← The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete — Page 6

English → De Preface Level 8/10

This individuality—the peculiar spirit of the author which can be felt rather than described—is present in the dedication of Fathom to Doctor ———, who is no other than Smollett himself, and a candid revelation of his character, by the way, this dedication contains.

Diese Individualität – der eigentümliche Geist des Autors, der eher gefühlt als beschrieben werden kann – findet sich in der Widmung von Fathom an Doktor ———, bei dem es sich um niemand anderen als Smollett selbst handelt, und diese Widmung enthält nebenbei eine offenherzige Enthüllung seines Charakters.

It is present, too, in the opening chapters, which show, likewise, in the picture of Fathom's mother, something of the author's peculiar "talent for invention."

Sie findet sich auch in den Anfangskapiteln, die ebenfalls in der Darstellung von Fathoms Mutter etwas von dem eigentümlichen „Erfindungstalent" des Autors erkennen lassen.

Subsequently, however, there is no denying that the Smollett invention and the Smollett spirit both flag.

Im weiteren Verlauf lässt sich jedoch nicht leugnen, dass sowohl Smolletts Erfindungsgabe als auch Smolletts Geist nachlassen.

And yet, in a way, Fathom displays more invention than any of the author's novels; it is based far less than any other on personal experience.

Und dennoch zeigt Fathom in gewisser Weise mehr Erfindungsreichtum als jeder andere Roman des Autors; er stützt sich weit weniger als jeder andere auf persönliche Erfahrungen.

Unfortunately such thorough-going invention was not suited to Smollett's genius.

Leider war eine so konsequente Erfindungsgabe Smolletts Genie nicht angemessen.

The result is, that while uninteresting as a novel of contemporary manners, Fathom has an interest of its own in that it reveals a new side of its author.

Das Ergebnis ist, dass Fathom zwar als Sittenroman der zeitgenössischen Gesellschaft uninteressant ist, aber ein eigenes Interesse besitzt, weil es eine neue Seite seines Autors enthüllt.

We think of Smollett, generally, as a rambling storyteller, a rational, unromantic man of the world, who fills his pages with his own oddly-metamorphosed acquaintances and experiences.

Wir denken bei Smollett im Allgemeinen an einen weitschweifigen Geschichtenerzähler, einen rationalen, unromantischen Weltmann, der seine Seiten mit seinen eigenen, seltsam verwandelten Bekannten und Erlebnissen füllt.

The Smollett of Count Fathom, on the contrary, is rather a forerunner of the romantic school, who has created a tolerably organic tale of adventure out of his own brain.

Der Smollett des Grafen Fathom hingegen ist eher ein Vorläufer der romantischen Schule, der aus seinem eigenen Geist eine leidlich organische Abenteuergeschichte geschaffen hat.

Though this is notably less readable than the author's earlier works, still the wonder is that when the man is so far "off his beat," he should yet know so well how to meet the strange conditions which confront him.

Obwohl dies merklich weniger lesbar ist als die früheren Werke des Autors, bleibt es dennoch erstaunlich, dass der Mann, wenn er so weit „aus seinem gewohnten Fahrwasser" geraten ist, noch so gut zu wissen scheint, wie er den seltsamen Bedingungen begegnen soll, mit denen er konfrontiert wird.

Vocabulary

Diese
This; these (demonstrative pronoun/determiner)
Individualität
Individuality; distinctive character or personality traits
der
The (definite article, masculine singular)
eigentümliche
Peculiar; distinctive; characteristic or unusual in nature
Geist
Spirit; mind; intellect or creative essence
des
Of the; genitive form of definite article
Autors
Author's; belonging to the writer or creator
eher
Rather; sooner; preferably or more readily
gefühlt
Felt; experienced emotionally or sensed intuitively
als
Than; as; when or while (conjunction)
beschrieben
Described; written or spoken about in detail
werden
To become; will or shall; passive voice auxiliary
kann
Can; is able to; may or might
findet
Finds; discovers; comes upon or encounters
sich
Oneself; himself; herself; itself (reflexive pronoun)
in
In; into; within or inside (preposition)
Widmung
Dedication; inscription or formal tribute to someone
von
Of; from; by or about (preposition)
an
To; at; on or towards (preposition)
Doktor
Doctor; medical physician or academic degree holder
bei
At; near; by or at the place of
dem
The; that; which (dative/relative pronoun form)
es
It; this; that (neuter pronoun or impersonal)
um
About; for; around or concerning (preposition)
niemand
Nobody; no one; not anyone at all
anderen
Other; different; another person or thing
selbst
Self; himself; herself; even or very
handelt
Acts; deals with; concerns or is about
und
And; plus; as well as (conjunction)
enthält
Contains; holds; includes or comprises something
nebenbei
Incidentally; by the way; casually or besides
eine
A; an; one (feminine indefinite article)
offenherzige
Candid; frank; open-hearted or honest revelation
Enthüllung
Revelation; disclosure; unveiling or exposure of truth
seines
His; his own; of him (genitive pronoun)
Charakters
Character's; of the personality or nature
Sie
You; she; formal second person or she
auch
Also; too; as well or likewise
den
The; that; which (accusative article or pronoun)
Anfangskapiteln
Opening chapters; initial sections of book or work
die
The; those; which (feminine/plural article or pronoun)
ebenfalls
Also; likewise; equally or in the same way
Darstellung
Presentation; depiction; portrayal or representation
Mutter
Mother; female parent or maternal figure
etwas
Something; somewhat; a little or some
Erfindungstalent
Inventive talent; creative ability or gift for invention
erkennen
Recognize; perceive; acknowledge or identify
lassen
Let; allow; cause or permit to happen
Im
In the; in (contraction of in + dem)
weiteren
Further; subsequent; continuing or later on
Verlauf
Course; progress; progression or passage over time
lässt
Lets; allows; allows or permits to happen
jedoch
However; yet; but or nevertheless still
nicht
Not; no; negation or denial of statement
leugnen
Deny; reject; disavow or refute a claim
dass
That; so that; in order that (conjunction)
sowohl
Both; as well; just as much as
Erfindungsgabe
Creative ability; inventive talent or gift for creation
nachlassen
Decline; diminish; decrease or become less strong
Und
And; plus; as well as (conjunction)
dennoch
Yet; still; nevertheless or notwithstanding
zeigt
Shows; demonstrates; displays or exhibits clearly
gewisser
Certain; specific; some or particular in nature
Weise
Way; manner; mode or method of doing
mehr
More; greater; additional or larger amount
Erfindungsreichtum
Inventiveness; creative wealth or abundance of ideas
jeder
Every; each; any single one or all
andere
Other; different; another or different one
Roman
Novel; long fictional prose narrative work
er
He; it; him (masculine third person pronoun)
stützt
Supports; bases; relies on or props up
weit
Far; wide; much or to great extent
weniger
Less; fewer; smaller or reduced amount
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