← The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete — Page 5

English → It Preface Level 8/10

The Mystery unfolded—Another Recognition, which, it is to be hoped, the Reader could not foresee

Il Mistero svelato—Un altro Riconoscimento, che, è da sperare, il Lettore non poteva prevedere

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE. A retrospective Link, necessary for the Concatenation of these Memoirs

CAPITOLO SESSANTACINQUE. Un collegamento retrospettivo, necessario per la Concatenazione di queste Memorie

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX. The History draws near a Period

CAPITOLO SESSANTASEI. La Storia si avvicina alla Fine

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN. The Longest and the Last

CAPITOLO SESSANTASETTE. Il più Lungo e l'Ultimo

ILLUSTRATIONS

ILLUSTRAZIONI

Titlepage of Part One

Frontespizio della Prima Parte

Frontispiece of Part One

Antiporta della Prima Parte

He Opened the Repository

Aprì il Repositorio

Titlepage of Part Two

Frontespizio della Seconda Parte

Frontispiece of Part Two

Antiporta della Seconda Parte

You Are the Count de Melvil

Voi Siete il Conte de Melvil

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUZIONE

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom, Smollett's third novel, was given to the world in 1753.

Le Avventure di Ferdinand Conte Fathom, il terzo romanzo di Smollett, fu dato alle stampe nel 1753.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, writing to her daughter, the Countess of Bute, over a year later [January 1st, 1755], remarked that "my friend Smollett . . has certainly a talent for invention, though I think it flags a little in his last work."

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, scrivendo alla figlia, la Contessa di Bute, oltre un anno dopo [1° gennaio 1755], osservò che «il mio amico Smollett . . ha certamente un talento per l'invenzione, benché ritengo che svanisca un poco nella sua ultima opera».

Lady Mary was both right and wrong.

Lady Mary aveva sia ragione che torto.

The inventive power which we commonly think of as Smollett's was the ability to work over his own experience into realistic fiction.

La capacità inventiva che comunemente attribuiamo a Smollett era l'abilità di trasformare la propria esperienza in narrativa realistica.

Of this, Ferdinand Count Fathom shows comparatively little.

Di questo, Ferdinand Conte Fathom mostra relativamente poco.

It shows relatively little, too, of Smollett's vigorous personality, which in his earlier works was present to give life and interest to almost every chapter, were it to describe a street brawl, a ludicrous situation, a whimsical character, or with venomous prejudice to gibbet some enemy.

Mostra anche relativamente poca della vigorosa personalità di Smollett, che nelle sue opere precedenti era presente per dare vita e interesse a quasi ogni capitolo, che si trattasse di descrivere una rissa di strada, una situazione ridicola, un personaggio stravagante, o con velenoso pregiudizio di mettere alla berlina qualche nemico.

Vocabulary

Mistero
A puzzling or unexplained phenomenon or secret
svelato
Revealed or uncovered, past participle of svelare
altro
Another or other, indicating something additional
Riconoscimento
Recognition or acknowledgment of someone or something
sperare
To hope or wish for something desired
Lettore
A person who reads; a reader of texts
prevedere
To foresee or anticipate a future event
CAPITOLO
A chapter or main division within a book
SESSANTACINQUE
The number sixty-five
collegamento
A connection or link between things or ideas
retrospettivo
Looking back at past events; retrospective
necessario
Required or essential; something that must exist
Concatenazione
A chain or sequence of linked events or elements
Memorie
Memories or memoirs; personal recollections written down
SESSANTASEI
The number sixty-six
Storia
A story, history, or narrative account of events
avvicina
Approaches or draws near to something
Fine
The end or conclusion of something
SESSANTASETTE
The number sixty-seven
Lungo
Long in length or duration; extended
Ultimo
Last or final in a sequence or series
ILLUSTRAZIONI
Illustrations or images accompanying a text
Frontespizio
The title page of a book or publication
Prima
First; preceding all others in order
Parte
A part or section of a larger whole
Antiporta
Frontispiece illustration facing the title page
Aprì
He/she opened, past tense of aprire
Repositorio
A repository or storage place for items
Seconda
Second in order; following the first
Conte
A count or earl, a noble title
INTRODUZIONE
An introduction or opening section of a work
Avventure
Adventures or exciting, daring experiences
terzo
Third in order or sequence
romanzo
A novel or work of long fictional prose
dato
Given; past participle of dare
stampe
Printing presses or prints; publishing
scrivendo
Writing, gerund form of scrivere
figlia
A daughter; female offspring of a parent
Contessa
A countess; female holder of a noble title
oltre
Beyond or more than a given point
anno
A year; a period of twelve months
dopo
After or later in time or order
gennaio
January, the first month of the year
osservò
Observed or remarked; past tense of osservare
amico
A friend; a person one has a bond with
certamente
Certainly or definitely, without doubt
talento
A natural talent or exceptional ability
invenzione
Invention or creative imagination in storytelling
benché
Although or even though; concessive conjunction
ritengo
I believe or consider; first person of ritenere
svanisca
Fades or vanishes; subjunctive of svanire
poco
A little or few; small in quantity
ultima
Last or most recent; feminine form of ultimo
opera
A work, especially a literary or artistic creation
ragione
Reason or rightness; essere nel giusto
torto
Wrong or incorrect; being mistaken about something
capacità
Capacity or ability to do something
inventiva
Inventiveness or creative originality in thinking
comunemente
Commonly or generally, in a typical manner
attribuiamo
We attribute or assign a quality to someone
abilità
Skill or ability to perform something well
trasformare
To transform or convert into something different
propria
One's own; belonging to oneself specifically
esperienza
Experience gained through living or practice
narrativa
Narrative or fiction prose as a literary form
realistica
Realistic; depicting things as they truly are
mostra
Shows or displays; third person of mostrare
relativamente
Relatively or comparatively to something else
Mostra
Shows or an exhibition; display of something
poca
Little or few in quantity; feminine of poco
vigorosa
Vigorous or energetic; full of strength
personalità
Personality; the character traits of a person
opere
Works; plural of opera, literary or artistic works
precedenti
Previous or preceding; coming before the current
presente
Present; current or existing at this time
dare
To give; infinitive of the verb dare
vita
Life; the existence of a living being
interesse
Interest or attention drawn to something
quasi
Almost or nearly; very close to something
ogni
Every or each; referring to all members
capitolo
A chapter or section within a book
trattasse
Subjunctive imperfect of trattare; 'dealt with'
descrivere
To describe or depict in words
rissa
A brawl or fight between people
strada
A street or road in a town or city
situazione
A situation or set of circumstances at a moment
ridicola
Ridiculous or absurd; causing laughter or mockery
personaggio
A character in a story or notable person
stravagante
Extravagant or eccentric; behaving in an unusual way
velenoso
Venomous or poisonous; full of spite or venom
pregiudizio
Prejudice or bias against someone or something
mettere
To put or place something somewhere
berlina
Pillory or ridicule; publicly mock or shame someone
qualche
Some or a few; an indefinite small quantity
nemico
An enemy or foe; someone hostile toward another
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