The Tea and the Sage

 

 

  The Tea from China on her way,

  Met in some sea, or gulf¹, or bay—

  (Would to her log I might refer!)

  The Sage², who thus accosted³ her:

  "Sister—ahoy! ho—whither bound?"

  "I leave," she said, "my native ground

  For Europe's markets, where, I'm told,

  They purchase me by weight of gold."

  "And I," the Sage replied, "am seeking

  The route to Canton or to Peking;

  Your Chinese use me largely in

  Their cookery and medicine;

  They know my virtues⁴, nor deny

  The praise I ask, however high,

  While Europe scorns me, just indeed,

  As if I was the vilest⁵ weed.

  Go; and good luck t'ye; know full well

  That you are sure enough to sell,

  For nations all, (fools that they are!)

  Value whatever comes from afar,

  And give their money nothing loth,

  For anything of foreign growth."

 

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 sage   

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

• I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
• The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。

3 accosted   

v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭

参考例句：

• She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

5 vilest   

adj.卑鄙的( vile的最高级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的

参考例句：