
- dit
- Said, stated; past simple of 'dire', third singular.
- M.
- Abbreviation for Monsieur, meaning Mister or Mr.
- je
- I, first person singular subject pronoun.
- me
- Me, myself; first person singular reflexive pronoun.
- suis
- Am, first person singular of 'être', to be.
- réjoui
- Rejoiced, delighted; past participle of 'se réjouir'.
- arrivée
- Arrival, the act of reaching a destination.
- j'
- I, elided first person pronoun before a vowel.
- ai
- Have, first person singular of 'avoir', to have.
- déploré
- Deplored, regretted deeply; past participle of 'déplorer'.
- disparition
- Disappearance, vanishing, or passing away of someone.
- nous
- We, us; first person plural pronoun.
- a
- Has, third person singular of 'avoir', to have.
- tous
- All, everyone; masculine plural of 'tout'.
- fait
- Done, made; past participle of 'faire'.
- du
- Of the, some; contraction of 'de le'.
- bien
- Good, well; benefit or something positive.
- Après
- After, following in time or sequence.
- seulement
- Only, merely, just a limited amount or number.
- trois
- Three, the number 3.
- au
- To the, at the; contraction of 'à le'.
- Parlement
- Parliament, the national legislative governing body.
- battu
- Beaten, defeated; past participle of 'battre'.
- générales
- General, as in general elections, widespread.
- suivantes
- Following, next; feminine plural of 'suivant'.
- par
- By, through, via; preposition indicating agent.
- retira
- Retired, withdrew; past simple of 'se retirer'.
- agréable
- Pleasant, agreeable, enjoyable and comfortable to be in.
- petite
- Small, little; feminine form of 'petit'.
- maison
- House, home, a building where people live.
- où
- Where, in which; relative or interrogative adverb.
- avait
- Had, possessed; imperfect of 'avoir', third singular.
- passé
- Spent, passed; past participle of 'passer'.
- années
- Years, plural of 'année', periods of twelve months.
- heureuses
- Happy, joyful; feminine plural of 'heureux'.
- vie
- Life, the existence and experiences of a person.
- compagnie
- Company, companionship, being together with someone.
- poursuivit
- Continued, pursued; past simple of 'poursuivre'.
- travaux
- Works, tasks, studies or projects undertaken.
- désintéressés
- Disinterested, selfless, done without personal gain.
- acheva
- Completed, finished; past simple of 'achever'.
- édition
- Edition, version of a published work or book.
- Analyse
- Analysis, examination of a subject in detail.
- esprit
- Mind, spirit, intellect; the thinking faculty.
- père
- Father, a male parent or paternal figure.
- produisit
- Produced, created; past simple of 'produire'.
- également
- Also, equally, likewise, in the same manner.
- moins
- Less, fewer; used in comparisons of quantity.
- importants
- Important, significant; masculine plural of 'important'.
- L'
- Elided definite article before vowel, meaning 'the'.
- Assujettissement
- Subjugation, subjection, bringing under control or dominion.
- femmes
- Women, plural of 'femme'; adult female persons.
- laquelle
- Which, whom; feminine relative or interrogative pronoun.
- belle-fille
- Stepdaughter or daughter-in-law, female family relation.
- apporta
- Brought, contributed; past simple of 'apporter'.
- collaboration
- Collaboration, working jointly with others on a project.
- active
- Active, engaged, taking part energetically in something.
- Un
- A, an, one; masculine indefinite article.
- ouvrage
- Work, book, a written or crafted piece.
- Socialisme
- Socialism, political theory of collective ownership.
- était
- Was, were; imperfect of 'être', third singular.
- préparation
- Preparation, the process of getting something ready.
- comme
- As, like, in the manner of something.
- étude
- Study, research, examination of a subject.
- antérieure
- Prior, earlier, preceding in time or order.
- Sociologie
- Sociology, the study of society and social behavior.
- jamais
- Never, ever; negation of time or frequency.
- écrit
- Written; past participle of 'écrire', to write.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →