The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete — Page 15
On the other hand, should he yield to the transports of gratitude or affection, which is always apt to exaggerate, and produce no more than the genuine effusions of his heart, the world will make no allowance for the warmth of his passion, but ascribe the praise he bestows to interested views and sordid adulation.
Por otro lado, si cediera a los arrebatos de gratitud o afecto, que siempre tienden a exagerar, y no produjera más que las genuinas efusiones de su corazón, el mundo no haría ninguna concesión por el ardor de su pasión, sino que atribuiría los elogios que prodiga a intereses mezquinos y a una sórdida adulación.
Sometimes too, dazzled by the tinsel of a character which he has no opportunity to investigate, he pours forth the homage of his admiration upon some false Maecenas, whose future conduct gives the lie to his eulogium, and involves him in shame and confusion of face.
A veces también, deslumbrado por el oropel de un personaje al que no tiene oportunidad de investigar, prodiga el homenaje de su admiración sobre algún falso Mecenas, cuya conducta futura desmiente su elogio y lo envuelve en vergüenza y confusión.
Such was the fate of a late ingenious author [the Author of the "Seasons"], who was so often put to the blush for the undeserved incense he had offered in the heat of an enthusiastic disposition, misled by popular applause, that he had resolved to retract, in his last will, all the encomiums which he had thus prematurely bestowed, and stigmatise the unworthy by name—a laudable scheme of poetical justice, the execution of which was fatally prevented by untimely death.
Tal fue el destino de un ingenioso autor reciente [el autor de las "Estaciones"], quien tantas veces se vio abochornado por el incienso inmerecido que había ofrecido en el calor de un temperamento entusiasta, extraviado por los aplausos populares, que había resuelto retractarse, en su último testamento, de todos los encomios que había prodigado tan prematuramente, y estigmatizar a los indignos por su nombre —un loable plan de justicia poética, cuya ejecución fue fatalmente impedida por una muerte prematura.
Whatever may have been the fate of other dedicators, I, for my own part, sit down to write this address, without any apprehension of disgrace or disappointment; because I know you are too well convinced of my affection and sincerity to repine at what I shall say touching your character and conduct.
Cualquiera que haya sido el destino de otros dedicantes, yo, por mi parte, me dispongo a escribir esta dedicatoria sin ningún temor de deshonra o decepción; porque sé que estáis demasiado bien convencido de mi afecto y sinceridad como para quejaros de lo que he de decir acerca de vuestro carácter y conducta.
Vocabulary
- Por
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'by,' or 'through'
- otro
- Another or other person or thing
- lado
- Side or direction of something
- si
- Conjunction meaning 'if' introducing a condition
- cediera
- Past subjunctive of ceder; to yield or give in
- a
- Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at'
- los
- Definite article 'the' for masculine plural nouns
- arrebatos
- Sudden outbursts or fits of emotion
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
- gratitud
- Feeling of thankfulness toward someone
- o
- Conjunction meaning 'or' connecting alternatives
- afecto
- Warmth or fondness felt toward someone
- que
- Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that' or 'which'
- siempre
- Adverb meaning 'always' or 'at all times'
- tienden
- Third person plural of tender; to tend toward something
- exagerar
- To overstate or magnify beyond what is accurate
- y
- Conjunction meaning 'and' connecting elements
- no
- Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
- produjera
- Past subjunctive of producir; to produce or yield
- más
- Adverb meaning 'more' indicating greater quantity
- las
- Definite article 'the' for feminine plural nouns
- genuinas
- Authentic or sincere, not fake or forced
- efusiones
- Warm emotional outpourings or expressions of feeling
- su
- Possessive pronoun meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
- corazón
- Heart, referring to the seat of emotions
- el
- Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns
- mundo
- The world or society of people in general
- haría
- Conditional of hacer; would do or would make
- ninguna
- No or none, negating a feminine noun
- concesión
- A concession or granting of something to another
- por
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'by,' or 'because of'
- ardor
- Intense passion, enthusiasm, or burning eagerness
- pasión
- Strong intense feeling of enthusiasm or love
- sino
- Conjunction meaning 'but rather' contrasting ideas
- atribuiría
- Conditional of atribuir; would attribute or assign to
- elogios
- Praises or compliments given to someone
- prodiga
- Lavishes or bestows generously upon someone
- intereses
- Personal interests or motives driving one's behavior
- mezquinos
- Mean, petty, or selfishly motivated in character
- una
- Indefinite article 'a' for feminine singular nouns
- sórdida
- Sordid, dirty, or morally degrading in nature
- adulación
- Excessive flattery intended to gain favor
- A
- Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'by'
- veces
- Times or occasions; used in 'a veces' meaning sometimes
- también
- Adverb meaning 'also' or 'too'
- deslumbrado
- Dazzled or blinded by something impressive
- oropel
- Tinsel or false glitter; superficial glamour
- un
- Indefinite article 'a' for masculine singular nouns
- personaje
- A notable person or character of importance
- al
- Contraction of 'a el' meaning 'to the'
- tiene
- Third person singular of tener; to have
- oportunidad
- Opportunity or favorable occasion to do something
- investigar
- To investigate or research something thoroughly
- homenaje
- Tribute or homage paid to honor someone
- admiración
- Admiration or deep respect for someone's qualities
- sobre
- Preposition meaning 'on,' 'over,' or 'about'
- algún
- Some or any, referring to an unspecified masculine noun
- falso
- False or untrue; not genuine or authentic
- Mecenas
- A wealthy patron who supports artists or writers
- cuya
- Possessive relative pronoun meaning 'whose' feminine
- conducta
- Behavior or conduct of a person over time
- futura
- Future; referring to what is yet to come
- desmiente
- Contradicts or disproves something previously claimed
- elogio
- Praise or commendation given to honor someone
- lo
- Direct object pronoun meaning 'it' or 'him'
- envuelve
- Wraps or involves someone in a situation
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'at'
- vergüenza
- Shame or embarrassment felt due to wrongdoing
- confusión
- Confusion or state of disorder and uncertainty
- Tal
- Such or like this; referring to something mentioned
- fue
- Past tense of ser; was, indicating a state
- destino
- Destiny or fate that awaits a person
- ingenioso
- Clever, witty, or showing great ingenuity
- autor
- Author or creator of a written work
- reciente
- Recent; having happened or appeared not long ago
- Estaciones
- Seasons of the year or stops along a route
- quien
- Relative pronoun meaning 'who' referring to a person
- tantas
- So many; indicating a large number of occasions
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or passive verbs
- vio
- Preterite of ver; saw or found oneself in situation
- abochornado
- Embarrassed or ashamed by an awkward situation
- incienso
- Incense; here metaphorically means undeserved flattery
- inmerecido
- Undeserved or unearned praise or recognition
- había
- Past perfect auxiliary of haber; had (done something)
- ofrecido
- Past participle of ofrecer; offered or presented to someone
- calor
- Heat or warmth; also enthusiasm or fervor
- temperamento
- Temperament or natural disposition of a person
- entusiasta
- Enthusiastic or showing eager interest and energy
- extraviado
- Led astray or misguided by something external
- aplausos
- Applause or expressions of public approval and praise
- populares
- Popular; widely liked or approved by many people
- resuelto
- Resolved or determined to take a course of action
- retractarse
- To retract or take back a previous statement
- último
- Last or final in a series or sequence
- testamento
- A will or testament declaring one's final wishes
- todos
- All or every; referring to the entire group
- encomios
- Formal praises or tributes given to someone
- prodigado
- Lavishly bestowed or showered upon someone
- tan
- So or as; used to indicate a degree of quality
- prematuramente
- Prematurely or before the appropriate time arrives
- estigmatizar
- To stigmatize or brand someone as unworthy
- indignos
- Unworthy or not deserving of praise or honor
- nombre
- Name or reputation associated with a person
- loable
- Praiseworthy or commendable in intention or action
- plan
- A plan or scheme designed to achieve a goal
- justicia
- Justice or fairness applied to a situation
- poética
- Poetic; relating to poetry or artistic justice
- ejecución
- Execution or carrying out of a plan or task
- fatalmente
- Fatally or inevitably leading to an unfortunate outcome
- impedida
- Prevented or hindered from being carried out
- muerte
- Death or the end of life
- prematura
- Premature; occurring before the expected or proper time
- Cualquiera
- Whatever or whoever; any person or thing at all
- haya
- Present subjunctive of haber; may have or has
- sido
- Past participle of ser; been, indicating a past state
- otros
- Others; referring to different people or things
- dedicantes
- Those who dedicate a work to someone else
- yo
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
- mi
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my' for singular nouns
- parte
- Part or side; used in 'de mi parte' meaning for my part
- me
- First person singular reflexive or object pronoun 'me'
- dispongo
- First person of disponerse; I prepare or set out to
- escribir
- To write a text, letter, or document
- esta
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' for feminine nouns
- dedicatoria
- A dedication written at the front of a book
- sin
- Preposition meaning 'without' indicating absence
- ningún
- No or none; negating a masculine singular noun
- temor
- Fear or apprehension about a possible outcome
- deshonra
- Dishonor or disgrace brought upon oneself
- decepción
- Disappointment or disillusionment after unmet expectations
- porque
- Conjunction meaning 'because' giving a reason
- sé
- First person singular of saber; I know a fact
- estáis
- Second person plural of estar; you all are (state)
- demasiado
- Too much or excessively beyond what is appropriate
- bien
- Well; indicating something is done in a good manner
- convencido
- Convinced or fully persuaded of something's truth
- sinceridad
- Sincerity or genuine honesty in expression or action
- como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as' or 'how'
- para
- Preposition meaning 'for' indicating purpose or direction
- quejaros
- Reflexive infinitive of quejarse; to complain to yourselves
- he
- First person singular of haber; I have (auxiliary)
- decir
- To say or tell something to someone
- acerca
- About or concerning a particular topic or person
- vuestro
- Your (plural possessive); belonging to you all
- carácter
- Character or personal qualities defining a person
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