... have better shown the truth contained in this work-of-art and what its principles contained virtually.
Пояснення стосовно перекладу
- "what was true in this work-of-art" did not quite mean the same, so I thought transforming the sentence a little worked for the best (even though that meant repeating the verb "contain") - this is a sentence fragment, by the way...
"Principes" also sounds a little weird in French, but, like in French, I'm not sure the use of the word "principle" is that restricted. I'm thinking of the meaning of "laws underlying the way in which a particular object works" and that object does not need to be thinking or alive or made up of a thinking body (as in the case of an institution), as these "principles" are applied to it, not inherent to it. The simple meaning of "origin" could account for a use of the word, too.
This is yet another example of how impossible it is to give definite answers without proper context ( I mean... this sentence doesn't even have a subject! )