If such, at that distant period, was the numerical condemnation3 of this species of writing, which circumscribed4 the first published tour of Dr. Burney to its own professional subject, what would be now the doom5 of the endless herd6 of tourists of all ranks, qualifications, or deficiencies, who, in these later times, have sent forth7 their divers8 effusions, without sparing an idea, a recollection, or scarcely a dream, to work their way in the world, through that general master of the ceremonies, the press? whose portals,
[Pg 225]
though guarded by two vis à vis sentinels in eternal hostility9 with each other, Fame and Disgrace, open equally to publicity10.
Mr. Crisp, nevertheless, saw in a totally different light the miscellaneous part of the French and Italian tours, and reprehended11 its rejection12 with the high and spirited energy that always marked his zeal13, whether of censure14 or approbation15, for whatever affected16 the welfare of his favourites. But Dr. Burney, having first consulted these celebrated17 critics, who lived in the immediate18 world, was too timid to resist their representations of the taste of the moment; though in all that belonged not to the modesty19 of apprehended20 partiality, he had the firmest persuasion21 that the judgment22 of Mr. Crisp was unrivalled.
The work was entitled:
THE PRESENT STATE OF MUSIC
IN FRANCE AND ITALY:
OR THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR THROUGH THOSE COUNTRIES,
UNDERTAKEN TO COLLECT MATERIALS FOR A
GENERAL HISTORY OF MUSIC,
BY CHARLES BURNEY, MUS. D.
Il Canterono allor si dolcemonte
Che la dolcerra ancor destra mi suona.
Dante.
[Pg 226]
The motto was thus translated, though not printed, by Dr. Burney.
“They sung their strains in notes so sweet and clear
The sound still vibrates on my ravished ear.”
The reception of this first acknowledged call for public attention from Dr. Burney, was of the most encouraging description; for though no renown23 had yet been fastened upon his name, his acquirements and his character, wherever he had been known, had excited a general goodwill24 that prepared the way to kindly25 approbation for this, and indeed for every work that issued from his pen.
There was, in truth, something so spirited and uncommon26, yet of so antique a cast, in the travels, or pilgrimage, that he had undertaken, in search of materials for the history of his art, that curiosity was awakened27 to the subject, and expectation was earnest for its execution: and it was no sooner published, than orders were received, by most of the great booksellers of the day, for its purchase; and no sooner read, than letters the most flattering, from the deepest theorists of the science, and the best judges of the practice of the art of music, reached the favoured author; who was of too modest a character to have been robbed of the pleasure of praise
[Pg 227]
by presumptuous28 anticipation29; and of too natural a one to lose any of its gratification by an apathetic30 suppression of its welcome. And the effect, impulsive31 and unsophisticated, of his success, was so ardent32 an encouragement to his purpose, that while, mentally, it animated34 his faculties35 to a yet more forcible pursuit of their decided36 object, it darted37 him, corporeally39, into a travelling vehicle, which rapidly wheeled him back again to Dover; where, with new spirit and eagerness, he set sail upon a similar musical tour in the Low Countries and in Germany, to that which he had so lately accomplished40 in France and Italy.
With respect to the French and Italian tour, the restraint from all but its professional business, was much lamented41 by the friends to whom the sacrifice of the miscellaneous matter was communicated.
Upon the German tour not a comment will be offered; it is before the public with an approvance that has been stamped by the sanction of time. At the period of its publication, Dr. Burney, somewhat assured, though incapable42 of being rendered arrogant43 by favour, ventured to listen only to the voice of his first friend and monitor, who exhorted44 him to mingle45 personal anecdotes46 with his musical information.
[Pg 228]
The consequence was such as his sage47 adviser48 prognosticated; for both the applause and the sale of this second and more diffuse49 social diary, greatly surpassed those of its more technical predecessor50.
Nevertheless, the German tour, though thus successful for narration51 to the public, terminated for himself in sickness, fatigue52, exorbitant53 expense, and poignant54 bodily suffering.
While yet far away from his country, and equally distant from accomplishing the purpose of his travels, his solicitude55 not to leave it incomplete, joined to his anxiety not to break his professional engagements, led him to over-work and over-hurry his mental powers, at the same time that he inflicted56 a similar harass57 upon his corporeal38 strength. And while thus doubly overwhelmed, he was assaulted, during his precipitated58 return, by the rudest fierceness of wintry elemental strife59; through which, with bad accommodations, and innumerable accidents, he became a prey60 to the merciless pangs61 of the acutest spasmodic rheumatism62; which barely suffered him to reach his home, ere, long and piteously, it confined him, a tortured prisoner, to his bed.
Such was the check that almost instantly curbed63, though it could not subdue64, the rising pleasure of
[Pg 229]
his hopes of entering upon a new species of existence, that of an approved man of letters; for it was on the bed of sickness, exchanging the light wines of France, Italy, and Germany, for the black and loathsome65 potions of the Apothecaries’ Hall; writhed66 by darting67 stitches, and burning with fiery68 fever; that he felt the full force of that sublunary equipoise, that seems evermore to hang suspended over the attainment69 of long-sought and uncommon felicity, just as it is ripening70 to burst forth into enjoyment71!
Again he retired72 to Chesington, to his care-healing, heart-expanding, and head-informing Mr. Crisp: and there, under the auspices73 of all that could sooth or animate33 him; and nursed with incessant74 assiduity by his fondly-attached wife and daughters, he repaired his shattered frame; to fit it, once again, for the exercise of those talents and faculties, which illumine, in their expansive effects, the whole race of mankind; long after the apparent beings whence they have issued, seem faded, dissolved away; leaving not, visibly, a track behind.
In Dr. Burney, disease was no sooner conquered, than the vigour75 of his character brought back to him pleasure and activity, through the spirited
[Pg 230]
wisdom with which he dismissed Regret for Anticipation.
There are few things in which his perfect good-humour was more playfully demonstrated, than by the looks, arch yet reproachful, and piteous though burlesque76, with which he was wont77 to recount a most provoking and painful little incident that occurred to him in his last voyage home; but of which he was well aware that the relation must excite irresistible78 risibility79 in even the most friendly of his auditors80.
After travelling by day and by night to expedite his return, over mountains, through marshes81, by cross-roads; on horseback, on mules82, in carriages of any and every sort that could but hurry him on, he reached Calais in a December so dreadfully stormy, that not a vessel83 of any kind could set sail for England. Repeatedly he secured his hammock, and went on board to take possession of it; but as repeatedly was driven back by fresh gales84, during the space of nine fatiguing85 days and tempestuous86 nights. And when, at last, the passage was effected, so nearly annihilating87 had been his sufferings from sea-sickness, that it was vainly he was told he might now, at his pleasure, arise, go forth, and touch English
[Pg 231]
ground; he had neither strength nor courage to move, and earnestly desired to be left awhile to himself.
Exhaustion88, then, with tranquillity89 of mind, cast him into a sound sleep.
From this repose90, when, much refreshed, he awoke, he called to the man who was in waiting, to help him up, that he might get out of the ship.
“Get out of the ship, sir?” repeated the man. “Good lauk! you’ll be drowned!”
“Drowned?—What’s to drown me? I want to go ashore91.”
“Ashore, sir?” again repeated the man; “why you’re in the middle of the sea! There ar’nt a bit of ground for your toe nail.”
“What do you mean?” cried the Doctor, starting up; “the sea? did you not tell me we were safe in at Dover?”
“O lauk! that’s two good hours ago, sir! I could not get you up then, say what I would. You fell downright asleep, like a top. And so I told them. But that’s all one. You may go, or you may stay, as you like; but them pilots never stops for nobody.”
Filled with alarm, the Doctor now rushed up to the deck, where he had the dismay to discover that he was half-way back to France.
[Pg 232]
And he was forced to land again at Calais; where again, with the next mail, and a repetition of his sea-sickness, he re-embarked for Dover.
On quitting Chesington, upon his recovery, for re-entering his house in Queen-Square, the Doctor compelled himself to abstain92 from his pen, his papers, his new acquisitions in musical lore93, and all that demanded study for the subject that nearly engrossed94 his thoughts, in order to consecrate95 the whole of his time to his family and his affairs.
He renewed, therefore, his wonted diurnal96 course, as if he had never diverged97 from it; and attended his young pupils as if he had neither ability nor taste for any superior occupation: and he neither rested his body, nor liberated98 his ideas, till he had re-instated himself in the professional mode of life, upon which his substantial prosperity, and that of his house, depended.
But, this accomplished, his innate99 propensities100 sprang again into play, urging him to snatch at every instant he could purloin101, without essential mischief102 from these sage regulations; with a redundance of vivacity103 for new movement, new action, and elastic104
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procedure, scarcely conceivable to those who, balancing their projects, their wishes, and their intentions, by the opposing weights of time, of hazard, and of trouble, undertake only what is obviously to their advantage, or indisputably their duty. His Fancy was his dictator; his Spirit was his spur; and whatever the first started, the second pursued to the goal.
点击收听单词发音
1 anecdote | |
n.轶事,趣闻,短故事 | |
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2 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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3 condemnation | |
n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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4 circumscribed | |
adj.[医]局限的:受限制或限于有限空间的v.在…周围划线( circumscribe的过去式和过去分词 );划定…范围;限制;限定 | |
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5 doom | |
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定 | |
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6 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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7 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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8 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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9 hostility | |
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争 | |
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10 publicity | |
n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
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11 reprehended | |
v.斥责,指摘,责备( reprehend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12 rejection | |
n.拒绝,被拒,抛弃,被弃 | |
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13 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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14 censure | |
v./n.责备;非难;责难 | |
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15 approbation | |
n.称赞;认可 | |
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16 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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17 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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18 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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19 modesty | |
n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素 | |
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20 apprehended | |
逮捕,拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 ); 理解 | |
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21 persuasion | |
n.劝说;说服;持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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22 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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23 renown | |
n.声誉,名望 | |
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24 goodwill | |
n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉 | |
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25 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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26 uncommon | |
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的 | |
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27 awakened | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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28 presumptuous | |
adj.胆大妄为的,放肆的,冒昧的,冒失的 | |
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29 anticipation | |
n.预期,预料,期望 | |
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30 apathetic | |
adj.冷漠的,无动于衷的 | |
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31 impulsive | |
adj.冲动的,刺激的;有推动力的 | |
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32 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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33 animate | |
v.赋于生命,鼓励;adj.有生命的,有生气的 | |
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34 animated | |
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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35 faculties | |
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
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36 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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37 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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38 corporeal | |
adj.肉体的,身体的;物质的 | |
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39 corporeally | |
adv.肉体上,物质上 | |
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40 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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41 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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42 incapable | |
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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43 arrogant | |
adj.傲慢的,自大的 | |
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44 exhorted | |
v.劝告,劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45 mingle | |
vt.使混合,使相混;vi.混合起来;相交往 | |
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46 anecdotes | |
n.掌故,趣闻,轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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47 sage | |
n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的 | |
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48 adviser | |
n.劝告者,顾问 | |
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49 diffuse | |
v.扩散;传播;adj.冗长的;四散的,弥漫的 | |
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50 predecessor | |
n.前辈,前任 | |
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51 narration | |
n.讲述,叙述;故事;记叙体 | |
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52 fatigue | |
n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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53 exorbitant | |
adj.过分的;过度的 | |
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54 poignant | |
adj.令人痛苦的,辛酸的,惨痛的 | |
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55 solicitude | |
n.焦虑 | |
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56 inflicted | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57 harass | |
vt.使烦恼,折磨,骚扰 | |
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58 precipitated | |
v.(突如其来地)使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 );促成;猛然摔下;使沉淀 | |
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59 strife | |
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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60 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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61 pangs | |
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛 | |
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62 rheumatism | |
n.风湿病 | |
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63 curbed | |
v.限制,克制,抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64 subdue | |
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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65 loathsome | |
adj.讨厌的,令人厌恶的 | |
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66 writhed | |
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67 darting | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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68 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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69 attainment | |
n.达到,到达;[常pl.]成就,造诣 | |
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70 ripening | |
v.成熟,使熟( ripen的现在分词 );熟化;熟成 | |
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71 enjoyment | |
n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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72 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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73 auspices | |
n.资助,赞助 | |
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74 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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75 vigour | |
(=vigor)n.智力,体力,精力 | |
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76 burlesque | |
v.嘲弄,戏仿;n.嘲弄,取笑,滑稽模仿 | |
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77 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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78 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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79 risibility | |
n.爱笑,幽默感 | |
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80 auditors | |
n.审计员,稽核员( auditor的名词复数 );(大学课程的)旁听生 | |
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81 marshes | |
n.沼泽,湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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82 mules | |
骡( mule的名词复数 ); 拖鞋; 顽固的人; 越境运毒者 | |
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83 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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84 gales | |
龙猫 | |
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85 fatiguing | |
a.使人劳累的 | |
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86 tempestuous | |
adj.狂暴的 | |
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87 annihilating | |
v.(彻底)消灭( annihilate的现在分词 );使无效;废止;彻底击溃 | |
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88 exhaustion | |
n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述 | |
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89 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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90 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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91 ashore | |
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
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92 abstain | |
v.自制,戒绝,弃权,避免 | |
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93 lore | |
n.传说;学问,经验,知识 | |
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94 engrossed | |
adj.全神贯注的 | |
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95 consecrate | |
v.使圣化,奉…为神圣;尊崇;奉献 | |
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96 diurnal | |
adj.白天的,每日的 | |
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97 diverged | |
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 ); 偏离; 分歧; 分道扬镳 | |
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98 liberated | |
a.无拘束的,放纵的 | |
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99 innate | |
adj.天生的,固有的,天赋的 | |
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100 propensities | |
n.倾向,习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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101 purloin | |
v.偷窃 | |
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102 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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103 vivacity | |
n.快活,活泼,精神充沛 | |
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104 elastic | |
n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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