On Liberty — Page 12
Taylor's assistance in the _Political Economy_ is confined to certain definite points.
La contribution de Taylor à l'_Économie Politique_ se limite à certains points bien définis.
The purely scientific part was, we are assured, not learnt from her.
La partie purement scientifique n'a pas, nous dit-on, été apprise d'elle.
"But it was chiefly her influence which gave to the book that general tone by which it is distinguished from all previous expositions of political economy that had any pretensions to be scientific, and which has made it so useful in conciliating minds which those previous expositions had repelled.
« Mais c'est surtout son influence qui a donné au livre ce ton général par lequel il se distingue de toutes les expositions antérieures de l'économie politique qui avaient quelque prétention à être scientifiques, et qui l'a rendu si utile pour concilier les esprits que ces expositions antérieures avaient rebutés.
This tone consisted chiefly in making the proper distinction between the laws of the production of wealth, which are real laws of Nature, dependent on the properties of objects, and the modes of its distribution, which, subject to certain conditions, depend on human will....
Ce ton consistait principalement à établir la distinction appropriée entre les lois de la production de la richesse, qui sont de véritables lois de la Nature, dépendantes des propriétés des objets, et les modes de sa distribution, qui, sous certaines conditions, dépendent de la volonté humaine….
_I had indeed partially learnt this view of things from the thoughts awakened in me by the speculations of St. Simonians_; but it was made a living principle, pervading and animating the book, by my wife's promptings."[4]
_J'avais en effet partiellement appris cette vision des choses grâce aux pensées éveillées en moi par les spéculations des Saint-Simoniens_ ; mais c'est par les suggestions de ma femme qu'elle est devenue un principe vivant, pénétrant et animant le livre. »[4]
The part which is italicised is noticeable.
La partie en italique est digne de remarque.
Here, as elsewhere, Mill thinks out the matter by himself; the concrete form of the thoughts is suggested or prompted by the wife.
Ici, comme ailleurs, Mill réfléchit à la question par lui-même ; la forme concrète des pensées est suggérée ou inspirée par son épouse.
Apart from this "general tone," Mill tells us that there was a specific contribution.
Outre ce « ton général », Mill nous dit qu'il y eut une contribution spécifique.
"The chapter which has had a greater influence on opinion than all the rest, that on the Probable Future of the Labouring Classes, is entirely due to her.
« Le chapitre qui a exercé une plus grande influence sur l'opinion que tous les autres, celui sur l'Avenir probable des Classes laborieuses, lui est entièrement dû.
In the first draft of the book that chapter did not exist.
Dans la première ébauche du livre, ce chapitre n'existait pas.
Vocabulary
- La
- The (feminine singular definite article)
- contribution
- A gift, payment, or work added to achieve common purpose
- de
- Of, from, or indicating possession (preposition)
- Économie
- Economics; the study of production and distribution of wealth
- Politique
- Political; relating to government or state affairs
- se
- Oneself; reflexive pronoun for third person
- limite
- Limits or restricts; third person singular present tense
- certains
- Certain; some or particular things or people
- points
- Points; dots, marks, or specific matters of discussion
- bien
- Well; properly, correctly, or indeed (adverb)
- définis
- Defined; clearly stated or determined (past participle)
- partie
- Part; a portion or section of something larger
- purement
- Purely; in a way that is unmixed or unadulterated
- scientifique
- Scientific; relating to or based on science
- pas
- Not; negation or step forward in movement
- nous
- Us; first person plural pronoun or reflexive form
- dit
- Says or tells; third person singular present tense
- on
- One, people, or we; indefinite pronoun
- été
- Been; past participle of être or summer season
- apprise
- Learned or taught; feminine past participle of apprendre
- elle
- She or it; third person feminine singular pronoun
- Mais
- But; conjunction indicating contrast or exception
- est
- Is; third person singular present of être
- surtout
- Above all; especially or primarily in particular
- son
- His, her, or its; possessive adjective masculine singular
- influence
- Influence; power to affect or change something
- qui
- Who or which; relative pronoun for subject
- donné
- Given; past participle of donner or contributed
- au
- To the; contraction of à plus le
- livre
- Book; a written literary work or volume
- ce
- This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- ton
- Tone; your (possessive adjective) or quality of sound
- général
- General; comprehensive or overall in scope
- par
- By or through; preposition indicating agent or means
- lequel
- Which; relative pronoun referring to masculine object
- il
- He or it; third person masculine singular pronoun
- distingue
- Distinguishes; third person singular or formal you
- toutes
- All or every; feminine plural of tout
- les
- The; definite article for plural nouns
- expositions
- Expositions; explanations, displays, or presentations of ideas
- antérieures
- Previous or earlier; feminine plural of antérieur
- avaient
- Had; third person plural imperfect of avoir
- quelque
- Some or any; indefinite adjective or pronoun
- prétention
- Claim or pretension; assertion of supposed right
- être
- To be; fundamental verb expressing existence or state
- scientifiques
- Scientific; plural form relating to science or scientists
- et
- And; conjunction joining words, phrases, or clauses
- rendu
- Made or rendered; past participle of rendre
- si
- So; thus or such (adverb) or if (conditional)
- utile
- Useful; serving practical purpose or beneficial
- pour
- For or to; preposition indicating purpose or destination
- concilier
- Reconcile or bring together; to make compatible
- esprits
- Minds or spirits; plural of esprit
- que
- That; conjunction or relative pronoun (many uses)
- rebutés
- Discouraged or repelled; past participle of rebuter
- Ce
- This or that; demonstrative pronoun (neuter/impersonal)
- consistait
- Consisted; third person singular imperfect of consister
- principalement
- Principally; mainly, chiefly, or primarily
- établir
- Establish; to set up, create, or prove
- distinction
- Distinction; difference or recognition of superiority
- appropriée
- Appropriate; suitable or proper for situation
- entre
- Between; preposition indicating position or space
- lois
- Laws; rules, regulations, or legislative enactments
- production
- Production; creation or manufacture of goods
- richesse
- Wealth; abundance of valuable possessions or resources
- sont
- Are; third person plural present of être
- véritables
- True or genuine; authentic or real things
- Nature
- Nature; the natural world or essential characteristics
- dépendantes
- Dependent; feminine plural form of dépendant
- des
- Of the; contraction of de plus les
- propriétés
- Properties; characteristics, attributes, or real estate
- objets
- Objects; things or items under consideration
- modes
- Modes; ways, methods, or fashions of doing
- sa
- His, her, or its; possessive adjective feminine singular
- distribution
- Distribution; allocation, sharing, or spreading of things
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