Pride and Prejudice — Page 6
_The characteristics of Miss Austen's humour are so subtle and delicate that they are, perhaps, at all times easier to apprehend than to express, and at any particular time likely to be differently apprehended by different persons.
Les caractéristiques de l'humour de Miss Austen sont si subtiles et délicates qu'elles sont, peut-être, en tout temps plus faciles à saisir qu'à exprimer, et susceptibles à tout moment particulier d'être comprises différemment par différentes personnes.
To me this humour seems to possess a greater affinity, on the whole, to that of Addison than to any other of the numerous species of this great British genus.
Cet humour me semble posséder, dans l'ensemble, une plus grande affinité avec celui d'Addison qu'avec toute autre des nombreuses espèces de ce grand genre britannique.
The differences of scheme, of time, of subject, of literary convention, are, of course, obvious enough; the difference of sex does not, perhaps, count for much, for there was a distinctly feminine element in "Mr. Spectator," and in Jane Austen's genius there was, though nothing mannish, much that was masculine.
Les différences de conception, d'époque, de sujet, de convention littéraire, sont, bien entendu, suffisamment évidentes ; la différence de sexe ne compte peut-être pas pour beaucoup, car il y avait un élément distinctement féminin dans « Mr. Spectator », et dans le génie de Jane Austen il y avait, sans rien de masculin au sens vulgaire, beaucoup de ce qui était mâle.
But the likeness of quality consists in a great number of common subdivisions of quality--demureness, extreme minuteness of touch, avoidance of loud tones and glaring effects.
Mais la ressemblance de qualité réside dans un grand nombre de subdivisions communes de cette qualité — la retenue, l'extrême finesse du toucher, l'évitement des tons criards et des effets tapageurs.
Also there is in both a certain not inhuman or unamiable cruelty.
Il y a aussi chez l'un et l'autre une certaine cruauté qui n'est ni inhumaine ni désagréable.
It is the custom with those who judge grossly to contrast the good nature of Addison with the savagery of Swift, the mildness of Miss Austen with the boisterousness of Fielding and Smollett, even with the ferocious practical jokes that her immediate predecessor, Miss Burney, allowed without very much protest.
Il est coutume, chez ceux qui jugent grossièrement, de contraster la bonhomie d'Addison avec la férocité de Swift, la douceur de Miss Austen avec la turbulence de Fielding et de Smollett, et même avec les farces féroces que son immédiate prédécesseure, Miss Burney, tolérait sans trop protester.
Yet, both in Mr. Addison and in Miss Austen there is, though a restrained and well-mannered, an insatiable and ruthless delight in roasting and cutting up a fool.
Pourtant, chez M. Addison comme chez Miss Austen, il existe, bien que retenu et courtois, un plaisir insatiable et impitoyable à railler et à mettre en pièces un sot.
Vocabulary
- Les
- The (plural definite article)
- caractéristiques
- Characteristics or distinctive features
- de
- Of, from, or preposition indicating possession
- humour
- Humor or sense of comedy
- sont
- Are (third person plural of être)
- si
- So, if, or such (intensifier or conditional)
- subtiles
- Subtle, delicate, or refined in nature
- et
- And (basic conjunction)
- délicates
- Delicate, refined, or sensitive
- qu
- That (relative pronoun, elided form)
- elles
- They or them (feminine plural pronoun)
- peut-être
- Perhaps, maybe, or possibly
- en
- In, at, or preposition of location
- tout
- All, whole, or everything
- temps
- Time, weather, or tense
- plus
- More, plus, or additional
- faciles
- Easy or simple to do
- saisir
- To grasp, seize, or understand
- exprimer
- To express or convey in words
- susceptibles
- Likely, prone, or capable of being
- moment
- Moment, instant, or particular point in time
- particulier
- Particular, specific, or special
- être
- To be (infinitive of primary verb)
- comprises
- Understood, comprehended, or included
- différemment
- Differently or in a different manner
- par
- By, through, or preposition of agency
- différentes
- Different, various, or distinct
- personnes
- Persons, people, or individuals
- Cet
- This (masculine singular demonstrative adjective)
- me
- Me or to me (object pronoun)
- semble
- Seems, appears, or looks like
- posséder
- To possess, own, or have
- dans
- In, inside, or within
- ensemble
- Together, whole, or as a whole
- une
- A or one (feminine singular article)
- grande
- Great, large, or big
- affinité
- Affinity, kinship, or natural connection
- avec
- With or alongside (basic preposition)
- celui
- That one, the one, or which one
- toute
- All, entire, or the whole
- autre
- Other, another, or different one
- des
- Of the, some (plural article)
- nombreuses
- Numerous, many, or several
- espèces
- Species, kinds, or varieties
- ce
- This, that, or it (demonstrative)
- grand
- Great, large, or big
- genre
- Genre, kind, or type of writing
- britannique
- British or relating to Britain
- différences
- Differences or distinctions between things
- conception
- Conception, idea, or understanding
- époque
- Epoch, era, or period of time
- sujet
- Subject, topic, or theme
- convention
- Convention, custom, or standard practice
- littéraire
- Literary or relating to literature
- bien
- Well, very, or good
- entendu
- Understood, of course, or agreed
- suffisamment
- Sufficiently, enough, or adequately
- évidentes
- Evident, obvious, or clear
- la
- The or her (feminine singular article)
- différence
- Difference or distinction between two things
- sexe
- Sex, gender, or biological category
- ne
- Not (negative particle in negation)
- compte
- Counts, matters, or account
- pas
- Not or step (negation marker)
- pour
- For, in order to, or towards
- beaucoup
- A lot, much, or very much
- car
- Because or for (causal conjunction)
- il
- He or it (masculine singular pronoun)
- avait
- Had (imperfect past tense of avoir)
- un
- A or one (masculine singular article)
- élément
- Element, component, or basic part
- distinctement
- Distinctly, clearly, or separately
- féminin
- Feminine or relating to women
- le
- The or him (masculine singular article)
- génie
- Genius or exceptional talent and ability
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →