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HUMANITARIANISM AND STRENGTH
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Somebody writes complaining of something I said about progress. I have forgotten what I said, but I am quite certain that it was (like a certain Mr. Douglas in a poem which I have also forgotten) tender and true. In any case, what I say now is this. Human history is so rich and complicated that you can make out a case for any course of improvement or retrogression. I could make out that the world has been growing more democratic, for the English franchise1 has certainly grown more democratic. I could also make out that the world has been growing more aristocratic, for the English Public Schools have certainly grown more aristocratic I could prove the decline of militarism by the decline of flogging; I could prove the increase of militarism by the increase of standing2 armies and conscription. But I can prove anything in this way. I can prove that the world has always been growing greener. Only lately men have invented absinthe and the Westminster Gazette. I could prove the world has grown less green. There are no more Robin3 Hood4 foresters, and fields are being covered with houses. I could show that the world was less red with khaki or more red with the new penny stamps. But in all cases progress means progress only in some particular thing. Have you ever noticed that strange line of Tennyson, in which he confesses, half consciously, how very conventional progress is?—
"Let the great world spin for ever down the ringing
grooves6 of change."
Even in praising change, he takes for a simile7 the most unchanging thing. He calls our modern change a groove5. And it is a groove; perhaps there was never anything so groovy.
Nothing would induce me in so idle a monologue8 as this to discuss adequately a great political matter like the question of the military punishments in Egypt. But I may suggest one broad reality to be observed by both sides, and which is, generally speaking, observed by neither. Whatever else is right, it is
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1
franchise
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n.特许,特权,专营权,特许权 | |
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2
standing
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n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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3
robin
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n.知更鸟,红襟鸟 | |
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4
hood
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n.头巾,兜帽,覆盖;v.罩上,以头巾覆盖 | |
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5
groove
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n.沟,槽;凹线,(刻出的)线条,习惯 | |
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6
grooves
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n.沟( groove的名词复数 );槽;老一套;(某种)音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 );槽;老一套;(某种)音乐节奏 | |
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7
simile
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n.直喻,明喻 | |
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8
monologue
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n.长篇大论,(戏剧等中的)独白 | |
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9
utterly
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adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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10
savages
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未开化的人,野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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11
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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12
metaphor
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n.隐喻,暗喻 | |
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13
literally
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adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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14
precisely
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adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地 | |
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15
Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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16
civilisation
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n.文明,文化,开化,教化 | |
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17
contentedly
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adv.心满意足地 | |
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18
entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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19
sluggish
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adj.懒惰的,迟钝的,无精打采的 | |
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20
expedients
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n.应急有效的,权宜之计的( expedient的名词复数 ) | |
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21
supremacy
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n.至上;至高权力 | |
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22
advent
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n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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23
inexplicable
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adj.无法解释的,难理解的 | |
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24
hardy
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adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的 | |
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25
austere
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adj.艰苦的;朴素的,朴实无华的;严峻的 | |
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missionary
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adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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conjectural
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adj.推测的 | |
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humanitarian
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n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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Christians
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n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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30
retaliation
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n.报复,反击 | |
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31
barbarian
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n.野蛮人;adj.野蛮(人)的;未开化的 | |
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32
barbarians
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n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 );外国人;粗野的人;无教养的人 | |
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33
stunted
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adj.矮小的;发育迟缓的 | |
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34
taint
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n.污点;感染;腐坏;v.使感染;污染 | |
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35
invincible
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adj.不可征服的,难以制服的 | |
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essentially
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adv.本质上,实质上,基本上 | |
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propriety
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n.正当行为;正当;适当 | |
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38
reactionary
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n.反动者,反动主义者;adj.反动的,反动主义的,反对改革的 | |
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primal
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adj.原始的;最重要的 | |
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twilight
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n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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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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intemperance
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n.放纵 | |
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43
inverted
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adj.反向的,倒转的v.使倒置,使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
pokers
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n.拨火铁棒( poker的名词复数 );纸牌;扑克;(通常指人)(坐或站得)直挺挺的 | |
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45
forgery
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n.伪造的文件等,赝品,伪造(行为) | |
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46
materialism
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n.[哲]唯物主义,唯物论;物质至上 | |
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dignified
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a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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48
averting
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防止,避免( avert的现在分词 ); 转移 | |
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49
vaguely
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adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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50
undertaking
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n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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51
avenge
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v.为...复仇,为...报仇 | |
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PHONETIC SPELLING
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WINE WHEN IT IS RED
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