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Intentions and the Lady Mary Christian 1
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 I know that before the end of my Harbury days I was already dreaming of a Career, of some great and conspicuous1 usefulness in the world. That has always haunted my mind and haunts it now. I may be cured perhaps of the large and showy anticipations2 of youth, I may have learnt to drop the "great and conspicuous," but still I find it necessary to believe that I matter, that I play a part no one else can play in a progress, in a universal scheme moving towards triumphant3 ends.
 
Almost wholly I think I was dreaming of public service in those days. The Harbury tradition pointed4 steadfastly5 towards the state, and all my world was bare of allurements6 to any other type of ambition. Success in art or literature did not appeal to us, and a Harbury boy would as soon think of being a great tinker as a great philosopher. Science we called "stinks"; our three science masters were ex officio ridiculous and the practical laboratory a refuge for oddities. But a good half of our fathers at least were peers or members of parliament, and our sense of politics was close and keen. History, and particularly history as it came up through the eighteenth century to our own times, supplied us with a gallery of intimate models, our great uncles and grandfathers and ancestors at large figured abundantly in the story and furnished the pattern to which we cut our anticipations of life. It was a season of Imperialism8, the picturesque9 Imperialism of the earlier Kipling phase, and we were all of us enthusiasts10 for the Empire. It was the empire of the White Man's Burthen in those days; the sordid11 anti-climax of the Tariff12 Reform Movement was still some years ahead of us. It was easier for us at Harbury to believe then than it has become since, in our own racial and national and class supremacy13. We were the Anglo-Saxons, the elect of the earth, leading the world in social organization, in science and economic method. In India and the east more particularly we were the apostles of even-handed justice, relentless14 veracity15, personal cleanliness, and modern efficiency. In a spirit of adventurous16 benevolence17 we were spreading those blessings18 over a reluctant and occasionally recalcitrant19 world of people for the most part "colored." Our success in this had aroused the bitter envy and rivalry20 of various continental21 nations, and particularly of France, Russia, and Germany. But France had been diverted to North Africa, Russia to Eastern Asia, and Germany was already the most considered antagonist22 in our path towards an empire over the world.
 
This was the spacious23 and by no means ignoble24 project of the later nineties. Most of us Harbury boys, trained as I had been trained to be uncritical, saw the national outlook in those terms. We knew little or nothing, until the fierce wranglings of the Free Traders and Tariff Reformers a few years later brought it home to us, of the commercial, financial and squalid side of our relations with the vast congeries of exploited new territories and subordinated and subjugated25 populations. We knew nothing of the social conditions of the mass of people in our own country. We were blankly ignorant of economics. We knew nothing of that process of expropriation and the exploitation of labor7 which is giving the world the Servile State. The very phrase was twenty years ahead of us. We believed that an Englishman was a better thing in every way than any other sort of man, that English literature, science and philosophy were a shining and unapproachable light to all other peoples, that our soldiers were better than all other soldiers and our sailors than all other sailors. Such civilization and enterprise as existed in Germany for instance we regarded as a shadow, an envious26 shadow, following our own; it was still generally believed in those days that German trade was concerned entirely27 with the dishonest imitation of our unapproachable English goods. And as for the United States, well, the United States though blessed with a strain of English blood, were nevertheless "out of it," marooned28 in a continent of their own and—we had to admit it—corrupt.
 
Given such ignorance, you know, it wasn't by any means ignoble to be patriotic29, to dream of this propagandist Empire of ours spreading its great peace and culture, its virtue30 and its amazing and unprecedented31 honesty,—its honesty!—round the world.

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1 conspicuous spszE     
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的
参考例句:
  • It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显,抽烟对健康有害。
  • Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。
2 anticipations 5b99dd11cd8d6a699f0940a993c12076     
预期( anticipation的名词复数 ); 预测; (信托财产收益的)预支; 预期的事物
参考例句:
  • The thought took a deal of the spirit out of his anticipations. 想到这,他的劲头消了不少。
  • All such bright anticipations were cruelly dashed that night. 所有这些美好的期望全在那天夜晚被无情地粉碎了。
3 triumphant JpQys     
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的
参考例句:
  • The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
  • There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。
4 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
5 steadfastly xhKzcv     
adv.踏实地,不变地;岿然;坚定不渝
参考例句:
  • So he sat, with a steadfastly vacant gaze, pausing in his work. 他就像这样坐着,停止了工作,直勾勾地瞪着眼。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
  • Defarge and his wife looked steadfastly at one another. 德伐日和他的妻子彼此凝视了一会儿。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
6 allurements d3c56c28b0c14f592862db1ac119a555     
n.诱惑( allurement的名词复数 );吸引;诱惑物;有诱惑力的事物
参考例句:
  • The big cities are full of allurements on which to spend money. 大城市充满形形色色诱人花钱的事物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
8 imperialism jc1zE     
n.帝国主义,帝国主义政策
参考例句:
  • They held the imperialism in contempt.他们鄙视帝国主义。
  • Imperialism has not been able to subjugate China.帝国主义不能征服中国。
9 picturesque qlSzeJ     
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的
参考例句:
  • You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
  • That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。
10 enthusiasts 7d5827a9c13ecd79a8fd94ebb2537412     
n.热心人,热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册
11 sordid PrLy9     
adj.肮脏的,不干净的,卑鄙的,暗淡的
参考例句:
  • He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
  • They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。
12 tariff mqwwG     
n.关税,税率;(旅馆、饭店等)价目表,收费表
参考例句:
  • There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
  • The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。
13 supremacy 3Hzzd     
n.至上;至高权力
参考例句:
  • No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员,无人能胜过她。
  • Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说,她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。
14 relentless VBjzv     
adj.残酷的,不留情的,无怜悯心的
参考例句:
  • The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
  • Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。
15 veracity AHwyC     
n.诚实
参考例句:
  • I can testify to this man's veracity and good character.我可以作证,此人诚实可靠品德良好。
  • There is no reason to doubt the veracity of the evidence.没有理由怀疑证据的真实性。
16 adventurous LKryn     
adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的 
参考例句:
  • I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
  • He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。
17 benevolence gt8zx     
n.慈悲,捐助
参考例句:
  • We definitely do not apply a policy of benevolence to the reactionaries.我们对反动派决不施仁政。
  • He did it out of pure benevolence. 他做那件事完全出于善意。
18 blessings 52a399b218b9208cade790a26255db6b     
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福
参考例句:
  • Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马,焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
19 recalcitrant 7SKzJ     
adj.倔强的
参考例句:
  • The University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstraters.这所大学把几个反抗性最强的示威者开除了。
  • Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant animals.驴被认为是最倔强的牲畜。
20 rivalry tXExd     
n.竞争,竞赛,对抗
参考例句:
  • The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
  • He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。
21 continental Zazyk     
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的
参考例句:
  • A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
  • The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。
22 antagonist vwXzM     
n.敌人,对抗者,对手
参考例句:
  • His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
  • The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。
23 spacious YwQwW     
adj.广阔的,宽敞的
参考例句:
  • Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞,足够建一座游泳池。
  • The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。
24 ignoble HcUzb     
adj.不光彩的,卑鄙的;可耻的
参考例句:
  • There's something cowardly and ignoble about such an attitude.这种态度有点怯懦可鄙。
  • Some very great men have come from ignoble families.有些伟人出身低微。
25 subjugated d6ce0285c0f3c68d6cada3e4a93be181     
v.征服,降伏( subjugate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The prince had appeared and subjugated the poor little handmaid. 王子出现了,这使穷苦的小丫头不胜仰慕。 来自辞典例句
  • As we know, rule over subjugated peoples is incompatible with the gentile constitution. 我们知道,对被征服者的统治,是和氏族制度不相容的。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
26 envious n8SyX     
adj.嫉妒的,羡慕的
参考例句:
  • I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
  • She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。
27 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
28 marooned 165d273e31e6a1629ed42eefc9fe75ae     
adj.被围困的;孤立无援的;无法脱身的
参考例句:
  • During the storm we were marooned in a cabin miles from town. 在风暴中我们被围困在离城数英里的小屋内。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks. 埃文河决堤的时候,有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。 来自辞典例句
29 patriotic T3Izu     
adj.爱国的,有爱国心的
参考例句:
  • His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
  • The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。
30 virtue BpqyH     
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力
参考例句:
  • He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
  • You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
31 unprecedented 7gSyJ     
adj.无前例的,新奇的
参考例句:
  • The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
  • A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。


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