英语沙龙：To Benjamin Bailey, 10th June 1818

To Benjamin Bailey, 10th June 1818

My dear Bailey;

I was in hopes some little time back to be able to relieve your dullness by my spirits—to point out things in the world worth your enjoyment—and now I am never alone without rejoicing that there is such a thing as death –without placing my ultimate in the glory of dying for a great human purpose Perhaps if my affairs were in a different state I should not have not written the above—you shall judge—I have tow brothers one is driven by the ‘burden of Society’ to America, the other, with an exquisite¹ love of Life, is in a lingering state—My love for my brothers from the early loss of our parents and even for earlier Misfortunes has grown into a affection ‘passing the Love of Women’—I have been ill-tempered with them. I have vexed² them –but the thought of them has always stifled³ the impression that any woman might otherwise have made upon me—I have a sister too and may not follow them, either to America or to the Grave—Life must be undergone, and I certainly derive⁴ a consolation⁵ from the thought of writing one or two more Poems before it cesease.

Your affectionate friend 

John Keats

1 exquisite   

adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的

参考例句：

• I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
• I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

2 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 stifled   

（使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵

参考例句：

• The gas stifled them. 煤气使他们窒息。
• The rebellion was stifled. 叛乱被镇压了。

4 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

5 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。