Without committing ourselves to those enthusiastic praises and prophesyings of the Weissnichtwo’sche Anzeiger, we admitted that the Book had in a high degree excited us to self-activity, which is the best effect of any book; that it had even operated changes in our way of thought; nay3, that it promised to prove, as it were, the opening of a new mine-shaft, wherein the whole world of Speculation4 might henceforth dig to unknown depths. More specially6 may it now be declared that Professor Teufelsdrockh’s acquirements, patience of research, philosophic7 and even poetic8 vigor9, are here made indisputably manifest; and unhappily no less his prolixity10 and tortuosity11 and manifold ineptitude12; that, on the whole, as in opening new mine-shafts is not unreasonable13, there is much rubbish in his Book, though likewise specimens14 of almost invaluable15 ore. A paramount16 popularity in England we cannot promise him. Apart from the choice of such a topic as Clothes, too often the manner of treating it betokens17 in the Author a rusticity18 and academic seclusion19, unblamable, indeed inevitable20 in a German, but fatal to his success with our public.
Of good society Teufelsdrockh appears to have seen little, or has mostly forgotten what he saw. He speaks out with a strange plainness; calls many things by their mere21 dictionary names. To him the Upholsterer is no Pontiff, neither is any Drawing-room a Temple, were it never so begilt and overhung: “a whole immensity of Brussels carpets, and pier-glasses, and ormolu,” as he himself expresses it, “cannot hide from me that such Drawing-room is simply a section of Infinite Space, where so many God-created Souls do for the time meet together.” To Teufelsdrockh the highest Duchess is respectable, is venerable; but nowise for her pearl bracelets22 and Malines laces: in his eyes, the star of a Lord is little less and little more than the broad button of Birmingham spelter in a Clown’s smock; “each is an implement,” he says, “in its kind; a tag for hooking-together; and, for the rest, was dug from the earth, and hammered on a stithy before smith’s fingers.” Thus does the Professor look in men’s faces with a strange impartiality23, a strange scientific freedom; like a man unversed in the higher circles, like a man dropped thither24 from the Moon. Rightly considered, it is in this peculiarity25, running through his whole system of thought, that all these shortcomings, over-shootings, and multiform perversities, take rise: if indeed they have not a second source, also natural enough, in his Transcendental Philosophies, and humor of looking at all Matter and Material things as Spirit; whereby truly his case were but the more hopeless, the more lamentable26.
To the Thinkers of this nation, however, of which class it is firmly believed there are individuals yet extant, we can safely recommend the Work: nay, who knows but among the fashionable ranks too, if it be true, as Teufelsdrockh maintains, that “within the most starched27 cravat28 there passes a windpipe and weasand, and under the thickliest embroidered29 waistcoat beats a heart,” — the force of that rapt earnestness may be felt, and here and there an arrow of the soul pierce through? In our wild Seer, shaggy, unkempt, like a Baptist living on locusts30 and wild honey, there is an untutored energy, a silent, as it were unconscious, strength, which, except in the higher walks of Literature, must be rare. Many a deep glance, and often with unspeakable precision, has he cast into mysterious Nature, and the still more mysterious Life of Man. Wonderful it is with what cutting words, now and then, he severs31 asunder32 the confusion; sheers down, were it furlongs deep; into the true centre of the matter; and there not only hits the nail on the head, but with crushing force smites33 it home, and buries it. — On the other hand, let us be free to admit, he is the most unequal writer breathing. Often after some such feat34, he will play truant35 for long pages, and go dawdling36 and dreaming, and mumbling37 and maundering the merest commonplaces, as if he were asleep with eyes open, which indeed he is.
Of his boundless38 Learning, and how all reading and literature in most known tongues, from Sanchoniathon to Dr. Lingard, from your Oriental Shasters, and Talmuds, and Korans, with Cassini’s Siamese fables39, and Laplace’s Mecanique Celeste, down to Robinson Crusoe and the Belfast Town and Country Almanack, are familiar to him, — we shall say nothing: for unexampled as it is with us, to the Germans such universality of study passes without wonder, as a thing commendable40, indeed, but natural, indispensable, and there of course. A man that devotes his life to learning, shall he not be learned?
In respect of style our Author manifests the same genial41 capability42, marred43 too often by the same rudeness, inequality, and apparent want of intercourse44 with the higher classes. Occasionally, as above hinted, we find consummate45 vigor, a true inspiration; his burning thoughts step forth5 in fit burning words, like so many full-formed Minervas, issuing amid flame and splendor46 from Jove’s head; a rich, idiomatic47 diction, picturesque48 allusions49, fiery50 poetic emphasis, or quaint51 tricksy turns; all the graces and terrors of a wild Imagination, wedded52 to the clearest Intellect, alternate in beautiful vicissitude53. Were it not that sheer sleeping and soporific passages; circumlocutions, repetitions, touches even of pure doting54 jargon55, so often intervene! On the whole, Professor Teufelsdrockh, is not a cultivated writer. Of his sentences perhaps not more than nine-tenths stand straight on their legs; the remainder are in quite angular attitudes, buttressed56 up by props57 (of parentheses58 and dashes), and ever with this or the other tagrag hanging from them; a few even sprawl59 out helplessly on all sides, quite broken-backed and dismembered. Nevertheless, in almost his very worst moods, there lies in him a singular attraction. A wild tone pervades60 the whole utterance61 of the man, like its keynote and regulator; now screwing itself aloft as into the Song of Spirits, or else the shrill62 mockery of Fiends; now sinking in cadences63, not without melodious64 heartiness65, though sometimes abrupt66 enough, into the common pitch, when we hear it only as a monotonous67 hum; of which hum the true character is extremely difficult to fix. Up to this hour we have never fully68 satisfied ourselves whether it is a tone and hum of real Humor, which we reckon among the very highest qualities of genius, or some echo of mere Insanity69 and Inanity70, which doubtless ranks below the very lowest.
Under a like difficulty, in spite even of our personal intercourse, do we still lie with regard to the Professor’s moral feeling. Gleams of an ethereal love burst forth from him, soft wailings of infinite pity; he could clasp the whole Universe into his bosom71, and keep it warm; it seems as if under that rude exterior72 there dwelt a very seraph73. Then again he is so sly and still, so imperturbably74 saturnine75; shows such indifference76, malign77 coolness towards all that men strive after; and ever with some half-visible wrinkle of a bitter sardonic78 humor, if indeed it be not mere stolid79 callousness80, — that you look on him almost with a shudder81, as on some incarnate82 Mephistopheles, to whom this great terrestrial and celestial83 Round, after all, were but some huge foolish Whirligig, where kings and beggars, and angels and demons84, and stars and street-sweepings, were chaotically85 whirled, in which only children could take interest. His look, as we mentioned, is probably the gravest ever seen: yet it is not of that cast-iron gravity frequent enough among our own Chancery suitors; but rather the gravity as of some silent, high-encircled mountain-pool, perhaps the crater86 of an extinct volcano; into whose black deeps you fear to gaze: those eyes, those lights that sparkle in it, may indeed be reflexes of the heavenly Stars, but perhaps also glances from the region of Nether87 Fire.
Certainly a most involved, self-secluded, altogether enigmatic nature, this of Teufelsdrockh! Here, however, we gladly recall to mind that once we saw him laugh; once only, perhaps it was the first and last time in his life; but then such a peal88 of laughter, enough to have awakened89 the Seven Sleepers90! It was of Jean Paul’s doing: some single billow in that vast World–Mahlstrom of Humor, with its heaven-kissing coruscations, which is now, alas91, all congealed92 in the frost of death! The large-bodied Poet and the small, both large enough in soul, sat talking miscellaneously together, the present Editor being privileged to listen; and now Paul, in his serious way, was giving one of those inimitable “Extra–Harangues;” and, as it chanced, On the Proposal for a Cast-metal King: gradually a light kindled93 in our Professor’s eyes and face, a beaming, mantling94, loveliest light; through those murky95 features, a radiant ever-young Apollo looked; and he burst forth like the neighing of all Tattersall’s, — tears streaming down his cheeks, pipe held aloft, foot clutched into the air, — loud, long-continuing, uncontrollable; a laugh not of the face and diaphragm only, but of the whole man from head to heel. The present Editor, who laughed indeed, yet with measure, began to fear all was not right: however, Teufelsdrockh, composed himself, and sank into his old stillness; on his inscrutable countenance96 there was, if anything, a slight look of shame; and Richter himself could not rouse him again. Readers who have any tincture of Psychology97 know how much is to be inferred from this; and that no man who has once heartily98 and wholly laughed can be altogether irreclaimably bad. How much lies in Laughter: the cipher-key, wherewith we decipher the whole man! Some men wear an everlasting99 barren simper; in the smile of others lies a cold glitter as of ice: the fewest are able to laugh, what can be called laughing, but only sniff100 and titter and snigger from the throat outwards101; or at best, produce some whiffling husky cachinnation, as if they were laughing through wool: of none such comes good. The man who cannot laugh is not only fit for treasons, stratagems103, and spoils; but his whole life is already a treason and a stratagem102.
Considered as an Author, Herr Teufelsdrockh has one scarcely pardonable fault, doubtless his worst: an almost total want of arrangement. In this remarkable104 Volume, it is true, his adherence105 to the mere course of Time produces, through the Narrative106 portions, a certain show of outward method; but of true logical method and sequence there is too little. Apart from its multifarious sections and subdivisions, the Work naturally falls into two Parts; a Historical–Descriptive, and a Philosophical–Speculative: but falls, unhappily, by no firm line of demarcation; in that labyrinthic combination, each Part overlaps107, and indents108, and indeed runs quite through the other. Many sections are of a debatable rubric, or even quite nondescript and unnamable; whereby the Book not only loses in accessibility, but too often distresses109 us like some mad banquet, wherein all courses had been confounded, and fish and flesh, soup and solid, oyster-sauce, lettuces110, Rhine-wine and French mustard, were hurled111 into one huge tureen or trough, and the hungry Public invited to help itself. To bring what order we can out of this Chaos112 shall be part of our endeavor.
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1 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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2 effulgence | |
n.光辉 | |
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3 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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4 speculation | |
n.思索,沉思;猜测;投机 | |
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5 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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6 specially | |
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地 | |
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7 philosophic | |
adj.哲学的,贤明的 | |
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8 poetic | |
adj.富有诗意的,有诗人气质的,善于抒情的 | |
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9 vigor | |
n.活力,精力,元气 | |
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10 prolixity | |
n.冗长,罗嗦 | |
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11 tortuosity | |
n.扭转,曲折,弯曲 | |
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12 ineptitude | |
n.不适当;愚笨,愚昧的言行 | |
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13 unreasonable | |
adj.不讲道理的,不合情理的,过度的 | |
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14 specimens | |
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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15 invaluable | |
adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 | |
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16 paramount | |
a.最重要的,最高权力的 | |
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17 betokens | |
v.预示,表示( betoken的第三人称单数 ) | |
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18 rusticity | |
n.乡村的特点、风格或气息 | |
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19 seclusion | |
n.隐遁,隔离 | |
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20 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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21 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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22 bracelets | |
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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23 impartiality | |
n. 公平, 无私, 不偏 | |
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24 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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25 peculiarity | |
n.独特性,特色;特殊的东西;怪癖 | |
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26 lamentable | |
adj.令人惋惜的,悔恨的 | |
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27 starched | |
adj.浆硬的,硬挺的,拘泥刻板的v.把(衣服、床单等)浆一浆( starch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28 cravat | |
n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结 | |
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29 embroidered | |
adj.绣花的 | |
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30 locusts | |
n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 );贪吃的人;破坏者;槐树 | |
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31 severs | |
v.切断,断绝( sever的第三人称单数 );断,裂 | |
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32 asunder | |
adj.分离的,化为碎片 | |
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33 smites | |
v.猛打,重击,打击( smite的第三人称单数 ) | |
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34 feat | |
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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35 truant | |
n.懒惰鬼,旷课者;adj.偷懒的,旷课的,游荡的;v.偷懒,旷课 | |
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36 dawdling | |
adj.闲逛的,懒散的v.混(时间)( dawdle的现在分词 ) | |
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37 mumbling | |
含糊地说某事,叽咕,咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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38 boundless | |
adj.无限的;无边无际的;巨大的 | |
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39 fables | |
n.寓言( fable的名词复数 );神话,传说 | |
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40 commendable | |
adj.值得称赞的 | |
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41 genial | |
adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 | |
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42 capability | |
n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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43 marred | |
adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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44 intercourse | |
n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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45 consummate | |
adj.完美的;v.成婚;使完美 [反]baffle | |
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46 splendor | |
n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌 | |
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47 idiomatic | |
adj.成语的,符合语言习惯的 | |
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48 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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49 allusions | |
暗指,间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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50 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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51 quaint | |
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的 | |
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52 wedded | |
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53 vicissitude | |
n.变化,变迁,荣枯,盛衰 | |
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54 doting | |
adj.溺爱的,宠爱的 | |
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55 jargon | |
n.术语,行话 | |
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56 buttressed | |
v.用扶壁支撑,加固( buttress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57 props | |
小道具; 支柱( prop的名词复数 ); 支持者; 道具; (橄榄球中的)支柱前锋 | |
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58 parentheses | |
n.圆括号,插入语,插曲( parenthesis的名词复数 ) | |
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59 sprawl | |
vi.躺卧,扩张,蔓延;vt.使蔓延;n.躺卧,蔓延 | |
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60 pervades | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的第三人称单数 ) | |
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61 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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62 shrill | |
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
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63 cadences | |
n.(声音的)抑扬顿挫( cadence的名词复数 );节奏;韵律;调子 | |
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64 melodious | |
adj.旋律美妙的,调子优美的,音乐性的 | |
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65 heartiness | |
诚实,热心 | |
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66 abrupt | |
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的 | |
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67 monotonous | |
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的 | |
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68 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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69 insanity | |
n.疯狂,精神错乱;极端的愚蠢,荒唐 | |
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70 inanity | |
n.无意义,无聊 | |
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71 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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72 exterior | |
adj.外部的,外在的;表面的 | |
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73 seraph | |
n.六翼天使 | |
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74 imperturbably | |
adv.泰然地,镇静地,平静地 | |
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75 saturnine | |
adj.忧郁的,沉默寡言的,阴沉的,感染铅毒的 | |
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76 indifference | |
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎 | |
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77 malign | |
adj.有害的;恶性的;恶意的;v.诽谤,诬蔑 | |
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78 sardonic | |
adj.嘲笑的,冷笑的,讥讽的 | |
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79 stolid | |
adj.无动于衷的,感情麻木的 | |
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80 callousness | |
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81 shudder | |
v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动 | |
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82 incarnate | |
adj.化身的,人体化的,肉色的 | |
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83 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
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84 demons | |
n.恶人( demon的名词复数 );恶魔;精力过人的人;邪念 | |
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85 chaotically | |
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86 crater | |
n.火山口,弹坑 | |
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87 nether | |
adj.下部的,下面的;n.阴间;下层社会 | |
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88 peal | |
n.钟声;v.鸣响 | |
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89 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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90 sleepers | |
n.卧铺(通常以复数形式出现);卧车( sleeper的名词复数 );轨枕;睡觉(呈某种状态)的人;小耳环 | |
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91 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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92 congealed | |
v.使凝结,冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 );(指血)凝结 | |
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93 kindled | |
(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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94 mantling | |
覆巾 | |
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95 murky | |
adj.黑暗的,朦胧的;adv.阴暗地,混浊地;n.阴暗;昏暗 | |
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96 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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97 psychology | |
n.心理,心理学,心理状态 | |
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98 heartily | |
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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99 everlasting | |
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
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100 sniff | |
vi.嗅…味道;抽鼻涕;对嗤之以鼻,蔑视 | |
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101 outwards | |
adj.外面的,公开的,向外的;adv.向外;n.外形 | |
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102 stratagem | |
n.诡计,计谋 | |
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103 stratagems | |
n.诡计,计谋( stratagem的名词复数 );花招 | |
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104 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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105 adherence | |
n.信奉,依附,坚持,固着 | |
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106 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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107 overlaps | |
v.部分重叠( overlap的第三人称单数 );(物体)部份重叠;交叠;(时间上)部份重叠 | |
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108 indents | |
v.切割…使呈锯齿状( indent的第三人称单数 );缩进排版 | |
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109 distresses | |
n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 );痛苦;贫困;危险 | |
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110 lettuces | |
n.莴苣,生菜( lettuce的名词复数 );生菜叶 | |
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111 hurled | |
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂 | |
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112 chaos | |
n.混乱,无秩序 | |
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