Strive and Succeed or The Progress of Walter Conrad
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CHAPTER XI TWO POETS.

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 Miss Melinda Athanasia Jones devoted1 herself during the day to the composition of a poem to be read to the guests whom she expected in the evening. She wanted to produce a good impression upon them. Her vocation2, so she thought, was that of an authoress. She had sent several poems to the Atlantic Monthly and Harper’s Magazine at various times, but with singular unanimity3 both periodicals had “respectfully declined” them all. Melinda understood the reason well enough.
 
“It is because I am a Western literati,” she exclaimed to her brother, with a lofty contempt for grammar. “If I were a Boston or New York literati, they would be glad to get my productions.”
 
“I reckon you’re right, Melindy,” said her brother Ichabod. “Why don’t you have your perductions, as you call ’em, mailed in Boston or New York? You could send ’em to somebody there.”
 
“Thank you, I wouldn’t stoop to the subterfuge,” said Melinda, reciting melodramatically:
 
“Breathes there a girl with soul so dead,
Who never to herself hath said,
Wisconsin is my native State?”
“Good!” said her brother. “When did you make up them verses?”
 
“They are not mine,” confessed Melinda. “They are by Byron.”
 
“Are they, now? He was a smart feller, wasn’t he?”
 
“He was an inspired poet, Ichabod; but you wouldn’t understand him. He soars into the realms of the evanescent.”
 
“Does he? Then I guess I couldn’t. I ain’t much on soarin’.”
 
At half-past seven o’clock a knock was heard at the door of Melinda’s boudoir.
 
“Ichabod, open the door,” she said.
 
Her brother obeyed the command. As Barclay and Walter entered the room, they beheld4 their fair hostess seated at the center table, with a volume of poems resting on her lap, while one hand supported her forehead, the elbow resting on the table. She had practiced this attitude during the afternoon before a looking-glass, and considered it effective.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
2 vocation 8h6wB     
n.职业，行业
参考例句：
  • She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。
  • She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。
3 unanimity uKWz4     
n.全体一致，一致同意
参考例句：
  • These discussions have led to a remarkable unanimity.这些讨论导致引人注目的一致意见。
  • There is no unanimity of opinion as to the best one.没有一个公认的最好意见。
4 beheld beheld     
v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
  • His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
5 meditation yjXyr     
n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录
参考例句：
  • This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
  • I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。
6 pensive 2uTys     
a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的
参考例句：
  • He looked suddenly sombre,pensive.他突然看起来很阴郁，一副忧虑的样子。
  • He became so pensive that she didn't like to break into his thought.他陷入沉思之中,她不想打断他的思路。
7 poetical 7c9cba40bd406e674afef9ffe64babcd     
adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的
参考例句：
  • This is a poetical picture of the landscape. 这是一幅富有诗意的风景画。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • John is making a periphrastic study in a worn-out poetical fashion. 约翰正在对陈腐的诗风做迂回冗长的研究。 来自辞典例句
8 muse v6CzM     
n.缪斯（希腊神话中的女神），创作灵感
参考例句：
  • His muse had deserted him,and he could no longer write.他已无灵感，不能再写作了。
  • Many of the papers muse on the fate of the President.很多报纸都在揣测总统的命运。
9 invoke G4sxB     
v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求
参考例句：
  • Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
  • I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。
10 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
11 delightful 6xzxT     
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。
12 portfolio 9OzxZ     
n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位
参考例句：
  • He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
  • He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。
13 susceptible 4rrw7     
adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的
参考例句：
  • Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
  • We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。
14 severely SiCzmk     
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。
15 stanzas 1e39fe34fae422643886648813bd6ab1     
节，段( stanza的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The poem has six stanzas. 这首诗有六小节。
  • Stanzas are different from each other in one poem. 诗中节与节差异颇大。
16 celestial 4rUz8     
adj.天体的；天上的
参考例句：
  • The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
  • Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。
17 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
18 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质，性格，性情
参考例句：
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
19 literally 28Wzv     
adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实
参考例句：
  • He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
  • Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。
20 quota vSKxV     
n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额
参考例句：
  • A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
  • He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。
21 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
22 reign pBbzx     
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。
23 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
24 monarch l6lzj     
n.帝王，君主，最高统治者
参考例句：
  • The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
  • I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。
25 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句：
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
26 glade kgTxM     
n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地
参考例句：
  • In the midst of a glade were several huts.林中的空地中间有几间小木屋。
  • The family had their lunch in the glade.全家在林中的空地上吃了午饭。
27 indite Ikeyi     
v.写（文章，信等）创作
参考例句：
  • This essay is written just for trying to indite article in English.此散文仅仅是为了尝试用英文写文章。
  • I indite a poem.我写了一首诗。
28 raisins f7a89b31fdf9255863139804963e88cf     
n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • These raisins come from Xinjiang,they taste delicious. 这些葡萄干产自新疆，味道很甜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mother put some raisins in the cake. 母亲在糕饼中放了一些葡萄干。 来自辞典例句
29 longings 093806503fd3e66647eab74915c055e7     
渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Ah, those foolish days of noble longings and of noble strivings! 啊，那些充满高贵憧憬和高尚奋斗的傻乎乎的时光！
  • I paint you and fashion you ever with my love longings. 我永远用爱恋的渴想来描画你。

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