BBC英国史

And leading the dance, of course, was Charles himself,

引导人们寻欢作乐的 是查理本人

constitutionally incapable of being so churlish

他天生不会贸然无礼地

as to spurn any woman generous enough to invite him into her bed.They all did.

拒绝任何邀请他共赴巫山的女士 他是大众情人

This was the golden age of ogling.

这是个眉目传情的黄金时代

If Puritan England had been governed by the ear,

如果说英格兰清教徒受控于"耳"

wide open to receive the word of God,

聆听上帝的教诲

the Restoration restored the sovereignty of the eye.

那么复辟则让"眼"重掌大权

Its ruling passion was "Scopophilia",the addiction of the gaze,

而统治的激情便在于"窥视症" 窥视成瘾

whether eyeballing an outrageous wig, a plunging neckline,

窥视撩人的发间 窥视开襟的领口

a louse caught in the lens of a microscope or the constellations of the stars.

显微镜下的虱子 或者是满天繁星

Charles's boyish enthusiasm for latest optical instruments suggested he might turn out to be a new kind of Stuart,

查理对最新的光学仪器有着孩童般的热忱 预示着他可能是一名不同寻常的斯图亚特王

whose vision dwelled not in cloudy realms of absolutism,

他的眼界不会耽于皇权

but which was precisely focused, concerned to observe reality political as well as physical.

而会放眼开来 关心现实 政治生活 还有声色犬马

He might, in fact, turn out to be that most unlikely thing a reasonable Stuart king.

最后 也许会变成意料之外的人 一位人精于世故的斯图亚特王

This was the Stuart for whom the physical world was his alpha and omega,who was earthy in his realism.

这位斯图亚特王 在他眼中 声色是他的全部 人生苦短 何不尽欢

All too earthy, some thought, as they looked down in disgust

一些人不无鄙夷地看着

at a theatre of indolence, punctuated by debauchery,that had become the court.

宫廷生活变成了无所事事 只知纵情酒色的闹剧

They were not so worldly, not so rational, as to be free of the fear that some day there would be a reckoning.

试图忘却清算之日 终将来临 这不合常情 也绝不理智

Some day soon, as it turned out.

这一天 的确来得很快

词汇解析

1、generous

（尤指在钱财上）慷慨的，大方的

German banks are more generous in their lending.

德国银行的借贷条件更为宽松。

The gift is generous by any standards.

无论以哪个标准来衡量，这都是一份厚礼。

宽厚的；仁慈的；宽宏大量的

He was always generous in sharing his enormous knowledge.

他从不吝啬与人分享自己渊博的知识。

He was generous enough to congratulate his successor on his decision.

他十分大度地祝贺他的继任者做出了决定。

丰富的；大量的；充足的

a generous six weeks of annual holiday.

充裕的6个星期长的年假

He should be able to keep his room tidy with the generous amount of storage space.

有那么宽绰的储物空间，他应该可以保持房间的整齐。

2、receive

收到;接到;得到

They will receive their awards at a ceremony in Stockholm.

他们会在斯德哥尔摩举行的仪式上接受颁奖。

I received your letter of November 7.

我收到了你11月7日的来信。

经受；受到

He received more of the blame than anyone when the plan failed to work.

计划失败后，他受到了比别人更多的指责。

She was suffering from whiplash injuries received in a car crash.

她在车祸中颈部扭伤。

接见；迎接；招待

The following evening the duchess was again receiving guests.

第二天晚上公爵夫人又在会客。

The shop assistant received me indifferently while leaning on a counter.

商店售货员靠在柜台上漫不经心地招呼我。