A Scotch32 presbyterian having heated his brain, by reading the Book of Martyrs33, the cruelties of the Spanish Inquisition, and the Histories of all the persecutions that ever were raised by the Roman Catholics against the Protestants, was seized with a dread35, that the same horrors were just about to be renewed. This terrible idea disturbed his imagination day and night; he thought of nothing but racks and scaffolds; and, on one occasion, he dreamt that there was a continued train of bonfires, with a tar-barrel and a Protestant in each, all the way from Smithfield to St. Andrews.
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He communicated the anxiety and distress36 of his mind to a worthy37 sensible clergyman who lived in the neighbourhood. This gentleman took great pains to quiet his fears, proving to him, by strong and obvious arguments, that there was little or no danger of such an event as he dreaded39. These reasonings had a powerful effect while they were delivering, but the impression did not last, and was always effaced40 by a few pages of the Book of Martyrs. As soon as the clergyman remarked this, he advised the relations to remove that, and every book which treated of persecution34 or martyrdom, entirely out of the poor man’s reach. This was done accordingly, and books of a less gloomy complexion41 were substituted in their place; but as all of them formed a strong contrast with the colour of his mind, he could not bear their perusal42, but betook himself to the study of the Bible, which was the only book of his ancient library which had[27] been left; and so strong a hold had his former studies taken of his imagination, that he could relish43 no part of the Bible, except the Revelation of St. John, a great part of which, he thought, referred to the whore of Babylon, or in other words, the Pope of Rome. This part of the scripture44 he perused45 continually with unabating ardor46 and delight. His friend the clergyman, having observed this, took occasion to say, that every part of the Holy Bible was, without doubt, most sublime47, and wonderfully instructive; yet he was surprised to see that he limited his studies entirely to the last book, and neglected all the rest. To which the other replied, That he who was a divine, and a man of learning, might, with propriety48, read all the sacred volume from beginning to end; but, for his own part, he thought proper to confine himself to what he could understand; and therefore, though he had a due respect for all the scripture, he acknowledged[28] he gave a preference to the Revelation of St. John. This answer entirely satisfied the clergyman; he did not think it expedient49 to question him any farther; he took his leave, after having requested the people of the family with whom this person lived, to have a watchful50 eye on their relation. In the mean time, this poor man’s terrors, with regard to the revival51 of popery and persecution, daily augmented52; and nature, in all probability, would have sunk under the weight of such accumulated anxiety, had not a thought occurred which relieved his mind in an instant, by suggesting an infallible method of preventing all the evils which his imagination had been brooding over for so long a time. The happy idea which afforded him so much comfort, was no other, than that he should immediately go to Rome, and convert the Pope from the Roman Catholic to the Presbyterian religion. The moment he hit on this[29] fortunate expedient, he felt at once the strongest impulse to undertake the task, and the fullest conviction that his undertaking53 would be crowned with success; it is no wonder, therefore, that his countenance25 threw off its former gloom, and that all his features brightened with the heart-felt thrillings of happiness and self-applause. While his relations congratulated each other on this agreeable change, the exulting54 visionary, without communicating his design to any mortal, set out for London, took his passage to Leghorn, and, in a short time after, arrived in perfect health of body, and in exalted55 spirits, at Rome.
He directly applied56 to an ecclesiastic14 of his own country, of whose obliging temper he had previously57 heard, and whom he considered as a proper person to procure58 him an interview necessary for the accomplishment59 of his project. He informed[30] that gentleman, that he earnestly wished to have a conference with the Pope, on a business of infinite importance, and which admitted of no delay. It was not difficult to perceive the state of this poor man’s mind; the good-natured ecclesiastic endeavoured to sooth and amuse him, putting off the conference till a distant day; in hopes that means might be fallen on, during the interval60, to prevail on him to return to his own country. A few days after this, however, he happened to go to St. Peter’s church, at the very time when his Holiness was performing some religious ceremony. At this sight our impatient missionary61 felt all his passions inflamed62 with irresistible63 ardour; he could no longer wait for the expected conference, but bursting out with zealous64 indignation, he exclaimed, “O thou beast of nature, with seven heads and ten horns! thou mother of harlots, arrayed in purple and scarlet65, and decked with gold and precious[31] stones and pearls! throw away the golden cup of abominations, and the filthiness66 of thy fornication!”
You may easily imagine the astonishment67 and hubbub68 that such an apostrophe, from such a person, in such a place, would occasion; he was immediately carried to prison by the Swiss halberdiers.
When it was known that he was a British subject, some who understood English were ordered to attend his examination. The first question asked of him was, “What had brought him to Rome?” He answered, “To anoint the eyes of the scarlet whore with eye-salve, that she might see her wickedness.” They asked, “Who he meant by the scarlet whore?” He answered, “Who else could he mean, but her who sitteth upon seven mountains, who hath seduced69 the kings of the earth to commit fornication, and who hath gotten[32] drunk with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs?” Many other questions were asked, and such provoking answers returned, that some suspected the man affected70 madness, that he might give vent38 to his rancour and petulance71 with impunity72; and they were for condemning73 him to the gallies, that he might be taught more sense, and better manners. But when they communicated their sentiments to Clement74 the Fourteenth, he said, with great good humour, “That he never had heard of any body whose understanding, or politeness, had been much improved at that school; that although the poor man’s first address had been a little rough and abrupt75, yet he could not help considering himself as obliged to him for his good intentions, and for his undertaking such a long journey with a view to do good.” He afterwards gave orders to treat the man with gentleness while he remained in confinement76, and[33] to put him on board the first ship bound from Civita Vecchia to England, defraying the expence of his passage. However humane77 and reasonable this conduct may be thought by many, there were people who condemned78 it as an injudicious piece of lenity, which might have a tendency to sink the dignity of the sacred office, and expose it to future insults. If such behaviour as this did not pass without blame, it may be easily supposed, that few of the late Pope’s actions escaped uncensured; and many who loved the easy amiable79 dispositions80 of the man, were of opinion, that the spirit of the times required a different character on the Papal throne. This idea prevailed among the Cardinals at the late election, and the Conclave is supposed to have fixed81 on Cardinal22 Braschi to be Pope, from the same motive82 that the Roman senate sometimes chose a Dictator to restore and enforce the ancient discipline.
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1
predecessor
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n.前辈,前任 | |
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reign
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n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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3
relaxation
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n.松弛,放松;休息;消遣;娱乐 | |
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simplicity
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n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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reluctance
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n.厌恶,讨厌,勉强,不情愿 | |
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perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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frivolous
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adj.轻薄的;轻率的 | |
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formerly
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adv.从前,以前 | |
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entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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tempted
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v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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11
hypocrisy
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n.伪善,虚伪 | |
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remiss
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adj.不小心的,马虎 | |
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etiquette
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n.礼仪,礼节;规矩 | |
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ecclesiastic
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n.教士,基督教会;adj.神职者的,牧师的,教会的 | |
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malevolence
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n.恶意,狠毒 | |
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odious
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adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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calumny
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n.诽谤,污蔑,中伤 | |
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lamented
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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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conclave
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n.秘密会议,红衣主教团 | |
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scrupulous
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adj.审慎的,小心翼翼的,完全的,纯粹的 | |
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21
pretensions
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自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力 | |
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cardinal
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n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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23
cardinals
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红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 ); 红衣凤头鸟(见于北美,雄鸟为鲜红色); 基数 | |
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elevation
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n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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countenanced
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v.支持,赞同,批准( countenance的过去式 ) | |
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abhorrence
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n.憎恶;可憎恶的事 | |
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inveterate
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adj.积习已深的,根深蒂固的 | |
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enumerated
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v.列举,枚举,数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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negligence
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n.疏忽,玩忽,粗心大意 | |
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imputed
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v.把(错误等)归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scotch
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n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;v.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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martyrs
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n.martyr的复数形式;烈士( martyr的名词复数 );殉道者;殉教者;乞怜者(向人诉苦以博取同情) | |
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persecution
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n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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distress
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n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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vent
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n.通风口,排放口;开衩;vt.表达,发泄 | |
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dreaded
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adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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effaced
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v.擦掉( efface的过去式和过去分词 );抹去;超越;使黯然失色 | |
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complexion
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n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
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42
perusal
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n.细读,熟读;目测 | |
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relish
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n.滋味,享受,爱好,调味品;vt.加调味料,享受,品味;vi.有滋味 | |
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scripture
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n.经文,圣书,手稿;Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》,《圣经》中的一段 | |
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perused
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v.读(某篇文字)( peruse的过去式和过去分词 );(尤指)细阅;审阅;匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览(某篇文字) | |
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46
ardor
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n.热情,狂热 | |
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sublime
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adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
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48
propriety
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n.正当行为;正当;适当 | |
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49
expedient
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adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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50
watchful
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adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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51
revival
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n.复兴,复苏,(精力、活力等的)重振 | |
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52
Augmented
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adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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53
undertaking
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n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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exulting
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vi. 欢欣鼓舞,狂喜 | |
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55
exalted
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adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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56
applied
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adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
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57
previously
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adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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58
procure
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vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
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59
accomplishment
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n.完成,成就,(pl.)造诣,技能 | |
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60
interval
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n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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61
missionary
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adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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62
inflamed
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adj.发炎的,红肿的v.(使)变红,发怒,过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
irresistible
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adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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zealous
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adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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scarlet
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n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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filthiness
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67
astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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68
hubbub
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n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
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69
seduced
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诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 ); 勾引; 诱使堕落; 使入迷 | |
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70
affected
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adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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71
petulance
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n.发脾气,生气,易怒,暴躁,性急 | |
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72
impunity
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n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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condemning
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v.(通常因道义上的原因而)谴责( condemn的现在分词 );宣判;宣布…不能使用;迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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clement
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adj.仁慈的;温和的 | |
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abrupt
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adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的 | |
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76
confinement
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n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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humane
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adj.人道的,富有同情心的 | |
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78
condemned
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adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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79
amiable
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adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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dispositions
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安排( disposition的名词复数 ); 倾向; (财产、金钱的)处置; 气质 | |
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fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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motive
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n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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