“Quod procul a nobis flectat Fortuna gubernans.”
This is what the Adepti understand by their anima mundi, that is to say, the spirit, or breath, or wind of the world; or examine the whole system by the particulars of Nature, and you will find it not to be disputed. For whether you please to call the forma informans of man by the name of spiritus, animus2, afflatus3, or anima, what are all these but several appellations4 for wind, which is the ruling element in every compound, and into which they all resolve upon their corruption5. Further, what is life itself but, as it is commonly called, the breath of our nostrils6, whence it is very justly observed by naturalists7 that wind still continues of great emolument8 in certain mysteries not to be named, giving occasion for those happy epithets9 of turgidus and inflatus, applied10 either to the emittent or recipient11 organs.
By what I have gathered out of ancient records, I find the compass of their doctrine12 took in two-and-thirty points, wherein it would be tedious to be very particular. However, a few of their most important precepts13 deducible from it are by no means to be omitted; among which, the following maxim14 was of much weight: That since wind had the master share as well as operation in every compound, by consequence those beings must be of chief excellence15 wherein that primordium appears most prominently to abound16, and therefore man is in highest perfection of all created things, as having, by the great bounty17 of philosophers, been endued18 with three distinct animas or winds, to which the sage19 AEolists, with much liberality, have added a fourth, of equal necessity as well as ornament20 with the other three, by this quartum principium taking in the four corners of the world. Which gave occasion to that renowned21 cabalist Bombastus 56 of placing the body of man in due position to the four cardinal22 points.
In consequence of this, their next principle was that man brings with him into the world a peculiar23 portion or grain of wind, which may be called a quinta essentia extracted from the other four. This quintessence is of catholic use upon all emergencies of life, is improveable into all arts and sciences, and may be wonderfully refined as well as enlarged by certain methods in education. This, when blown up to its perfection, ought not to be covetously24 boarded up, stifled25, or hid under a bushel, but freely communicated to mankind. Upon these reasons, and others of equal weight, the wise AEolists affirm the gift of belching26 to be the noblest act of a rational creature. To cultivate which art, and render it more serviceable to mankind, they made use of several methods. At certain seasons of the year you might behold27 the priests amongst them in vast numbers with their mouths gaping28 wide against a storm. At other times were to be seen several hundreds linked together in a circular chain, with every man a pair of bellows29 applied to his neighbour, by which they blew up each other to the shape and size of a tun; and for that reason with great propriety30 of speech did usually call their bodies their vessels32 57. When, by these and the like performances, they were grown sufficiently33 replete34, they would immediately depart, and disembogue for the public good a plentiful35 share of their acquirements into their disciples36’ chaps. For we must here observe that all learning was esteemed37 among them to be compounded from the same principle. Because, first, it is generally affirmed or confessed that learning puffeth men up; and, secondly38, they proved it by the following syllogism39: “Words are but wind, and learning is nothing but words; ergo, learning is nothing but wind.” For this reason the philosophers among them did in their schools deliver to their pupils all their doctrines40 and opinions by eructation, wherein they had acquired a wonderful eloquence41, and of incredible variety. But the great characteristic by which their chief sages42 were best distinguished43 was a certain position of countenance44, which gave undoubted intelligence to what degree or proportion the spirit agitated45 the inward mass. For after certain gripings, the wind and vapours issuing forth46, having first by their turbulence47 and convulsions within caused an earthquake in man’s little world, distorted the mouth, bloated the cheeks, and gave the eyes a terrible kind of relievo. At which junctures48 all their belches49 were received for sacred, the sourer the better, and swallowed with infinite consolation50 by their meagre devotees. And to render these yet more complete, because the breath of man’s life is in his nostrils, therefore the choicest, most edifying51, and most enlivening belches were very wisely conveyed through that vehicle to give them a tincture as they passed.
Their gods were the four winds, whom they worshipped as the spirits that pervade52 and enliven the universe, and as those from whom alone all inspiration can properly be said to proceed. However, the chief of these, to whom they performed the adoration53 of Latria, was the Almighty54 North, an ancient deity55, whom the inhabitants of Megalopolis56 in Greece had likewise in highest reverence57. “Omnium deorum Boream maxime celebrant.” 58 This god, though endued with ubiquity, was yet supposed by the profounder AEolists to possess one peculiar habitation, or (to speak in form) a caelum empyraeum, wherein he was more intimately present. This was situated58 in a certain region well known to the ancient Greeks, by them called [Greek text which cannot be reproduced], the Land of Darkness. And although many controversies59 have arisen upon that matter, yet so much is undisputed, that from a region of the like denomination60 the most refined AEolists have borrowed their original, from whence in every age the zealous61 among their priesthood have brought over their choicest inspiration, fetching it with their own hands from the fountain-head in certain bladders, and disploding it among the sectaries in all nations, who did, and do, and ever will, daily gasp63 and pant after it.
Now their mysteries and rites64 were performed in this manner. It is well known among the learned that the virtuosos65 of former ages had a contrivance for carrying and preserving winds in casks or barrels, which was of great assistance upon long sea-voyages, and the loss of so useful an art at present is very much to be lamented66, though, I know not how, with great negligence67 omitted by Pancirollus. It was an invention ascribed to AEolus himself, from whom this sect62 is denominated, and who, in honour of their founder’s memory, have to this day preserved great numbers of those barrels, whereof they fix one in each of their temples, first beating out the top. Into this barrel upon solemn days the priest enters, where, having before duly prepared himself by the methods already described, a secret funnel68 is also conveyed to the bottom of the barrel, which admits new supplies of inspiration from a northern chink or cranny. Whereupon you behold him swell69 immediately to the shape and size of his vessel31. In this posture70 he disembogues whole tempests upon his auditory, as the spirit from beneath gives him utterance71, which issuing ex adytis and penetralibus, is not performed without much pain and griping. And the wind in breaking forth deals with his face as it does with that of the sea, first blackening, then wrinkling, and at last bursting it into a foam72. It is in this guise73 the sacred AEolist delivers his oracular belches to his panting disciples, of whom some are greedily gaping after the sanctified breath, others are all the while hymning out the praises of the winds, and gently wafted74 to and fro by their own humming, do thus represent the soft breezes of their deities75 appeased76.
It is from this custom of the priests that some authors maintain these AEolists to have been very ancient in the world, because the delivery of their mysteries, which I have just now mentioned, appears exactly the same with that of other ancient oracles77, whose inspirations were owing to certain subterraneous effluviums of wind delivered with the same pain to the priest, and much about the same influence on the people. It is true indeed that these were frequently managed and directed by female officers, whose organs were understood to be better disposed for the admission of those oracular gusts78, as entering and passing up through a receptacle of greater capacity, and causing also a pruriency79 by the way, such as with due management has been refined from carnal into a spiritual ecstasy80. And to strengthen this profound conjecture81, it is further insisted that this custom of female priests is kept up still in certain refined colleges of our modern AEolists 59, who are agreed to receive their inspiration, derived82 through the receptacle aforesaid, like their ancestors the Sybils.
And whereas the mind of man, when he gives the spur and bridle83 to his thoughts, does never stop, but naturally sallies out into both extremes of high and low, of good and evil, his first flight of fancy commonly transports him to ideas of what is most perfect, finished, and exalted84, till, having soared out of his own reach and sight, not well perceiving how near the frontiers of height and depth border upon each other, with the same course and wing he falls down plump into the lowest bottom of things, like one who travels the east into the west, or like a straight line drawn85 by its own length into a circle. Whether a tincture of malice86 in our natures makes us fond of furnishing every bright idea with its reverse, or whether reason, reflecting upon the sum of things, can, like the sun, serve only to enlighten one half of the globe, leaving the other half by necessity under shade and darkness, or whether fancy, flying up to the imagination of what is highest and best, becomes over-short, and spent, and weary, and suddenly falls, like a dead bird of paradise, to the ground; or whether, after all these metaphysical conjectures87, I have not entirely88 missed the true reason; the proposition, however, which has stood me in so much circumstance is altogether true, that as the most uncivilised parts of mankind have some way or other climbed up into the conception of a God or Supreme89 Power, so they have seldom forgot to provide their fears with certain ghastly notions, which, instead of better, have served them pretty tolerably for a devil. And this proceeding90 seems to be natural enough, for it is with men whose imaginations are lifted up very high after the same rate as with those whose bodies are so, that as they are delighted with the advantage of a nearer contemplation upwards91, so they are equally terrified with the dismal92 prospect93 of the precipice94 below. Thus in the choice of a devil it has been the usual method of mankind to single out some being, either in act or in vision, which was in most antipathy95 to the god they had framed. Thus also the sect of the AEolists possessed96 themselves with a dread97 and horror and hatred98 of two malignant99 natures, betwixt whom and the deities they adored perpetual enmity was established. The first of these was the chameleon100, sworn foe101 to inspiration, who in scorn devoured102 large influences of their god, without refunding103 the smallest blast by eructation. The other was a huge terrible monster called Moulinavent, who with four strong arms waged eternal battle with all their divinities, dexterously104 turning to avoid their blows and repay them with interest. 60
Thus furnished, and set out with gods as well as devils, was the renowned sect of AEolists, which makes at this day so illustrious a figure in the world, and whereof that polite nation of Laplanders are beyond all doubt a most authentic105 branch, of whom I therefore cannot without injustice106 here omit to make honourable107 mention, since they appear to be so closely allied108 in point of interest as well as inclinations109 with their brother AEolists among us, as not only to buy their winds by wholesale110 from the same merchants, but also to retail111 them after the same rate and method, and to customers much alike.
Now whether the system here delivered was wholly compiled by Jack112, or, as some writers believe, rather copied from the original at Delphos, with certain additions and emendations suited to times and circumstances, I shall not absolutely determine. This I may affirm, that Jack gave it at least a new turn, and formed it into the same dress and model as it lies deduced by me.
I have long sought after this opportunity of doing justice to a society of men for whom I have a peculiar honour, and whose opinions as well as practices have been extremely misrepresented and traduced113 by the malice or ignorance of their adversaries114. For I think it one of the greatest and best of human actions to remove prejudices and place things in their truest and fairest light, which I therefore boldly undertake, without any regards of my own beside the conscience, the honour, and the thanks.
点击收听单词发音
1 kindled | |
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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2 animus | |
n.恶意;意图 | |
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3 afflatus | |
n.灵感,神感 | |
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4 appellations | |
n.名称,称号( appellation的名词复数 ) | |
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5 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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6 nostrils | |
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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7 naturalists | |
n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 );(文学艺术的)自然主义者 | |
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8 emolument | |
n.报酬,薪水 | |
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9 epithets | |
n.(表示性质、特征等的)词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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10 applied | |
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
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11 recipient | |
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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12 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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13 precepts | |
n.规诫,戒律,箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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14 maxim | |
n.格言,箴言 | |
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15 excellence | |
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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16 abound | |
vi.大量存在;(in,with)充满,富于 | |
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17 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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18 endued | |
v.授予,赋予(特性、才能等)( endue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19 sage | |
n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的 | |
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20 ornament | |
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物 | |
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21 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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22 cardinal | |
n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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23 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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24 covetously | |
adv.妄想地,贪心地 | |
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25 stifled | |
(使)窒息, (使)窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 ); 镇压,遏制; 堵 | |
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26 belching | |
n. 喷出,打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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27 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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28 gaping | |
adj.口的;张口的;敞口的;多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 );张开,张大 | |
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29 bellows | |
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
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30 propriety | |
n.正当行为;正当;适当 | |
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31 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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32 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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33 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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34 replete | |
adj.饱满的,塞满的;n.贮蜜蚁 | |
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35 plentiful | |
adj.富裕的,丰富的 | |
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36 disciples | |
n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 );门徒;耶稣的信徒;(尤指)耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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37 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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38 secondly | |
adv.第二,其次 | |
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39 syllogism | |
n.演绎法,三段论法 | |
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40 doctrines | |
n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 );教义;学说;(政府政策的)正式声明 | |
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41 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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42 sages | |
n.圣人( sage的名词复数 );智者;哲人;鼠尾草(可用作调料) | |
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43 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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44 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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45 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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46 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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47 turbulence | |
n.喧嚣,狂暴,骚乱,湍流 | |
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48 junctures | |
n.时刻,关键时刻( juncture的名词复数 );接合点 | |
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49 belches | |
n.嗳气( belch的名词复数 );喷吐;喷出物v.打嗝( belch的第三人称单数 );喷出,吐出;打(嗝);嗳(气) | |
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50 consolation | |
n.安慰,慰问 | |
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51 edifying | |
adj.有教训意味的,教训性的,有益的v.开导,启发( edify的现在分词 ) | |
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52 pervade | |
v.弥漫,遍及,充满,渗透,漫延 | |
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53 adoration | |
n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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54 almighty | |
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
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55 deity | |
n.神,神性;被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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56 megalopolis | |
n.特大城市 | |
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57 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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58 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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59 controversies | |
争论 | |
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60 denomination | |
n.命名,取名,(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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61 zealous | |
adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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62 sect | |
n.派别,宗教,学派,派系 | |
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63 gasp | |
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说 | |
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64 rites | |
仪式,典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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65 virtuosos | |
n.艺术大师( virtuoso的名词复数 );名家;艺术爱好者;古董收藏家 | |
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66 lamented | |
adj.被哀悼的,令人遗憾的v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67 negligence | |
n.疏忽,玩忽,粗心大意 | |
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68 funnel | |
n.漏斗;烟囱;v.汇集 | |
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69 swell | |
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
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70 posture | |
n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
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71 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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72 foam | |
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫 | |
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73 guise | |
n.外表,伪装的姿态 | |
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74 wafted | |
v.吹送,飘送,(使)浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75 deities | |
n.神,女神( deity的名词复数 );神祗;神灵;神明 | |
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76 appeased | |
安抚,抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 ); 绥靖(满足另一国的要求以避免战争) | |
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77 oracles | |
神示所( oracle的名词复数 ); 神谕; 圣贤; 哲人 | |
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78 gusts | |
一阵强风( gust的名词复数 ); (怒、笑等的)爆发; (感情的)迸发; 发作 | |
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79 pruriency | |
n.好色;迷恋;淫欲;(焦躁等的)渴望 | |
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80 ecstasy | |
n.狂喜,心醉神怡,入迷 | |
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81 conjecture | |
n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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82 derived | |
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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83 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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84 exalted | |
adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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85 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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86 malice | |
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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87 conjectures | |
推测,猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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88 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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89 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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90 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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91 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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92 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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93 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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94 precipice | |
n.悬崖,危急的处境 | |
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95 antipathy | |
n.憎恶;反感,引起反感的人或事物 | |
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96 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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97 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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98 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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99 malignant | |
adj.恶性的,致命的;恶意的,恶毒的 | |
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100 chameleon | |
n.变色龙,蜥蜴;善变之人 | |
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101 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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102 devoured | |
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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103 refunding | |
n.借新债还旧债;再融资;债务延展;发行新债券取代旧债券v.归还,退还( refund的现在分词 ) | |
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104 dexterously | |
adv.巧妙地,敏捷地 | |
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105 authentic | |
a.真的,真正的;可靠的,可信的,有根据的 | |
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106 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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107 honourable | |
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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108 allied | |
adj.协约国的;同盟国的 | |
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109 inclinations | |
倾向( inclination的名词复数 ); 倾斜; 爱好; 斜坡 | |
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110 wholesale | |
n.批发;adv.以批发方式;vt.批发,成批出售 | |
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111 retail | |
v./n.零售;adv.以零售价格 | |
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112 jack | |
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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113 traduced | |
v.诋毁( traduce的过去式和过去分词 );诽谤;违反;背叛 | |
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114 adversaries | |
n.对手,敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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