Friday, December 10, 2021

The English seen by an Italian

 English

The English are, for the most part, both men and women of all ages, handsome and well-proportioned; though not quite so much so, in my opinion, as it had been asserted to me, before your Magnificence went to that kingdom; and I have understood from persons acquainted with these countries, that the Scotch are much handsomer; and that the English are great lovers of themselves, and of everything belonging to them; they think that there are no other men than themselves, and no other world but England; and whenever they see a handsome foreigner, they say that "he looks like an Englishman", and that "it is a great pity that he should not be an Englishmen"; and when they partake of any delicacy with a foreigner, they ask him, "whether such a thing is made in their country?".

-- A Relation or Rather a True Account of the Island of England; with Sundry Particulars of the Customs of These People and of the Royal Revenues Under King Henry the Seventh, About the Year 1500. Translated by Charlotte Augusta Sneyd (1847).


Español

Los ingleses son, en su mayor parte, hombres y mujeres de todas las edades, guapos y bien proporcionados; aunque no tanto como, en mi opinión, me habían asegurado, antes que su Magnificiencia fuera a ese reino; y he sabido por personas conocedoras de estos países, que los escoceses son mucho mas guapos; y que los ingleses son grandes admiradores de ellos mismos y de todo lo concerniente a ellos; piensan que no hay otros hombres mas que ellos y no hay otro mundo excepto Inglaterra; y cuando ven a un extranjero bien parecido, dicen que "parece un inglés", y que "es una gran lástima que no sea inglés'"; y cuando ellos comparten algún manjar con un extranjero, le preguntan "¿acaso se hace una cosa igual en su país?".

-- Una relación o mas bien un explicación verdadera de la isla de Inglaterra; con diversos detalles de las costumbres de esas personas y de los ingresos reales bajo el rey Enrique VII, alrededor del año 1500. Tradución de Charlotte Augusta Sneyd (1847)


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