Second Treatise of Government — Page 5
that there cannot be done a greater mischief to prince and people, than the propagating wrong notions concerning government; that so at last all times might not have reason to complain of the Drum Ecclesiastic.
qu'il ne peut être fait de plus grand tort au prince et au peuple, que de propager de fausses notions concernant le gouvernement ; afin qu'en fin de compte toutes les époques n'aient pas lieu de se plaindre du Tambour Ecclésiastique.
If any one, concerned really for truth, undertake the confutation of my Hypothesis, I promise him either to recant my mistake, upon fair conviction; or to answer his difficulties.
Si quelqu'un, véritablement soucieux de la vérité, entreprend de réfuter mon Hypothèse, je lui promets soit de me rétracter de mon erreur, sur preuve convaincante ; soit de répondre à ses objections.
But he must remember two things.
Mais il doit se souvenir de deux choses.
First, That cavilling here and there, at some expression, or little incident of my discourse, is not an answer to my book.
Premièrement, que chipoter çà et là sur quelque expression, ou quelque détail mineur de mon discours, ne constitue pas une réponse à mon livre.
Secondly, That I shall not take railing for arguments, nor think either of these worth my notice, though I shall always look on myself as bound to give satisfaction to any one, who shall appear to be conscientiously scrupulous in the point, and shall shew any just grounds for his scruples.
Deuxièmement, que je ne prendrai pas les invectives pour des arguments, et ne jugerai aucune de ces choses digne de mon attention, bien que je me considère toujours tenu de donner satisfaction à quiconque paraîtra être consciencieusement scrupuleux sur le point, et montrera quelque juste fondement à ses scrupules.
I have nothing more, but to advertise the reader, that Observations stands for Observations on Hobbs, Milton, &c. and that a bare quotation of pages always means pages of his Patriarcha, Edition 1680.
Je n'ai rien de plus à faire que d'avertir le lecteur que Observations désigne les Observations sur Hobbs, Milton, etc., et qu'une simple citation de pages renvoie toujours aux pages de son Patriarcha, édition 1680.
Vocabulary
- peut
- Third person singular of pouvoir; can or may
- être
- To be; fundamental linking or auxiliary verb
- fait
- Done, made; also a fact or deed
- plus
- More, most, or no longer depending on context
- grand
- Large, great, or important in size or degree
- tort
- Wrong, harm, or injustice done to someone
- prince
- A ruler or sovereign; a prince or monarch
- peuple
- The people, a nation, or common populace
- propager
- To spread, propagate, or disseminate ideas widely
- fausses
- False, incorrect, or misleading; feminine plural form
- notions
- Ideas, concepts, or basic understandings of something
- concernant
- Concerning, regarding, or relating to a subject
- gouvernement
- The government or system of ruling a state
- afin
- So that, in order that; expresses purpose or intent
- fin
- End, conclusion; also fine or subtle in meaning
- compte
- Account, count; en fin de compte means ultimately
- toutes
- All, every; feminine plural form of tout
- époques
- Eras, periods, or ages in history or time
- aient
- Subjunctive of avoir; that they have or possess
- lieu
- Place, occasion; avoir lieu means to take place
- plaindre
- To complain or feel sorry for someone
- Tambour
- Drum; here likely a proper name or title
- Ecclésiastique
- Ecclesiastical, relating to the church or clergy
- quelqu'
- Contraction of quelque; someone or some before vowel
- véritablement
- Truly, genuinely, or really in a sincere manner
- soucieux
- Concerned, worried, or caring about something important
- vérité
- Truth, reality, or an accurate statement of fact
- entreprend
- Undertakes, sets out to do; third person singular
- réfuter
- To refute, disprove, or counter an argument convincingly
- Hypothèse
- Hypothesis, assumption, or theoretical proposition under consideration
- promets
- Promise; first person singular of promettre
- soit
- Either, or; also subjunctive of être meaning be
- rétracter
- To retract, take back, or withdraw a statement
- erreur
- Error, mistake, or incorrect belief or understanding
- preuve
- Proof, evidence, or demonstration of a claim
- convaincante
- Convincing, persuasive; feminine adjective modifying a noun
- répondre
- To respond, answer, or reply to something said
- objections
- Objections, disagreements, or counter-arguments raised against something
- doit
- Must, should, owes; third person singular of devoir
- souvenir
- To remember; also a memory or keepsake
- choses
- Things, objects, or matters of some kind
- Premièrement
- Firstly, first of all; introduces the first point
- chipoter
- To nitpick, quibble, or fuss over minor details
- çà
- Here and there; used in expression çà et là
- quelque
- Some, a few; adjective indicating an unspecified amount
- expression
- Expression, phrase, or way of conveying a meaning
- détail
- Detail, minor point, or specific particular of something
- mineur
- Minor, lesser, or of secondary importance
- discours
- Speech, discourse, or formal extended piece of writing
- constitue
- Constitutes, forms, or makes up something; third singular
- réponse
- Response, answer, or reply to a question or argument
- livre
- Book; a written work or publication
- Deuxièmement
- Secondly; introduces the second point in a list
- prendrai
- Will take; first person future of prendre
- invectives
- Insults, verbal attacks, or abusive language directed harshly
- arguments
- Arguments, reasons, or logical points supporting a position
- jugerai
- Will judge or consider; first person future of juger
- aucune
- None, not any; feminine negative indefinite adjective
- digne
- Worthy, deserving; meriting respect or serious attention
- attention
- Attention, notice, or careful consideration given to something
- considère
- Considers, regards; first or third person of considérer
- toujours
- Always, still, or ever; adverb of frequency or continuity
- tenu
- Held, obliged; past participle of tenir
- donner
- To give, provide, or offer something to someone
- satisfaction
- Satisfaction, fulfillment, or adequate response to a demand
- quiconque
- Whoever, anyone who; indefinite relative pronoun
- paraîtra
- Will appear or seem; future of paraître
- consciencieusement
- Conscientiously, carefully, and with great diligence or care
- scrupuleux
- Scrupulous, meticulous, or having moral reservations about something
- point
- Point, matter; also not at all in negation
- montrera
- Will show or demonstrate; future of montrer
- juste
- Just, fair, correct, or rightful; adjective of accuracy
- fondement
- Foundation, basis, or grounds for a belief or claim
- scrupules
- Scruples, moral doubts, or reservations about an action
- rien
- Nothing; used with ne to mean nothing at all
- faire
- To do or make; essential high-frequency French verb
- avertir
- To warn, notify, or inform someone of something
- lecteur
- Reader; person who reads a text or publication
- Observations
- Observations, remarks, or notes on a particular subject
- désigne
- Designates, refers to, or indicates a person or thing
- simple
- Simple, plain, or mere; uncomplicated or straightforward
- citation
- Citation, quote, or reference to another text or source
- pages
- Pages; numbered leaves of a book or document
- renvoie
- Refers, sends back, or redirects; first or third singular
- édition
- Edition, version, or published issue of a book
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