BBC英国史

The Hanoverian dynasty remained,

汉诺威王朝得以留存

but the Jacobite rising was yet another demonstration of just how unstable the new political order was.

但詹姆斯二世党的崛起 是另一个铁证 证明新生政治秩序 是多么不稳定

After this stormy start to the 18th century,

从这场风暴开始一直到十八世纪

if anyone would've predicted it would be followed by decades of calm,

期间如果有人预言 接下来的几十年会天下太平

they would've been thought an absurd optimist,yet that's exactly what happened.

必会贻笑大方 然而 一切却真的是那样风平浪静

It came about through the efforts not of a king,

国泰民昌并非得益于国王的努力

a religious leader, or even a general,but a political manager of uncanny genius.

或任何宗教领袖 甚至将军 而是拜一名鬼才政治家所赐

He'd been, like his father and grandfather before him,a Norfolk squire and an MP.

他和他父亲与祖父一样 是诺福克乡绅及国会议员

He'd moved smoothly through the big-money jobs Paymaster-General,Chancellor of the Exchequer.

顺顺当当地做到了一个肥差 主计大臣 英国的财政大臣

He'd come to dominate British political life for a quarter of a century.

他主宰不列颠的政治生活 长达25年之久

He was... Robert Walpole.

他就是 罗伯特·沃波尔

Although he never actually had the title,

虽然他从未被冠上那个头衔

Walpole was, in effect, Britain's first Prime Minister and, under his leadership,

但实际上 沃波尔是英国第一任首相 而在他的统治之下

the British economy boomed as never before.

英国的经济以未曾有过的势头迅猛发展

词汇解析

1、general

将军；（通常指陆军）上将

The General's visit to Sarajevo is part of preparations for the deployment of extra troops.

将军造访萨拉热窝是在为增加兵力部署做准备。

全体的；总的；普遍的

The figures represent a general decline in employment.

这些数字显示就业人数总体在下降。

the general deterioration of English society.

英国社会的普遍堕落

整体的；全面的

a general ache radiating from the back of the neck.

从后颈部扩散到全身的疼痛

a general sense of well-being.

总体上的幸福感

2、dominate

在…中占首要地位，在…中最具影响力

The book is expected to dominate the best-seller lists.

这本书预计会占据畅销书排行榜的榜首。

countries where life is dominated by war.

战事频繁的国家

控制;统治;支配

He denied that his country wants to dominate Europe.

他否认他的国家想要控制欧洲。

Women are no longer dominated by the men in their relationships.

在两性关系中女性不再受制于男性。

俯视;高耸于

It's one of the biggest buildings in this area, and it really dominates this whole place.

这是该地区最大的建筑物之一，雄踞在整个地区之上。

its skyline dominated by the central mosque.

中央的清真寺高耸天际