DEDICATION

 To C. F G. Masterman, M. P. 

My Dear Charles, 

I originally called this book “What is Wrong,” and it would 

have satisfied your sardonic¹ temper to note the number of social 

misunderstandings that arose from the use of the title. Many a mild lady 

visitor opened her eyes when I remarked casually², “I have been doing 

‘What is Wrong’ all this morning.” And one minister of religion moved 

quite sharply in his chair when I told him (as he understood it) that I 

had to run upstairs and do what was wrong, but should be down again in 

a minute. Exactly of what occult vice³ they silently accused me I cannot 

conjecture⁴, but I know of what I accuse myself; and that is, of having 

written a very shapeless and inadequate⁵ book, and one quite unworthy 

to be dedicated⁶ to you. As far as literature goes, this book is what is 

wrong and no mistake. 

 

It may seem a refinement⁷ of insolence⁸ to present so wild a composition 

to one who has recorded two or three of the really impressive visions of 

the moving millions of England. You are the only man alive who can 

make the map of England crawl with life; a most creepy and enviable 

accomplishment⁹. Why then should I trouble you with a book which, even 

if it achieves its object (which is monstrously¹⁰ unlikely) can only be a 

thundering gallop¹¹ of theory? 

 

Well, I do it partly because I think you politicians are none the worse 

for a few inconvenient¹² ideals; but more because you will recognise the 

many arguments we have had, those arguments which the most wonderful 

ladies in the world can never endure for very long. And, perhaps, you 

will agree with me that the thread of comradeship and conversation must 

be protected because it is so frivolous¹³. It must be held sacred, it 

must not be snapped, because it is not worth tying together again. It 

is exactly because argument is idle that men (I mean males) must take it 

seriously; for when (we feel), until the crack of doom¹⁴, shall we have so 

delightful¹⁵ a difference again? But most of all I offer it to you because 

there exists not only comradeship, but a very different thing, called 

friendship; an agreement under all the arguments and a thread which, 

please God, will never break. 

 

Yours always, 

 

G. K. Chesterton. 

1 sardonic   

adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的

参考例句：

• She gave him a sardonic smile.她朝他讥讽地笑了一笑。
• There was a sardonic expression on her face.她脸上有一种嘲讽的表情。

2 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

5 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

6 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

7 refinement   

n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼

参考例句：

• Sally is a woman of great refinement and beauty. 莎莉是个温文尔雅又很漂亮的女士。
• Good manners and correct speech are marks of refinement.彬彬有礼和谈吐得体是文雅的标志。

8 insolence   

n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度

参考例句：

• I've had enough of your insolence, and I'm having no more. 我受够了你的侮辱，不能再容忍了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• How can you suffer such insolence? 你怎么能容忍这种蛮横的态度？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

10 monstrously   

参考例句：

• There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. 布里斯托尔有那么一帮人为此恨透了布兰德利。
• You are monstrously audacious, how dare you misappropriate public funds? 你真是狗胆包天，公家的钱也敢挪用？

11 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

12 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

13 frivolous   

adj.轻薄的；轻率的

参考例句：

• This is a frivolous way of attacking the problem.这是一种轻率敷衍的处理问题的方式。
• He spent a lot of his money on frivolous things.他在一些无聊的事上花了好多钱。

14 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

15 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。