The next enemy to happiness, after vice12, is ennui. Some escape it without much seeming calculation. My neighbor every morning turns over twenty gazettes, the state articles of which are copied the one from the[140] other. Economising the pleasure of this reading, and gravely reposing13 in the intervals, he communicates, sometimes with an oracular tone, sometimes with a modest reserve, his reflections to those who surround him; and, at length, leaves the reading room with the importance of one who feels that he has discharged a debt to society.
In public places, it is not the spectacles, but the emotions of the common people who behold14 them, that are worthy15 of contemplation. In the murder of a poor tragedy by poorer actors, what transports from this enthusiastic mass of the audience when a blow of the poniard, preceded by a pompous16 maxim17, lays the tyrant18 of the piece low! What earnest feeling, what sincere tears do we witness! How much more worthy of envy these honest people who lose their enjoyment19 neither by the revolting improbability of the situations, nor by the absurdity20 of the dialogue, nor by the mouthing of the rehearsal21, than those fastidious critics who exalt22 their intellectual pride at the expense of these cheap enjoyments23!
From the moment in which a man feels sincere pleasure in cultivating his understanding, he may date defiance24 to the fear of the weight of time. He has the magic key which unlocks the exhaustless treasury25 of enjoyments. He lives in the age and country which he prefers. Space and time are no longer obstacles to his happiness. He interrogates26 the wise and good of all ages and all countries; and his conversations with them cease, or change object, as soon as he chooses. How much gratitude27 does he owe the author of nature for having impressed on genius so many different impulses! With[141] Plato, he is among the sages28 of Greece, hearing their lessons and associating his wishes with theirs for the happiness of his kind.[45] In the range of history, he ascends29 to the infancy30 of empires and time. Does he court repose? Horace bids him gather the roses before they fade; or Shakspeare reminds him, when illusions will vanish like the baseless fabric31 of a vision.
If a man has powers and acquirements, it is a great evil, if he is disposed to fatigue32 others with his self-love. If we could number all the subjects of which the most accomplished33 scholar is ignorant, we should perceive that the interval8 between him and a common person is not so immense as he may imagine. Ought he to be astonished if the real friends of the Muses34 tire of his declamations, his recitations and occupancy with himself?
To attain35 truth should be the real end of all study. In such researches the mind kindles36, as by enchantment37, at every step! The desire to succeed, produces that noble emotion which is always developed by ardent38 zeal39 and pure intentions. Success, although we were to think nothing of its results, inspires a kind of pleasure; because truth comports40 with our understanding, as brilliant and soft colors agree with the eye, or pleasant sounds with the ear. This enjoyment naturally associates with another still more vivid. The effect of truth is universally salutary; and every instance in which our feeble intellect discovers some gleams, elevates the spirit, and intimately penetrates41 it with a high degree of happiness.
One of the chief advantages of study is, that it enfranchises42 the mind from those prejudices that disturb life. How many, and what agonizing43 torments44 have[142] been caused by those which are associated with false ideas of religion.[46] After those great calamities45 in the dark ages which destroyed the traces of the sciences and arts, men, pursued by terror, seemed to imagine that they constantly saw malevolent46 spirits flying among the clouds or wandering in the depth of woods. The sound of strong wind and thunder came to their ear as the voice of infernal divinities; and, prostrate47 with terror, they sought to appease their angry gods by bloody48 sacrifices. In process of time, a small number of men, enlightened by observation, dared to raise the veil by degrees, and succeeded in dissipating these terrors by tracing the seeming prodigies49 to some of the simplest laws of physics. The phantoms50 of superstition51 vanished, and, in the light of reason, revealed a just and beneficent Divinity presiding over obedient nature.
We think, in our pride, that an immense interval separates us from those times of disaster, ignorance and alarm. How many of our kind, unhappy by their intellectual weakness, still tremble before the jealous and implacable god of their imaginations, who enjoins52 hatred53 and wrath54; and punishes even the errors of opinion by the most horrible torments. The man who is exempt55 from prejudices is alone capable of prostrating56 himself before the Divinity from a feeling of love, and whose prayer, alike confident and resigned, is addressed to his noble attributes of power, justice and clemency57.
There are other errors which study dispels58. The student who is charmed with communion with the muses, does not consume his best years in gloomy intrigues59; nor do you meet him pressing forward in the path which ambition has traced. The Greeks, fertile in significant[143] allegories, supposed the same divinity to preside over the sciences and wisdom.
The habit of living in converse60 with the noblest works of mind and art, produces elevation61 of soul; and he who has an elevated mind must be intrinsically good and happy. Exempt from the weaknesses of vanity, free from the tumultuous passions, he cultivates the noble and generous virtues62 for the pleasure of practising them. Disdaining63 a mass of objects of desire which disturb the vulgar, he offers a small mark to misery64. Should adversity strike him, he has resources so much the more sure, as he finds them in himself.
No one can ever taste the full charm of letters and the arts, except in the bosom65 of retirement66. If he reads and meditates67 only for the pursuit of fame, amusements change to labors68. If we propose to enter the lists, outstrip69 rivals, and direct a party, we are soon agitated70 with little passions, but great inquietudes. Heaven, sternly decreeing that no earthly felicity shall be unalloyed, has placed a thirst for celebrity71 as a drawback upon the love of study.
But ought the ardor72 to render immortal73 services—ought the noble ambition to be useful, to be stifled74? Are not these the source of pleasures as pure as they are ravishing? I contemplate75 an immense and indestructible republic, composed of all those men who devote themselves to the happiness of their kind. Occupied without relaxation76 or abatement77 in continuing the works which their predecessors78 have begun, they bequeath to their successors the care of pursuing and crowning their labors. Men of genius are the chiefs of this republic. As they have talents which separate[144] them from the rest of the human race; they have also pleasures reserved for themselves alone. What a sublime79 sentiment must have elevated the spirit of Newton when a part of the mysterious laws of the universe first dawned on his mind! A glow still more delightful80 must have pervaded81 the bosom of Fenelon when meditating82 the most beautiful lessons which wisdom ever announced to the powerful and the rulers of the people. To these privileged beings it belongs, to give a powerful impulse to minds, and to trace a new path for the generations to come.
I shall have attained83 my humble84 ambition if, docile85 to the voice of the wise, I shall be able, in any degree, to indicate the way in which these lessons may be put in practice. I shall thus have contributed my aid to dissipate the night of prejudice and vice.

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1
savage
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adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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2
faculties
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n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
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3
civilized
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a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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craving
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n.渴望,热望 | |
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futile
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adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的 | |
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appease
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v.安抚,缓和,平息,满足 | |
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intervals
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n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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interval
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n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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repose
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v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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ennui
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n.怠倦,无聊 | |
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chasms
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裂缝( chasm的名词复数 ); 裂口; 分歧; 差别 | |
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vice
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n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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reposing
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v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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behold
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v.看,注视,看到 | |
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worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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pompous
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adj.傲慢的,自大的;夸大的;豪华的 | |
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maxim
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n.格言,箴言 | |
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18
tyrant
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n.暴君,专制的君主,残暴的人 | |
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enjoyment
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n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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absurdity
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n.荒谬,愚蠢;谬论 | |
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rehearsal
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n.排练,排演;练习 | |
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exalt
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v.赞扬,歌颂,晋升,提升 | |
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enjoyments
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愉快( enjoyment的名词复数 ); 令人愉快的事物; 享有; 享受 | |
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defiance
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n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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treasury
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n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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interrogates
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n.询问( interrogate的名词复数 );审问;(在计算机或其他机器上)查询v.询问( interrogate的第三人称单数 );审问;(在计算机或其他机器上)查询 | |
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gratitude
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adj.感激,感谢 | |
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sages
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n.圣人( sage的名词复数 );智者;哲人;鼠尾草(可用作调料) | |
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ascends
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v.上升,攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
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infancy
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n.婴儿期;幼年期;初期 | |
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fabric
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n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织 | |
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fatigue
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n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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accomplished
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adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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muses
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v.沉思,冥想( muse的第三人称单数 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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attain
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vt.达到,获得,完成 | |
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kindles
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(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的第三人称单数 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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enchantment
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n.迷惑,妖术,魅力 | |
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ardent
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adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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zeal
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n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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comports
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v.表现( comport的第三人称单数 ) | |
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penetrates
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v.穿过( penetrate的第三人称单数 );刺入;了解;渗透 | |
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enfranchises
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v.给予选举权( enfranchise的第三人称单数 );(从奴隶制中)解放 | |
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agonizing
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adj.痛苦难忍的;使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦;折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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torments
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(肉体或精神上的)折磨,痛苦( torment的名词复数 ); 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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calamities
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n.灾祸,灾难( calamity的名词复数 );不幸之事 | |
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malevolent
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adj.有恶意的,恶毒的 | |
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prostrate
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v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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bloody
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adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
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prodigies
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n.奇才,天才(尤指神童)( prodigy的名词复数 ) | |
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phantoms
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n.鬼怪,幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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51
superstition
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n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
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enjoins
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v.命令( enjoin的第三人称单数 ) | |
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hatred
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n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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wrath
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n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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exempt
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adj.免除的;v.使免除;n.免税者,被免除义务者 | |
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prostrating
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v.使俯伏,使拜倒( prostrate的现在分词 );(指疾病、天气等)使某人无能为力 | |
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57
clemency
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n.温和,仁慈,宽厚 | |
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dispels
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v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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59
intrigues
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n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 );神秘气氛;引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 );激起…的好奇心 | |
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60
converse
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vi.谈话,谈天,闲聊;adv.相反的,相反 | |
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61
elevation
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n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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virtues
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美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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disdaining
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鄙视( disdain的现在分词 ); 不屑于做,不愿意做 | |
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misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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retirement
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n.退休,退职 | |
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meditates
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深思,沉思,冥想( meditate的第三人称单数 ); 内心策划,考虑 | |
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labors
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v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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outstrip
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v.超过,跑过 | |
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70
agitated
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adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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celebrity
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n.名人,名流;著名,名声,名望 | |
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ardor
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n.热情,狂热 | |
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immortal
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adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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74
stifled
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(使)窒息, (使)窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 ); 镇压,遏制; 堵 | |
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75
contemplate
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vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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76
relaxation
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n.松弛,放松;休息;消遣;娱乐 | |
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abatement
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n.减(免)税,打折扣,冲销 | |
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predecessors
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n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 );前辈;(被取代的)原有事物;前身 | |
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sublime
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adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
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delightful
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adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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pervaded
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v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
meditating
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a.沉思的,冥想的 | |
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attained
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(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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84
humble
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adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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docile
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adj.驯服的,易控制的,容易教的 | |
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