← Second Treatise of Government

Second Treatise of Government — Page 2

English → Fr Preface Level 9/10

1764 EDITOR'S NOTE The present Edition of this Book has not only been collated with the first three Editions, which were published during the Author's Life, but also has the Advantage of his last Corrections and Improvements, from a Copy delivered by him to Mr. Peter Coste, communicated to the Editor, and now lodged in Christ College, Cambridge.

NOTE DE L'ÉDITEUR 1764 La présente Édition de ce Livre n'a pas seulement été collationnée avec les trois premières Éditions, qui furent publiées du vivant de l'Auteur, mais elle a également l'avantage de ses dernières Corrections et Améliorations, tirées d'une Copie qu'il remit à M. Peter Coste, communiquée à l'Éditeur, et désormais déposée au Christ College de Cambridge.

PREFACE

PRÉFACE

Reader, thou hast here the beginning and end of a discourse concerning government; what fate has otherwise disposed of the papers that should have filled up the middle, and were more than all the rest, it is not worth while to tell thee.

Lecteur, tu as ici le début et la fin d'un discours sur le gouvernement ; ce que le sort a fait par ailleurs des papiers qui auraient dû remplir le milieu, et qui étaient plus nombreux que tout le reste, il ne vaut pas la peine de te le dire.

These, which remain, I hope are sufficient to establish the throne of our great restorer, our present King William; to make good his title, in the consent of the people, which being the only one of all lawful governments, he has more fully and clearly, than any prince in Christendom; and to justify to the world the people of England, whose love of their just and natural rights, with their resolution to preserve them, saved the nation when it was on the very brink of slavery and ruin.

Ceux-ci, qui demeurent, sont, je l'espère, suffisants pour affermir le trône de notre grand restaurateur, notre présent Roi Guillaume ; pour légitimer son titre, dans le consentement du peuple, qui étant le seul fondement de tout gouvernement légitime, il le possède plus pleinement et plus clairement qu'aucun prince de la Chrétienté ; et pour justifier aux yeux du monde le peuple d'Angleterre, dont l'amour de ses droits justes et naturels, joint à sa résolution de les préserver, a sauvé la nation alors qu'elle était au bord même de l'esclavage et de la ruine.

Vocabulary

NOTE
A written remark or annotation providing information
DE
Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
L'
Contracted definite article 'the' before vowel
ÉDITEUR
Editor or publisher of a text or book
La
Feminine definite article meaning 'the'
présente
Current or present, referring to this edition
Édition
A published version or printing of a book
de
Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
ce
Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'
Livre
A book or written literary work
n'
Negation particle 'ne' contracted before vowel
a
Third-person singular form of verb 'avoir' (to have)
pas
Negation word meaning 'not'
seulement
Adverb meaning 'only' or 'merely'
été
Past participle of 'être', meaning 'been'
avec
Preposition meaning 'with'
les
Plural definite article meaning 'the'
trois
The number three
premières
Feminine plural of 'first', earliest in order
Éditions
Plural of edition; multiple published versions
qui
Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'
furent
Third-person plural simple past of 'être' (to be)
publiées
Published; made available to the public
du
Contracted article meaning 'of the' (masculine)
vivant
Lifetime; while someone was still alive
l'
Contracted definite article 'the' before vowel
Auteur
The author or writer of a work
mais
Conjunction meaning 'but'
elle
Third-person feminine pronoun meaning 'she' or 'it'
également
Adverb meaning 'also' or 'equally'
avantage
Benefit or advantage; here used as a verb benefiting
ses
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
dernières
Feminine plural of 'last' or 'most recent'
Corrections
Plural of correction; changes made to fix errors
et
Conjunction meaning 'and'
Améliorations
Improvements made to enhance quality or accuracy
tirées
Drawn or taken from a particular source
d'
Contracted preposition 'de' meaning 'of' or 'from'
une
Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
Copie
A copy or duplicate of a document or text
qu'
Contracted conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that' or 'which'
il
Third-person masculine pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'
remit
Handed over or delivered something to someone
à
Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'
M.
Abbreviation for 'Monsieur', meaning 'Mr.'
communiquée
Shared or transmitted to another person
Éditeur
Editor or publisher of a text or book
désormais
Adverb meaning 'from now on' or 'henceforth'
déposée
Deposited or placed in a location for safekeeping
au
Contracted article meaning 'at the' or 'to the'
PRÉFACE
Introductory section written before the main text
Lecteur
Reader; a person who reads a text
tu
Informal second-person singular pronoun meaning 'you'
as
Second-person singular present of 'avoir' (to have)
ici
Adverb meaning 'here', indicating this place
le
Masculine definite article meaning 'the'
début
The beginning or start of something
la
Feminine definite article meaning 'the'
fin
The end or conclusion of something
un
Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
discours
A speech or discourse on a topic
sur
Preposition meaning 'on', 'about', or 'over'
gouvernement
The system or body that governs a state
que
Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'what'
sort
Fate or destiny; what has become of something
fait
Done or made; past participle of 'faire'
par
Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'
ailleurs
Elsewhere; in another place or context
des
Plural indefinite article meaning 'some' or 'of the'
papiers
Papers; written documents or manuscript pages
auraient
Conditional form of 'avoir'; would have
Past participle of 'devoir'; ought to or should have
remplir
To fill or complete something
milieu
Middle or center; the intermediate part of something
étaient
Third-person plural imperfect of 'être' (to be)
plus
More; indicating a greater quantity or degree
nombreux
Numerous; existing in large numbers
tout
All or everything; entirely
reste
Remainder; what is left over
ne
Negation particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs
vaut
Is worth; third-person singular of 'valoir'
peine
Effort or trouble; worth the trouble
te
Second-person singular object pronoun meaning 'you'
dire
To say or to tell
Ceux-
Those (ones); demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
ci
Here; used with demonstratives to indicate nearness
demeurent
Remain or stay; third-person plural of 'demeurer'
sont
Third-person plural present of 'être' (to be)
je
First-person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
espère
Hope; first-person singular of 'espérer'
suffisants
Sufficient or adequate; enough for the purpose
pour
Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to'
trône
A throne; the seat of a monarch
notre
Possessive adjective meaning 'our'
grand
Great or large; important and significant
restaurateur
One who restores; a restorer of something lost
présent
Present; current, referring to the current time
Roi
King; a male monarch ruling a kingdom
légitimer
To legitimize or make lawful and valid
son
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
titre
Title; a formal designation of rank or position
dans
Preposition meaning 'in' or 'within'
consentement
Consent or agreement given by someone
peuple
People or nation; the citizens of a country
étant
Present participle of 'être'; being
seul
Only or sole; alone without others
fondement
Foundation or basis of something important
légitime
Legitimate; lawful and rightfully valid
possède
Possesses or owns; third-person singular of 'posséder'
pleinement
Fully or completely; to the greatest extent
clairement
Clearly; in a clear and understandable manner
aucun
No, not any; indicating complete absence
prince
A prince; a male member of a royal family
justifier
To justify or provide valid reasons for something
aux
Contracted plural article meaning 'to the' or 'at the'
yeux
Eyes; the organs of sight
monde
World; all people or the entire earth
Angleterre
England; a country in the United Kingdom
dont
Relative pronoun meaning 'whose', 'of which', or 'from which'
amour
Love; a deep feeling of affection
droits
Rights; entitlements or legal claims
justes
Just or fair; morally correct and equitable
naturels
Natural; existing in or derived from nature
joint
Joined or combined; united with something else
sa
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
résolution
Resolution or determination to do something
préserver
To preserve or protect something from harm
sauvé
Saved or rescued from danger or destruction
nation
A nation; a country and its people
alors
Then; at that time or in that case
était
Third-person singular imperfect of 'être' (was)
bord
Edge or brink; the very edge of something
même
Same or even; used for emphasis or comparison
esclavage
Slavery; the condition of being enslaved
ruine
Ruin; destruction or complete collapse of something
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