It is some time since I receiv'd the above letters, but I have been too busy till now to think of complying with the request they contain. It might, too, be much better done if I were at home among my papers, which would aid my memory, and help to ascertain1 dates; but my return being uncertain and having just now a little leisure, I will endeavor to recollect2 and write what I can; if I live to get home, it may there be corrected and improv'd.
Not having any copy here of what is already written, I know not whether an account is given of the means I used to establish the Philadelphia public library, which, from a small beginning, is now become so considerable, though I remember to have come down to near the time of that transaction (1730). I will therefore begin here with an account of it, which may be struck out if found to have been already given.
At the time I establish'd myself in Pennsylvania, there was not a good bookseller's shop in any of the colonies to the southward of Boston. In New York and Philad'a the printers were indeed stationers; they sold only paper, etc., almanacs, ballads3, and a few common school-books. Those who lov'd reading were oblig'd to send for their books from England; the members of the Junto4 had each a few. We had left the alehouse, where we first met, and hired a room to hold our club in. I propos'd that we should all of us bring our books to that room, where they would not only be ready to consult in our conferences, but become a common benefit, each of us being at liberty to borrow such as he wish'd to read at home. This was accordingly done, and for some time contented5 us.
Finding the advantage of this little collection, I propos'd to render the benefit from books more common, by commencing a public subscription6 library. I drew a sketch7 of the plan and rules that would be necessary, and got a skilful8 conveyancer, Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in form of articles of agreement to be subscribed9, by which each subscriber10 engag'd to pay a certain sum down for the first purchase of books, and an annual contribution for increasing them. So few were the readers at that time in Philadelphia, and the majority of us so poor, that I was not able, with great industry, to find more than fifty persons, mostly young tradesmen, willing to pay down for this purpose forty shillings each, and ten shillings per annum. On this little fund we began. The books were imported; the library wag opened one day in the week for lending to the subscribers, on their promissory notes to pay double the value if not duly returned. The institution soon manifested its utility, was imitated by other towns, and in other provinces. The libraries were augmented11 by donations; reading became fashionable; and our people, having no publick amusements to divert their attention from study, became better acquainted with books, and in a few years were observ'd by strangers to be better instructed and more intelligent than people of the same rank generally are in other countries.
When we were about to sign the above-mentioned articles, which were to be binding12 upon us, our heirs, etc., for fifty years, Mr. Brockden, the scrivener, said to us, "You are young men, but it is scarcely probable that any of you will live to see the expiration13 of the term fix'd in the instrument." A number of us, however, are yet living; but the instrument was after a few years rendered null by a charter that incorporated and gave perpetuity to the company.
The objections and reluctances I met with in soliciting15 the subscriptions16, made me soon feel the impropriety of presenting one's self as the proposer of any useful project, that might be suppos'd to raise one's reputation in the smallest degree above that of one's neighbors, when one has need of their assistance to accomplish that project. I therefore put myself as much as I could out of sight, and stated it as a scheme of a number of friends, who had requested me to go about and propose it to such as they thought lovers of reading. In this way my affair went on more smoothly18, and I ever after practis'd it on such occasions; and, from my frequent successes, can heartily19 recommend it. The present little sacrifice of your vanity will afterwards be amply repaid. If it remains21 a while uncertain to whom the merit belongs, some one more vain than yourself will be encouraged to claim it, and then even envy will be disposed to do you justice by plucking those assumed feathers, and restoring them to their right owner.
This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or two each day, and thus repair'd in some degree the loss of the learned education my father once intended for me. Reading was the only amusement I allow'd myself. I spent no time in taverns22, games, or frolicks of any kind; and my industry in my business continu'd as indefatigable23 as it was necessary. I was indebted for my printing-house; I had a young family coming on to be educated, and I had to contend with for business two printers, who were established in the place before me. My circumstances, however, grew daily easier. My original habits of frugality24 continuing, and my father having, among his instructions to me when a boy, frequently repeated a proverb of Solomon, "Seest thou a man diligent25 in his calling, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men," I from thence considered industry as a means of obtaining wealth and distinction, which encourag'd me, tho' I did not think that I should ever literally26 stand before kings, which, however, has since happened; for I have stood before five, and even had the honor of sitting down with one, the King of Denmark, to dinner.
We have an English proverb that says, "He that would thrive, must ask his wife." It was lucky for me that I had one as much dispos'd to industry and frugality as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in my business, folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen28 rags for the papermakers, etc., etc. We kept no idle servants, our table was plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For instance, my breakfast was a long time bread and milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon. But mark how luxury will enter families, and make a progress, in spite of principle: being call'd one morning to breakfast, I found it in a China bowl, with a spoon of silver! They had been bought for me without my knowledge by my wife, and had cost her the enormous sum of three-and-twenty shillings, for which she had no other excuse or apology to make, but that she thought her husband deserv'd a silver spoon and China bowl as well as any of his neighbors. This was the first appearance of plate and China in our house, which afterward20, in a course of years, as our wealth increas'd, augmented gradually to several hundred pounds in value.
I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and tho' some of the dogmas of that persuasion29, such as the eternal decrees of God, election, reprobation30, etc., appeared to me unintelligible31, others doubtful, and I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect32, Sunday being my studying day, I never was without some religious principles. I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity33; that he made the world, and govern'd it by his Providence34; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal36; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue37 rewarded, either here or hereafter.
These I esteem'd the essentials of every religion; and, being to be found in all the religions we had in our country, I respected them all, tho' with different degrees of respect, as I found them more or less mix'd with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serv'd principally to divide us, and make us unfriendly to one another. This respect to all, with an opinion that the worst had some good effects, induc'd me to avoid all discourse38 that might tend to lessen39 the good opinion another might have of his own religion; and as our province increas'd in people, and new places of worship were continually wanted, and generally erected40 by voluntary contributions, my mite41 for such purpose, whatever might be the sect, was never refused.
Tho' I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety17, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annual
subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia. He us'd to visit me sometimes as a friend, and admonish42 me to attend his administrations, and I was now and then prevail'd on to do so, once for five Sundays successively. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's leisure in my course of study; but his discourses43 were chiefly either polemic44 arguments, or explications of the peculiar45 doctrines46 of our sect, and were all to me very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc'd, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens.
At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of Philippians, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever47 things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there be any virtue, or any praise, think on these things." And I imagin'd, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having some morality. But he confin'd himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1. Keeping holy the Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures48. 3. Attending duly the publick worship. 4. Partaking of the Sacrament. 5. Paying a due respect to God's ministers. These might be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from that text, I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and attended his preaching no more. I had some years before compos'd a little Liturgy49, or form of prayer, for my own private use (viz., in 1728), entitled, Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. I return'd to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies. My conduct might be blameable, but I leave it, without attempting further to excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not to make apologies for them.
It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous50 project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination51, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I bad imagined. While my care was employ'd in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere52 speculative53 conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous54, was not sufficient to prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence55 on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct. For this purpose I therefore contrived56 the following method.
In the various enumerations of the moral virtues58 I had met with in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice59 and ambition. I propos'd to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annex'd to each, than a few names with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues all that at that time occurr'd to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed60 to each a short precept61, which fully27 express'd the extent I gave to its meaning.
These names of virtues, with their precepts62, were:
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation63.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling64 conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY65. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY66. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY67. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I judg'd it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone thro' the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arrang'd them with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first, as it tends to procure68 that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations. This being acquir'd and establish'd, Silence would be more easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge at the same time that I improv'd in virtue, and considering that in conversation it was obtain'd rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue, and therefore wishing to break a habit I was getting into of prattling69, punning, and joking, which only made me acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence the second place. This and the next, Order, I expected would allow me more time for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution, once become habitual70, would keep me firm in my endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt, and producing affluence71 and independence, would make more easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, etc., etc. Conceiving then, that, agreeably to the advice of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses, daily examination would be necessary, I contrived the following method for conducting that examination.
I made a little book, in which I allotted72 a page for each of the virtues. I rul'd each page with red ink, so as to have seven columns, one for each day of the week, marking each column with a letter for the day. I cross'd these columns with thirteen red lines, marking the beginning of each line with the first letter of one of the virtues, on which line, and in its proper column, I might mark, by a little black spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed respecting that virtue upon that day.
I determined73 to give a week's strict attention to each of the virtues successively. Thus, in the first week, my great guard was to avoid every the least offence against Temperance, leaving the other virtues to their ordinary chance, only marking every evening the faults of the day. Thus, if in the first week I could keep my first line, marked T, clear of spots, I suppos'd the habit of that virtue so much strengthen'd and its opposite weaken'd, that I might venture extending my attention to include the next, and for the following week keep both lines clear of spots. Proceeding74 thus to the last, I could go thro' a course compleat in thirteen weeks, and four courses in a year. And like him who, having a garden to weed, does not attempt to eradicate75 all the bad herbs at once, which would exceed his reach and his strength, but works on one of the beds at a time, and, having accomplish'd the first, proceeds to a second, so I should have, I hoped, the encouraging pleasure of seeing on my pages the progress I made in virtue, by clearing successively my lines of their spots, till in the end, by a number of courses, I should he happy in viewing a clean book, after a thirteen weeks' daily examination.
This my little book had for its motto these lines from Addison's Cato:
"Here will I hold. If there's a power above us (And that there is all nature cries aloud Thro' all her works), He must delight in virtue; And that which he delights in must be happy."
Another from Cicero,
"O vitae Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix expultrixque vitiorum! Unus dies, bene et ex praeceptis tuis actus, peccanti immortalitati est anteponendus."
Another from the Proverbs of Solomon, speaking of wisdom or virtue: "Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."
iii. 16, 17.
And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right and necessary to solicit14 his assistance for obtaining it; to this end I formed the following little prayer, which was prefix'd to my tables of examination, for daily use.
"O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates76. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favors to me."
I used also sometimes a little prayer which I took from Thomson's Poems, viz.:
"Father of light and life, thou Good Supreme77! O teach me what is good; teach me Thyself! Save me from folly78, vanity, and vice35, From every low pursuit; and fill my soul With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure; Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss79!"
The precept of Order requiring that every part of my business should have its allotted time, one page in my little book contain'd the following scheme of employment for the twenty-four hours of a natural day:
THE MORNING. { 5 } Rise, wash, and address { } Powerful Goodness! Contrive57 Question. What good shall { 6 } day's business, and take the I do this day? { } resolution of the day; prose- { 7 } cute the present study, and { } breakfast. 8 } 9 } Work. 10 } 11 }
NOON. { 12 } Read, or overlook my ac- { 1 } counts, and dine. 2 } 3 }Work. 4 }5 }
EVENING. { 6 } Put things in their places. { 7 } Supper. Music or diversion, Question. What good have { 8 } or conversation. Examination I doneto-day? { 9 } of the day.
{ 10 } { 11 } { 12 }
NIGHT. { 1 } Sleep. { 2 } { 3 } { 4 }
I enter'd upon the execution of this plan for self-examination, and continu'd it with occasional intermissions for some time. I was surpris'd to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish. To avoid the trouble of renewing now and then my little book, which, by scraping out the marks on the paper of old faults to make room for new ones in a new course, became full of holes, I transferr'd my tables and precepts to the ivory leaves of a memorandum80 book, on which the lines were drawn81 with red ink, that made a durable82 stain, and on those lines I mark'd my faults with a black-lead pencil, which marks I could easily wipe out with a wet sponge. After a while I went thro' one course only in a year, and afterward only one in several years, till at length I omitted them entirely83, being employ'd in voyages and business abroad, with a multiplicity of affairs that interfered84; but I always carried my little book with me.
My scheme of ORDER gave me the most trouble; and I found that, tho' it might be practicable where a man's business was such as to leave him the disposition85 of his time, that of a journeyman printer, for instance, it was not possible to be exactly observed by a master, who must mix with the world, and often receive people of business at their own hours. Order, too, with regard to places for things, papers, etc., I found extreamly difficult to acquire. I had not been early accustomed to it, and, having an exceeding good memory, I was not so sensible of the inconvenience attending want of method. This article, therefore, cost me so much painful attention, and my faults in it vexed86 me so much, and I made so little progress in amendment87, and had such frequent relapses, that I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with a faulty character in that respect, like the man who, in buying an ax of a smith, my neighbour, desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as the edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the wheel; he turn'd, while the smith press'd the broad face of the ax hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it very fatiguing88. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without farther grinding. "No," said the smith, "turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by-and-by; as yet, it is only speckled." "Yes," said the man, "but I think I like a speckled ax best." And I believe this may have been the case with many, who, having, for want of some such means as I employ'd, found the difficulty of obtaining good and breaking bad habits in other points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle, and concluded that "a speckled ax was best"; for something, that pretended to be reason, was every now and then suggesting to me that such extream nicety as I exacted of myself might be a kind of foppery in morals, which, if it were known, would make me ridiculous; that a perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent89 man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance90.
In truth, I found myself incorrigible91 with respect to Order; and now I am grown old, and my memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it. But, on the whole, tho' I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it; as those who aim at perfect writing by imitating the engraved92 copies, tho' they never reach the wish'd-for excellence93 of those copies, their hand is mended by the endeavor, and is tolerable while it continues fair and legible.
It may be well my posterity94 should be informed that to this little artifice95, with the blessing96 of God, their ancestor ow'd the constant felicity of his life, down to his 79th year, in which this is written. What reverses may attend the remainder is in the hand of Providence; but, if they arrive, the reflection on past happiness enjoy'd ought to help his bearing them with more resignation. To Temperance he ascribes his long-continued health, and what is still left to him of a good constitution; to Industry and Frugality, the early easiness of his circumstances and acquisition of his fortune, with all that knowledge that enabled him to be a useful citizen, and obtained for him some degree of reputation among the learned; to Sincerity and Justice, the confidence of his country, and the honorable employs it conferred upon him; and to the joint97 influence of the whole mass of the virtues, even in the imperfect state he was able to acquire them, all that evenness of temper, and that cheerfulness in conversation, which makes his company still sought for, and agreeable even to his younger acquaintance. I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit. It will be remark'd that, tho' my scheme was not wholly without religion, there was in it no mark of any of the distingishing tenets of any particular sect. I had purposely avoided them; for, being fully persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, and that it might be serviceable to people in all religions, and intending some time or other to publish it, I would not have any thing in it that should prejudice any one, of any sect, against it. I purposed writing a little comment on each virtue, in which I would have shown the advantages of possessing it, and the mischiefs98 attending its opposite vice; and I should have called my book THE ART OF VIRTUE because it would have shown the means and manner of obtaining virtue, which would have distinguished99 it from the mere exhortation100 to be good, that does not instruct and indicate the means, but is like the apostle's man of verbal charity, who only without showing to the naked and hungry how or where they might get clothes or victuals101, exhorted102 them to be fed and clothed.-James ii. 15, 16.
Nothing so likely to make a man's fortune as virtue. --[Marg. note.]
But it so happened that my intention of writing and publishing this comment was never fulfilled. I did, indeed, from time to time, put down short hints of the sentiments, reasonings, etc., to be made use of in it, some of which I have still by me; but the necessary close attention to private business in the earlier part of thy life, and public business since, have occasioned my postponing103 it; for, it being connected in my mind with a great and extensive project, that required the whole man to execute, and which an unforeseen succession of employs prevented my attending to, it has hitherto remain'd unfinish'd.
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ascertain
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recollect
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ballads
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| 民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴 | |
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junto
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contented
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subscription
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sketch
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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subscriber
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Augmented
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binding
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expiration
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| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
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solicit
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| vi.勾引；乞求；vt.请求，乞求；招揽(生意) | |
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soliciting
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subscriptions
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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afterward
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remains
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taverns
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indefatigable
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frugality
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diligent
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literally
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fully
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linen
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persuasion
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reprobation
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unintelligible
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sect
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deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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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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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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admonish
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| v.训戒；警告；劝告 | |
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discourses
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| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
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polemic
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| n.争论，论战 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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scriptures
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| 经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典 | |
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liturgy
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| n.礼拜仪式 | |
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arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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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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avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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precept
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| n.戒律；格言 | |
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precepts
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| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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prattling
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的现在分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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affluence
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| n.充裕，富足 | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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eradicate
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| v.根除，消灭，杜绝 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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durable
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| adj.持久的，耐久的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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amendment
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| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
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fatiguing
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| a.使人劳累的 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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incorrigible
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| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
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engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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artifice
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| n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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mischiefs
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| 损害( mischief的名词复数 )； 危害； 胡闹； 调皮捣蛋的人 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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victuals
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| n.食物；食品 | |
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102
exhorted
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| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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postponing
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| v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 ) | |
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