THE railway in Denmark extends as yet only from Copenhagen to Kors r；it is a string of pearls，such as Europe has abundance of；the most costly¹ beads² there are called Paris，London，Vienna and Naples．Yet many a one does not point to these great cities as his loveliest pearl，but on the contrary to a little，unimportant town；there is the home of homes，there his dear ones live！Yes，often it is only a single farm，a little house，hidden amongst green hedges，a mere³ point which disappears as the train flashes past it．

How many pearls are there on the string from Copenhagen to Kors r？We will consider six，which most people must take notice of；old memories and poetry itself give these pearls a lustre，so that they shine in our thoughts．

Close by the hill where the castle of Frederick the Sixth lies，the home of Oehlenschl ger's childhood，one of the pearls glitters in the shelter of S ndermarken's woods；it was called“The Cottage of Philemon and Baucis，”that is to say，the home of a lovable old couple．Here lived Rahbek with his wife Emma；here，under their hospitable⁴ roof，for a whole generation several men of genius came together from busy Copenhagen；here was a home of intel－lect，—and now！Say not：“Alas，how changed！”—no，it is still a home of intellect，a conservatory⁵ for pining plants！The flower－bud which is not strong enough to unfold itself yet contains，concealed，all the germs for leaf and seed．Here the sun of intellect shines into a carefully guarded home of intellect，enlivening and giving life．The world round about shines through the eyes into the unfathomable depths of the soul．The idiots’home，encompassed with human love，is a holy place，a conservatory for the pining plants，which shall at some time be transplanted and bloom in the garden of God．Here the weakest in intellect are now assembled，where at one time the greatest and most powerful minds met，exchanged ideas，and were lifted upward—and the soul's flame still mounts upwards⁶ in“The Cottage of Philemon and Baucis．”

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1 costly
adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的
参考例句：
It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。 This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

2 beads
n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链
参考例句：
a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链 Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

3 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。

4 hospitable
adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的
参考例句：
The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。 The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

5 conservatory
n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的
参考例句：
At the conservatory,he learned how to score a musical composition.在音乐学校里，他学会了怎样谱曲。 The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants.这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。

6 upwards
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。 The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

7 spires
n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》 White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 bower
n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽
参考例句：
They sat under the leafy bower at the end of the garden and watched the sun set.他们坐在花园尽头由叶子搭成的凉棚下观看落日。 Mrs. Quilp was pining in her bower.奎尔普太太正在她的闺房里度着愁苦的岁月。

9 cloister
n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝
参考例句：
They went out into the stil,shadowy cloister garden.他们出了房间，走到那个寂静阴沉的修道院的园子里去。 The ancient cloister was a structure of red brick picked out with white stone.古老的修道院是一座白石衬托着的红砖建筑物。

10 puff
n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气
参考例句：
He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。 They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

11 pious
adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的
参考例句：
Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。 Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

12 psalms
n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 )；圣诗；圣歌；(中的)
参考例句：
the Book of Psalms 《〈圣经〉诗篇》 A verse from Psalms knifed into Pug's mind: "put not your trust in princes." 《诗篇》里有一句话闪过帕格的脑海：“不要相信王侯。” 来自辞典例句

13 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

14 relic
n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物
参考例句：
This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。 He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。

15 legendary
adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）
参考例句：
Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。 Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

16 Forsaken
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词
参考例句：
He was forsaken by his friends. 他被朋友们背弃了。 He has forsaken his wife and children. 他遗弃了他的妻子和孩子。

17 fortress
n.堡垒，防御工事
参考例句：
They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。 The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

18 glide
n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝
参考例句：
We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。 So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

19 immortal
adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的
参考例句：
The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。 The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

20 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

21 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。

22 tacked
用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝
参考例句：
He tacked the sheets of paper on as carefully as possible. 他尽量小心地把纸张钉上去。 The seamstress tacked the two pieces of cloth. 女裁缝把那两块布粗缝了起来。

23 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

24 monkish
adj.僧侣的，修道士的，禁欲的
参考例句：
There was an unconquerable repulsion for her in that monkish aspect. 她对这副猴子样的神气有一种无法克制的厌恶。 来自辞典例句