It may be well that I should put a short preface to this book. In the summer of 1878 my father told me that he had written a memoir¹ of his own life. He did not speak about it at length, but said that he had written me a letter, not to be opened until after his death, containing instructions for publication.

This letter was dated 30th April, 1876. I will give here as much of it as concerns the public: “I wish you to accept as a gift from me, given you now, the accompanying pages which contain a memoir of my life. My intention is that they shall be published after my death, and be edited by you. But I leave it altogether to your discretion² whether to publish or to suppress the work — and also to your discretion whether any part or what part shall be omitted. But I would not wish that anything should be added to the memoir. If you wish to say any word as from yourself, let it be done in the shape of a preface or introductory chapter.” At the end there is a postscript³: “The publication, if made at all, should be effected as soon as possible after my death.” My father died on the 6th of December, 1882.

It will be seen, therefore, that my duty has been merely to pass the book through the press conformably to the above instructions. I have placed headings to the right-hand pages throughout the book, and I do not conceive that I was precluded⁴ from so doing. Additions of any other sort there have been none; the few footnotes are my father’s own additions or corrections. And I have made no alterations⁵. I have suppressed some few passages, but not more than would amount to two printed pages has been omitted. My father has not given any of his own letters, nor was it his wish that any should be published.

So much I would say by way of preface. And I think I may also give in a few words the main incidents in my father’s life after he completed his autobiography⁶.

He has said that he had given up hunting; but he still kept two horses for such riding as may be had in or about the

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1 memoir
n.[pl.]回忆录，自传；记事录
参考例句：
He has just published a memoir in honour of his captain.他刚刚出了一本传记来纪念他的队长。 In her memoir,the actress wrote about the bittersweet memories of her first love.在那个女演员的自传中，她写到了自己苦乐掺半的初恋。

2 discretion
n.谨慎；随意处理
参考例句：
You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。 Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

3 postscript
n.附言，又及；(正文后的)补充说明
参考例句：
There was the usual romantic postscript at the end of his letter.他的信末又是一贯的浪漫附言。 She mentioned in a postscript to her letter that the parcel had arrived.她在信末附笔中说包裹已寄到。

4 precluded
v.阻止( preclude的过去式和过去分词 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通
参考例句：
Abdication is precluded by the lack of a possible successor. 因为没有可能的继承人，让位无法实现。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The bad weather precluded me from attending the meeting. 恶劣的天气使我不能出席会议。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 alterations
n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变
参考例句：
Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 autobiography
n.自传
参考例句：
He published his autobiography last autumn.他去年秋天出版了自己的自传。 His life story is recounted in two fascinating volumes of autobiography.这两卷引人入胜的自传小说详述了他的生平。

7 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 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。

9 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 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。

11 previously
adv.以前，先前（地）
参考例句：
The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。 Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

12 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

13 asthma
n.气喘病，哮喘病
参考例句：
I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。 Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

14 derived
vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取
参考例句：
Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

16 paralysis
n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)
参考例句：
The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。 The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

17 intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。 Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

18 lucid
adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的
参考例句：
His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。 He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。