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.
D'altra parte, se egli cedesse ai trasporti della gratitudine o dell'affetto, che è sempre incline ad esagerare, e non producesse altro che le genuine effusioni del suo cuore, il mondo non farebbe alcuna concessione per il calore della sua passione, ma attribuirebbe le lodi che egli elargisce a mire interessate e a sordida adulazione.
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 volte, abbagliato dall'orpello di un personaggio che non ha avuto modo di esaminare, egli riversa l'omaggio della sua ammirazione su qualche falso Mecenate, la cui condotta futura smentisce il suo elogio e lo coinvolge in vergogna e confusione.
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.
Tale fu il destino di un recente ingegnoso autore [l'autore delle «Stagioni»], che fu così spesso fatto arrossire per l'incenso immeritato che aveva offerto nell'ardore di un temperamento entusiasta, fuorviato dagli applausi del pubblico, che aveva deciso di ritrattare, nel suo testamento, tutti gli encomi che aveva così prematuramente elargito, e di stigmatizzare i non meritevoli per nome — un lodevole progetto di giustizia poetica, la cui esecuzione fu fatalmente impedita da una morte 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.
Qualunque possa essere stata la sorte di altri dedicatori, io, per parte mia, mi accingo a scrivere questo indirizzo senza alcun timore di vergogna o delusione; poiché so che voi siete fin troppo convinto del mio affetto e della mia sincerità per lamentarvi di ciò che dirò riguardo al vostro carattere e alla vostra condotta.
Vocabulary
- D'
- d — Contraction of 'di' (of/from), used before vowels
- altra
- altra — Other, another (feminine singular form)
- parte
- parte — Part, side, or portion of something
- se
- se — If; conditional conjunction used in clauses
- egli
- egli — He; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun
- cedesse
- cedesse — Were to yield or give in (imperfect subjunctive)
- ai
- ai — Contraction of 'a i' meaning 'to the' (masculine plural)
- trasporti
- trasporti — Outbursts, transports of emotion or feeling
- della
- della — Of the (feminine singular contraction)
- gratitudine
- gratitudine — Gratitude; feeling of thankfulness toward someone
- o
- o — Or; conjunction presenting an alternative option
- dell'
- dell — Contraction of 'di' and 'il/la' before vowels
- affetto
- affetto — Affection; warm feeling of fondness toward someone
- che
- che — That, which, who; versatile relative conjunction
- è
- e — Is; third-person singular present of 'essere'
- sempre
- sempre — Always; at all times without exception
- incline
- inkline — Inclined, prone or tending toward something
- ad
- ad — To, at; preposition used before vowel sounds
- esagerare
- ezajerate — To exaggerate; to overstate beyond the truth
- e
- e — And; basic coordinating conjunction
- non
- non — Not; standard Italian negation particle
- producesse
- produchesse — Were to produce (imperfect subjunctive of produrre)
- altro
- altro — Other, else, another (masculine singular)
- le
- le — The (feminine plural) or indirect pronoun 'her/to her'
- genuine
- jenuwine — Genuine, authentic, sincere (feminine plural adjective)
- effusioni
- effuzioni — Effusions; enthusiastic outpourings of emotion
- del
- del — Of the (masculine singular contraction)
- suo
- suo — His, her, its; third-person singular possessive adjective
- cuore
- kwore — Heart; organ or metaphor for emotion
- il
- il — The; masculine singular definite article
- mondo
- mondo — World; the world or society in general
- farebbe
- farebbe — Would make or do (conditional of fare)
- alcuna
- alkuna — Any, some, no (feminine singular indefinite adjective)
- concessione
- Concession; something granted or yielded to another
- per
- per — For, through, by; common Italian preposition
- calore
- kalore — Warmth, heat; also figurative passion or enthusiasm
- sua
- sua — His, her, its (feminine singular possessive adjective)
- passione
- passione — Passion; intense emotion or strong enthusiasm
- ma
- ma — But; adversative coordinating conjunction
- attribuirebbe
- attribwirebbe — Would attribute or assign (conditional of attribuire)
- lodi
- lodi — Praises, words of commendation (feminine plural)
- elargisce
- elardshishe — Bestows, lavishly gives out (third-person singular present)
- a
- a — To, at; basic Italian preposition
- mire
- mire — Aims, ulterior motives or scheming intentions
- interessate
- interessate — Self-interested, motivated by personal gain (adjective)
- sordida
- sordida — Sordid, base, vile (feminine singular adjective)
- adulazione
- adulatsione — Adulation; excessive flattery or servile praise
- A
- a — To, at; preposition (here part of 'a volte')
- volte
- volte — Times; 'a volte' means 'sometimes'
- abbagliato
- abbaljato — Dazzled, blinded by brilliance or false appearance
- dall'
- dall — From the (contraction before vowel)
- orpello
- orpello — Tinsel, glitter; showy but worthless appearance
- di
- di — Of, from; fundamental Italian preposition
- un
- un — A, an; masculine singular indefinite article
- personaggio
- personadjo — Character, personage; notable or prominent individual
- ha
- a — Has; third-person singular present of 'avere'
- avuto
- avuto — Had; past participle of 'avere'
- modo
- modo — Way, manner; 'avuto modo' means 'had occasion'
- esaminare
- ezaminare — To examine, to inspect carefully
- riversa
- riversa — Pours, lavishes (third-person singular present)
- l'
- l — The; elided definite article before vowel
- omaggio
- omadjo — Homage, tribute; respectful acknowledgment offered
- ammirazione
- ammirasione — Admiration; feeling of wonder and approval
- su
- su — On, upon; Italian preposition indicating position
- qualche
- kwalke — Some, a few; indefinite adjective before singular noun
- falso
- falso — False, fake; not genuine or truthful
- Mecenate
- Mechenate — Maecenas; generous patron of arts and literature
- la
- la — The (feminine singular definite article)
- cui
- kwi — Whose, of which; relative pronoun indicating possession
- condotta
- kondotta — Conduct, behavior; manner of acting over time
- futura
- futura — Future (feminine singular adjective)
- smentisce
- smentishe — Contradicts, disproves (third-person singular present)
- elogio
- elodjo — Eulogy, praise; spoken or written commendation
- lo
- lo — Him, it; masculine direct object pronoun
- coinvolge
- koinvolje — Involves, implicates (third-person singular present)
- in
- in — In, into; basic Italian preposition
- vergogna
- vergonja — Shame; feeling of humiliation or disgrace
- confusione
- konfuzione — Confusion; state of disorder or embarrassment
- Tale
- tale — Such, like this; demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- fu
- fu — Was; third-person singular past (passato remoto) of essere
- destino
- destino — Destiny, fate; predetermined course of events
- recente
- rechente — Recent; happening or existing not long ago
- ingegnoso
- injenjozo — Ingenious, clever; showing creative intelligence
- autore
- autore — Author; person who writes literary works
- delle
- delle — Of the (feminine plural contraction)
- Stagioni
- Stajioni — Seasons; the four seasons of the year
- così
- kozi — So, thus, in this way
- spesso
- spesso — Often, frequently; also means thick
- fatto
- fatto — Made, done; past participle of 'fare'
- arrossire
- arrossire — To blush, to turn red with embarrassment
- incenso
- inchenzo — Incense; also metaphor for excessive praise offered
- immeritato
- immeritato — Undeserved, unmerited (masculine singular adjective)
- aveva
- aveva — Had; third-person singular imperfect of 'avere'
- offerto
- offerto — Offered; past participle of 'offrire'
- nell'
- nell — In the (contraction of 'in' + article before vowel)
- ardore
- ardore — Ardor, fervor; intense passion or burning enthusiasm
- temperamento
- temperamento — Temperament; natural disposition or character type
- entusiasta
- entuziasta — Enthusiastic; showing keen interest and eagerness
- fuorviato
- fworviato — Misled, led astray (past participle of fuorviare)
- dagli
- daLi — By the (masculine plural contraction of 'da + gli')
- applausi
- applausi — Applause, clapping; approval expressed by audience
- pubblico
- pubbliko — Public, audience; general public or crowd
- deciso
- dechizo — Decided, resolved (past participle of decidere)
- ritrattare
- ritrattare — To retract, take back a previous statement
- nel
- nel — In the (masculine singular contraction)
- testamento
- testamento — Testament, will; legal document declaring final wishes
- tutti
- tutti — All, every (masculine plural adjective/pronoun)
- gli
- Li — The (masculine plural article before s+consonant, z, etc.)
- encomi
- enkomi — Encomiums, praises; formal tributes of high praise
- prematuramente
- prematuramente — Prematurely; before the appropriate or expected time
- elargito
- elardzhito — Lavishly bestowed (past participle of elargire)
- stigmatizzare
- stigmatiddare — To stigmatize; to mark or denounce with disapproval
- i
- i — The (masculine plural definite article)
- meritevoli
- meritevoli — Deserving, worthy (plural adjective/noun)
- nome
- nome — Name; word by which a person is known
- lodevole
- lodevole — Praiseworthy, commendable (invariable adjective)
- progetto
- prodetto — Project, plan; scheme or proposal for action
- giustizia
- justitsia — Justice; fair treatment or administration of law
- poetica
- poetika — Poetic (feminine adjective); relating to poetry
- esecuzione
- ezekutsione — Execution, carrying out of a plan or action
- fatalmente
- fatalmente — Fatally; inevitably, in a fatal or decisive manner
- impedita
- impedita — Prevented, hindered (feminine past participle)
- da
- da — By, from; Italian preposition of agency or origin
- una
- una — A, an (feminine singular indefinite article)
- morte
- morte — Death; end of life
- prematura
- prematura — Premature (feminine); occurring before the right time
- Qualunque
- kwalunkwe — Whatever, whichever; indefinite relative adjective
- possa
- possa — May, can; first/third-person singular subjunctive of potere
- essere
- essere — To be; fundamental Italian infinitive verb
- stata
- stata — Been (feminine past participle of essere)
- sorte
- sorte — Fate, lot; fortune or destiny assigned to someone
- altri
- altri — Others; other people (masculine plural)
- dedicatori
- dedicatori — Dedicators; those who dedicate works to patrons
- io
- io — I; first-person singular subject pronoun
- mia
- mia — My (feminine singular possessive adjective)
- mi
- mi — Me, myself; first-person singular reflexive/object pronoun
- accingo
- achingo — I prepare myself; first-person of 'accingersi'
- scrivere
- skrivere — To write; basic Italian infinitive verb
- questo
- kwesto — This (masculine singular demonstrative adjective/pronoun)
- indirizzo
- indirizzo — Address; dedication or directing of a text
- senza
- sentsa — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack
- alcun
- alkun — Any, no (masculine singular before consonant)
- timore
- timore — Fear, apprehension; anxiety about possible outcome
- delusione
- deluzone — Disappointment; feeling of unfulfilled expectations
- poiché
- poike — Since, because; causal conjunction
- so
- so — I know; first-person singular present of 'sapere'
- voi
- voi — You (plural or formal singular subject pronoun)
- siete
- siete — You are (second-person plural present of essere)
- fin
- fin — Even, up to; short form of 'fino' before troppo
- troppo
- troppo — Too, too much; excessive degree
- convinto
- konvinto — Convinced, certain (past participle of convincere)
- mio
- mio — My (masculine singular possessive adjective)
- sincerità
- sincherita — Sincerity; quality of being honest and genuine
- lamentarvi
- lamentarvi — To complain to yourselves about something
- ciò
- cho — That, what, this; neuter demonstrative pronoun
- dirò
- diro — I will say; first-person singular future of dire
- riguardo
- rigwardo — Regard, respect; 'riguardo a' means 'regarding'
- al
- al — To the (masculine singular contraction of a+il)
- vostro
- vostro — Your (masculine singular possessive, second-person plural)
- carattere
- karattere — Character; moral qualities or personality traits
- alla
- alla — To the (feminine singular contraction of a+la)
- vostra
- vostra — Your (feminine singular possessive, second-person plural)
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