A curious dialogue which passed between Mr Abraham Adams and Mr Peter Pounce¹, better worth reading than all the works of Colley Cibber and many others.

The chariot had not proceeded far before Mr Adams observed it was a very fine day. “Ay, and a very fine country too,” answered Pounce. — “I should think so more,” returned Adams, “if I had not lately travelled over the Downs, which I take to exceed this and all other prospects³ in the universe.” — “A fig⁴ for prospects!” answered Pounce; “one acre here is worth ten there; and for my own part, I have no delight in the prospect² of any land but my own.” — “Sir,” said Adams, “you can indulge yourself with many fine prospects of that kind.” — “I thank God I have a little,” replied the other, “with which I am content, and envy no man: I have a little, Mr Adams, with which I do as much good as I can.” Adams answered, “That riches without charity were nothing worth; for that they were a blessing⁵ only to him who made them a blessing to others.” — “You and I,” said Peter, “have different notions of charity. I own, as it is generally used, I do not like the word, nor do I think it becomes one of us gentlemen; it is a mean parson-like quality; though I would not infer many parsons have it neither.” — “Sir,” said Adams, “my definition of charity is, a generous disposition⁶ to relieve the distressed⁷.” — “There is something in that definition,” answered Peter, “which I like well enough; it is, as you say, a disposition, and does not so much consist in the act as in the disposition to do it. But, alas⁸! Mr Adams, who are meant by the distressed? Believe me, the

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1 pounce
n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意
参考例句：
Why do you pounce on every single thing I say?干吗我说的每句话你都要找麻烦？ We saw the tiger about to pounce on the goat.我们看见老虎要向那只山羊扑过去。

2 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

3 prospects
n.希望，前途(恒为复数)
参考例句：
There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。 They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 fig
n.无花果(树)
参考例句：
The doctor finished the fig he had been eating and selected another.这位医生吃完了嘴里的无花果，又挑了一个。 You can't find a person who doesn't know fig in the United States.你找不到任何一个在美国的人不知道无花果的。

5 blessing
n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿
参考例句：
The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。 A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

6 disposition
n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署
参考例句：
He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。 He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

7 distressed
痛苦的
参考例句：
He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。 The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

8 alas
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
参考例句：
Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！ Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

9 distresses
n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 )；痛苦；贫困；危险
参考例句：
It was from these distresses that the peasant wars of the fourteenth century sprang. 正是由于这些灾难才爆发了十四世纪的农民战争。 来自辞典例句 In all dangers and distresses, I will remember that. 在一切危险和苦难中，我要记住这一件事。 来自互联网

10 folly
n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话
参考例句：
Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。 Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

11 dissenting
adj.不同意的
参考例句：
He can't tolerate dissenting views. 他不能容纳不同意见。 A dissenting opinion came from the aunt . 姑妈却提出不赞同的意见。

12 esteems
n.尊敬，好评( esteem的名词复数 )v.尊敬( esteem的第三人称单数 )；敬重；认为；以为
参考例句：
No one esteems your father more than I do. 没有人比我更敬重你的父亲了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Fourth, esteems and the attention specially to the Marxism theory absorption. 第四，特别推崇和关注对马克思主义学说的吸收。 来自互联网

13 bestow
v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费
参考例句：
He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.他希望将那些伟大的荣誉授予这位英雄。 What great inspiration wiII you bestow on me?你有什么伟大的灵感能馈赠给我？

14 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

15 credible
adj.可信任的，可靠的
参考例句：
The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。 Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

16 amassed
v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。 They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

18 malicious
adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的
参考例句：
You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。 Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

19 sneer
v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语
参考例句：
He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。 You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

20 aver
v.极力声明；断言；确证
参考例句：
I aver it will not rain tomorrow.我断言明天不会下雨。 In spite of all you say,I still aver that his report is true.不管你怎么说，我还是断言他的报告是真实的。

21 vice
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。 They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

22 affront
n./v.侮辱，触怒
参考例句：
Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。 This remark caused affront to many people.这句话得罪了不少人。