She then appointed a certain hour of the day for meditation2 on the merits and fondness of Pekuah, and for some weeks retired3 constantly at the time fixed4, and returned with her eyes swollen5 and her countenance6 clouded. By degrees she grew less scrupulous7, and suffered any important and pressing avocation8 to delay the tribute of daily tears. She then yielded to less occasions, and sometimes forgot what she was indeed afraid to remember, and at last wholly released herself from the duty of periodical affliction.
Her real love of Pekuah was not yet diminished. A thousand occurrences brought her back to memory, and a thousand wants, which nothing but the confidence of friendship can supply, made her frequently regretted. She therefore solicited9 Imlac never to desist from inquiry10, and to leave no art of intelligence untried, that at least she might have the comfort of knowing that she did not suffer by negligence11 or sluggishness12. “Yet what,” said she, “is to be expected from our pursuit of happiness, when we find the state of life to be such that happiness itself is the cause of misery13? Why should we endeavour to attain14 that of which the possession cannot be secured? I shall henceforward fear to yield my heart to excellence15, however bright, or to fondness, however tender, lest I should lose again what I have lost in Pekuah.”

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1
retirement
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n.退休,退职 | |
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2
meditation
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n.熟虑,(尤指宗教的)默想,沉思,(pl.)冥想录 | |
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3
retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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4
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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5
swollen
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adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀 | |
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6
countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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7
scrupulous
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adj.审慎的,小心翼翼的,完全的,纯粹的 | |
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8
avocation
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n.副业,业余爱好 | |
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9
solicited
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v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 );(指娼妇)拉客;索求;征求 | |
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10
inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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11
negligence
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n.疏忽,玩忽,粗心大意 | |
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12
sluggishness
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不振,萧条,呆滞;惰性;滞性;惯性 | |
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13
misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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14
attain
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vt.达到,获得,完成 | |
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15
excellence
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n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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