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Pride and Prejudice — Page 3

Chinese → English Preface Level 7/10

《爱玛》篇幅更长,内容更丰富,也更受大众欢迎;作者在创作此书时已见识了更多的世面,其整体写作水平有所提升,尽管最具个人特色的对话风格并未改变;像贝茨小姐、埃尔顿夫妇这样的人物,无不赢得所有人的赞誉。

It is the larger, the more varied, the more popular; the author had by the time of its composition seen rather more of the world, and had improved her general, though not her most peculiar and characteristic dialogue; such figures as Miss Bates, as the Eltons, cannot but unite the suffrages of everybody.

另一方面,我个人则毫不犹豫地力挺《傲慢与偏见》。

On the other hand, I, for my part, declare for Pride and Prejudice unhesitatingly.

在我看来,它是奥斯汀所有作品中最完美、最具特色、最能体现其创作精髓的一部;在此,我将在有限的篇幅内,为这一论断陈述理由。

It seems to me the most perfect, the most characteristic, the most eminently quintessential of its author's works; and for this contention in such narrow space as is permitted to me, I propose here to show cause.

首先,这本书最初的雏形写于很早的时候——也许有必要稍作提醒——大约是1796年前后,彼时奥斯汀小姐年仅二十一岁;尽管该书后来在乔顿经过修订和完善,历时约十五年,直至1813年才得以出版,距她去世仅四年。

In the first place, the book (it may be barely necessary to remind the reader) was in its first shape written very early, somewhere about 1796, when Miss Austen was barely twenty-one; though it was revised and finished at Chawton some fifteen years later, and was not published till 1813, only four years before her death.

我不知道,青春时期那股清新而充沛的创作激情,与中年时期严谨的修订润色,两者的结合是否造就了这部小说在结构上明显优于其他作品的特质——至少在我看来如此。

I do not know whether, in this combination of the fresh and vigorous projection of youth, and the critical revision of middle life, there may be traced the distinct superiority in point of construction, which, as it seems to me, it possesses over all the others.

情节虽不繁复,却几乎像菲尔丁的作品那般严整规范;书中几乎没有哪个人物或情节是可以删去而不损害故事的。

The plot, though not elaborate, is almost regular enough for Fielding; hardly a character, hardly an incident could be retrenched without loss to the story.

莉迪亚与韦翰的私奔,不同于克劳福德与普莱斯夫人的情形——

The elopement of Lydia and Wickham is not, like that of Crawford and Mrs.

Vocabulary

It
指代前面提到的事物或概念
is
动词be的第三人称单数现在式
the
定冠词,用于特指某个或某些人或物
larger
large的比较级,表示更大的
more
更多的;用于构成形容词或副词的比较级
varied
多种多样的;各不相同的
popular
受欢迎的;广为人知的
author
作者;著作权人
had
have的过去式
by
表示位置、时间或方式的介词
time
时间;时代;时刻
of
表示所有、成分或关系的介词
its
it的所有格形式
composition
创作;组成;构成
seen
see的过去分词
rather
相当;颇;宁可
world
世界;世人
and
连接词,表示并列关系
improved
改善的;提高的
her
she的宾格和所有格形式
general
一般的;普遍的
though
虽然;尽管
not
否定词,表示否定
most
最;大多数的
peculiar
奇特的;独有的
characteristic
特征;特性
dialogue
对话;对白
such
这样的;如此的
figures
人物;数字;形象
as
作为;当...时;如同
Miss
小姐;未婚女性的敬称
cannot
不能;无法
but
但是;只能
unite
联合;一致
everybody
每个人;所有人
On
在...上;关于
other
其他的;另一个
hand
手;方面
for
为了;对于
my
我的
part
部分;角色
declare
宣布;声明
Pride
骄傲;自豪
Prejudice
偏见;歧视
seems
似乎;看起来
to
向;到;用于不定式
me
我(宾格)
perfect
完美的;完善的
works
著作;作品
this
这个;这
contention
论点;争论
in
在...里面;用于表示状态
narrow
狭窄的;有限的
space
空间;地方
permitted
允许的;可能的
propose
提议;打算
here
这里;在此
show
展示;表明
cause
原因;事业
In
在...内;表示位置或时间
first
首先的;第一个
place
地点;位置
book
书;图书
it
它;指代事物
may
可能;也许
be
是;存在
barely
勉强;仅仅
necessary
必要的;必须的
remind
提醒;使想起
reader
读者;阅读器
was
是;be的过去式
shape
形状;状态
written
写的;著述的
very
非常;很
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