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Appendix IV
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On Gentility, Nonsense — Illustrations of Gentility
What is gentility? People in different stations in England entertain different ideas of what is genteel, 193 but it must be something gorgeous, glittering, or tawdry to be considered genteel by any of them. The beau-ideal of the English aristocracy, of course with some exceptions, is some young fellow with an imperial title, a military personage, of course, for what is military is so particularly genteel, with flaming epaulets, a cocked hat and a plume1, a prancing2 charger, and a band of fellows called generals and colonels, with flaming epaulets, cocked hats, and plumes3, and prancing chargers vapouring behind him. It was but lately that the daughter of an English marquis was heard to say that the sole remaining wish of her heart — she had known misfortunes, and was not far from fifty — was to be introduced to — whom? The Emperor of Austria! The sole remaining wish of the heart of one who ought to have been thinking of the grave and judgment4 was to be introduced to the miscreant5 who had caused the blood of noble Hungarian females to be whipped out of their shoulders, for no other crime than devotion to their country and its tall and heroic sons. The middle classes — of course there are some exceptions — admire the aristocracy, and consider them pinks, the aristocracy who admire the Emperor of Austria, and adored the Emperor of Russia till he became old, ugly, and unfortunate, when their adoration6 instantly terminated; for what is more ungenteel than age, ugliness, and misfortune! The beau-ideal with those of the lower classes, with peasants and mechanics, is some flourishing railroad contractor7 — look, for example, how they worship Mr. Flamson. 194 This person makes his grand debut8 in the year ‘39, at a public meeting in the principal room of a country inn. He has come into the neighbourhood with the character of a man worth a million pounds who is to make everybody’s fortune; at this time, however, he is not worth a shilling of his own, though he flashes about
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1
plume
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| n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰 | |
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2
prancing
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| v.(马)腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 ); 羽毛饰; 羽毛状物; 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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miscreant
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| n.恶棍 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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contractor
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| n.订约人,承包人,收缩肌 | |
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debut
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| n.首次演出,初次露面 | |
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dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地,敏捷地 | |
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specious
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| adj.似是而非的;adv.似是而非地 | |
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pretences
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| n.假装( pretence的名词复数 );作假;自命;自称 | |
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wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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premium
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| n.加付款;赠品;adj.高级的;售价高的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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depreciation
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| n.价值低落,贬值,蔑视,贬低 | |
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hurrah
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| int.好哇,万岁,乌拉 | |
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pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣,大混乱 | |
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ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇;(英)自治市镇 | |
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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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plundered
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| 掠夺,抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂,收买;adj.腐败的,贪污的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪;天真;无害 | |
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incipient
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| adj.起初的,发端的,初期的 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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orphans
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| 孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
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delusive
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| adj.欺骗的,妄想的 | |
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Appendix III
下一章:
Appendix V
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