SEVEN YEARS had passed by. The storm-tossed, historic ocean of Europe was subsiding¹ within its shores. It seemed to have grown calm; but the mysterious forces moving humanity (mysterious, because the laws controlling their action are unknown to us) were still at work.

Although the surface of the ocean of history seemed motionless, the movement of humanity was as uninterrupted as the flow of time. Various series of groups of men were joining together and separating; the causes were being prepared that would bring about the formation and the dissolution of empires and the migrations² of peoples.

The ocean of history was not now, as before, tossed violently from one shore to the other; it was seething³ in its depths. Historical figures were not dashing abruptly⁴ from one side to the other; now they seemed to be rotating on the same spot. The historical figures, that had in the preceding years at the head of armies reflected the movement of the masses, commanding wars, and marches, and battles, now reflected that movement in political and diplomatic combinations, statutes⁵, and treaties.

This tendency on the part of the figures of history, the historians call the reaction.

In describing the part played by these historical personages, the historians criticise⁶ them severely⁷, supposing them to be the cause of what they call the reaction. All the celebrated⁸ persons of that period, from Alexander and Napoleon to Madame de Sta?l, Foty, Schelling, Fichte, Chateaubriand, and so on, receive the severest criticism at their hands, and are acquitted⁹ or condemned

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1 subsiding
v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的现在分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句：
The flooded river was subsiding rapidly. 泛滥的河水正在迅速退落。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Gradually the tension was subsiding, gradually the governor was relenting. 风潮渐渐地平息了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

2 migrations
n.迁移，移居( migration的名词复数 )
参考例句：
It foundered during the turmoils accompanying the Great Migrations. 它在随着民族大迁徙而出现的混乱中崩溃。 来自辞典例句 Birds also have built-in timepieces which send them off on fall and spring migrations. 鸟类也有天生的时间感应器指导它们秋春迁移。 来自互联网

3 seething
沸腾的，火热的
参考例句：
The stadium was a seething cauldron of emotion. 体育场内群情沸腾。 The meeting hall was seething at once. 会场上顿时沸腾起来了。

4 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

5 statutes
成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程
参考例句：
The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法 Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 criticise
v.批评，评论；非难
参考例句：
Right and left have much cause to criticise government.左翼和右翼有很多理由批评政府。 It is not your place to criticise or suggest improvements!提出批评或给予改进建议并不是你的责任！

7 severely
adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地
参考例句：
He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。 He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

8 celebrated
adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
参考例句：
He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。 The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

9 acquitted
宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现
参考例句：
The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。 Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

10 condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。 The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 reign
n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势
参考例句：
The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。 The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

12 interfering
adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词
参考例句：
He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！ I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

13 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。

14 regiment
n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制
参考例句：
As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。 They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

15 enumerating
v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的现在分词 )
参考例句：
There is no enumerating the evils of dishonesty here. 欺诈的罪恶在这里难以（无法）一一列举。 来自互联网 What she used to be most adept at was enumerating. 从前，她最拿手的是数落。 来自互联网

16 censure
v./n.责备；非难；责难
参考例句：
You must not censure him until you know the whole story.在弄清全部事实真相前不要谴责他。 His dishonest behaviour came under severe censure.他的不诚实行为受到了严厉指责。

17 censured
v.指责，非难，谴责( censure的过去式 )
参考例句：
They were censured as traitors. 他们被指责为叛徒。 来自辞典例句 The judge censured the driver but didn't fine him. 法官责备了司机但没罚他款。 来自辞典例句

18 onward
adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先
参考例句：
The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。 He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

19 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

20 pinnacle
n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰
参考例句：
Now he is at the very pinnacle of his career.现在他正值事业中的顶峰时期。 It represents the pinnacle of intellectual capability.它代表了智能的顶峰。

21 intrigue
vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋
参考例句：
Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。 The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。

22 virtuous
adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的
参考例句：
She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。 My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。

23 profess
v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰
参考例句：
I profess that I was surprised at the news.我承认这消息使我惊讶。 What religion does he profess?他信仰哪种宗教？

24 lapse
n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效
参考例句：
The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。 I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

25 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

26 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

27 slur
v.含糊地说；诋毁；连唱；n.诋毁；含糊的发音
参考例句：
He took the remarks as a slur on his reputation.他把这些话当作是对他的名誉的中伤。 The drug made her speak with a slur.药物使她口齿不清。

28 incompatibility
n.不兼容
参考例句：
One cause may be an Rh incompatibility causing kernicterus in the newborn. 一个原因可能是Rh因子不相配引起新生儿的脑核性黄疸。 Sexual incompatibility is wide-spread in the apple. 性的不亲合性在苹果中很普遍。

29 preservation
n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持
参考例句：
The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。 The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

30 supremacy
n.至上；至高权力
参考例句：
No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。 Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

31 prescription
n.处方，开药；指示，规定
参考例句：
The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。 The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

32 formulated
v.构想出( formulate的过去式和过去分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示
参考例句：
He claims that the writer never consciously formulated his own theoretical position. 他声称该作家从未有意识地阐明他自己的理论见解。 来自《简明英汉词典》 This idea can be formulated in two different ways. 这个意思可以有两种说法。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

33 annihilated
v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃
参考例句：
Our soldiers annihilated a force of three hundred enemy troops. 我军战士消灭了300名敌军。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 We annihilated the enemy. 我们歼灭了敌人。 来自《简明英汉词典》