[De la richesse commerciale, Sismondi, 1803, Original, xvi-xvii]
Le genre de connoissances [connaissances] qu’elle demande, indique aussi la tournure d’esprit qu’elle requiert; comme exercice des facultés mentales, comme formant [(1)] au grand art d’observer, cette science peut aller de pair avec les plus éminentes. L’observation donne à l’esprit de la justesse, et jamais cette qualité, nécessaire partout, n’a été plus éminemment requise que pour l’économie politique: celui qui l’étudie, cheminant toujours entre les préjugés et les systèmes, toujours en cherche de la vérité, et toujours en danger de la dépasser, tomberoit [tomberait] d’erreurs en erreurs, dès qu’il se seroit [serait] une fois contenté d’une seule idée louche ou obscure, dès qu’il n’auroit [aurait] plus assis ses raisonnemen[t]s sur les bases de la logique et d’un jugement droit, dès qu’il abandonneroit [abandonnerait] cette saine critique qui distingue les faits avérés d’avec les rumeurs populaires, ou les exagérations de l’esprit de parti.
[Translation]
The kind of knowledge required by political economy also points out the cast of mind it demands; as exercise of mental faculties, as element in the great art of observation, this science can go hand in hand with the most distinguished sciences. Observation promotes the mind of exactness. Nowhere was this quality, though necessary everywhere, more badly wanted than in political economy. The student of political economy, always walking on the tight rope between the prejudices and the systems, always searching for the truth, and always being in danger of overtaking it, would fall in error after error, if he were once satisfied only with a unnatural or esoteric idea, if he put his reasonings away from logic and right judgement, if he abandoned that sound criticism which distinguishes stylized facts from popular rumours or exaggerations of party spirit.
[Translator's note]
(1) At first sight I found this word "formant" to be the present particle of the verb "former," but I have on second thoughts considered that if this were so this would have to have an object, and have interpreted this as a noun. Yet I'm not sure whether the interpretation is right or not, and it would be much appreciated should you comment upon this point.
[29/01/2009 09:10]
Following Dr. Ikeda's advice, I revise a part of my translation as below. (merci beaucoup!).
The student of political economy, always walking (deleted) between the prejudices and the systems, always searching for the truth, and always being in danger of overtaking it, would fall in error after error, if he were once satisfied only with a unnatural or esoteric idea, if he put his reasonings away from logic and right judgement, if he abandoned that sound criticism which distinguishes proven facts from popular rumours or exaggerations of party spirit.
