choroby psychicznej. Po tym epizodzie Cowper odzyskiwał względną równowagę niemal przez rok, w ciągu którego stracił wcześniejszą religijną żarliwość. Od tego momentu – wciąż mieszkał z Mary Unwin – poświęcił się twórczości poetyckiej i przekładom ukochanego Homera. Stan zdrowia obojga przyjaciół pogarszał się z roku na rok. W 1792 roku pani Unwin straciła władzę w nogach i zmarła w 1796 roku, co ostatecznie pogrążyło Cowpera w rozpaczy, z której nie zdołał się już podnieść. Zmarł cztery lata później.
Tworzył praktycznie przez całe życie. Pierwsze łacińskie wiersze układał jeszcze w szkole. Utwory religijne, wydane w 1779 roku jako „Olney Hymns”, powstały w pierwszym okresie znajomości z Unwinami. Także Mary Unwin zainspirowała Cowpera do napisania sześciu satyr moralnych opublikowanych jako „The Progress of Error”.
Najważniejszymi utworami poety pozostają do dzisiaj hymny kościelne (choćby „God Moves in a Mysterious Way”) oraz „The Task” – długi i bardzo popularny, wydany w 1785 roku poemat sławiący swobodę i rozkosze wiejskiego życia.
Ćwiczenia
1. Dopasuj wyrazy (1–10) do ich synonimów i definicji (A–J).
1) affliction
2) alteration
3) composure
4) decease
5) eligible
6) indignation
7) legacy
8) prodigious
9) prudence
10) unobtrusive
A) an attitude which makes you avoid risk
B) anger at someone or something
C) state of being calm
D) change
E) death
F) difficult to notice
G) enormous
H) inheritance
I) misery, cause of suffering
J) suitable for or capable of something
2. Wybierz właściwy wyraz.
a) As the investigation proved, the actor died by/with his own hand.
b) To my memory/recollection, in the 1990s he was living in Vienna.
c) If my memory/recollection serves me well, Dianne drives an expensive red sports car.
d) Anne was absolutely sure she was going to meet her Maker/Creator.
e) The priest began a prayer for the parishioners who had departed/left this life during the recent year.
f) Tragedy struck when the boy’s father died with his boots/shoes on.
g) I’ll give up my/the ghost one day if you scare me like that!
h) The old man hit/kicked the bucket last summer.
i) Grief-stricken parents announced the death of Chris, who died before his day/time in a road accident.
j) Well, it’s not my problem – I’ll be pushing down/up the daisies by then.
3. Wykreśl niewłaściwie użyte przymiotniki. W niektórych zdaniach obie opcje są poprawne.
a) The children slept during the entire/whole journey.
b) My journey home was entire/exhausting.
c) The sales department is in the main/new building.
d) This problem is essential/main, so we ought to focus on it.
e) If you weren’t efficient, they wouldn’t have given you such a responsible/significant task in the first place.
f) I feel a(n) complete/absolute dullard now that he cheated me!
g) It was a mere/weird coincidence that we met.
h) The contempt in her eyes was utter/visible.
4. Marianne i Elinor Dashwood, choć różnią się od siebie, uzupełniają się i żyją w przyjaźni. Porównaj charaktery sióstr w około 200 słowach.
Part 2
Słownictwo
CHAPTER 11
Little had Mrs. Dashwood or her daughters imagined when they first came into Devonshire, that so many engagements would arise to occupy their time as shortly presented themselves, or that they should have such frequent invitations and such constant visitors as to leave them little leisure for serious employment. Yet such was the case. When Marianne was recovered, the schemes of amusement at home and abroad, which Sir John had been previously forming, were put into execution. The private balls at the park then began; and parties on the water were made and accomplished as often as a showery October would allow. In every meeting of the kind Willoughby was included; and the ease and familiarity which naturally attended these parties were exactly calculated to give increasing intimacy to his acquaintance with the Dashwoods, to afford him opportunity of witnessing the excellencies of Marianne, of marking his animated admiration of her, and of receiving, in her behaviour to himself, the most pointed assurance of her affection.
Elinor could not be surprised at their attachment. She only wished that it were less openly shewn; and once or twice did venture to suggest the propriety of some self-command to Marianne. But Marianne abhorred all concealment where no real disgrace could attend unreserve; and to aim at the restraint of sentiments which were not in themselves illaudable, appeared to her not merely an unnecessary effort, but a disgraceful subjection of reason to common-place and mistaken notions. Willoughby thought the same; and their behaviour at all times, was an illustration of their opinions.
When he was present she had no eyes for any one else. Every thing he did, was right. Every thing he said, was clever. If their evenings at the park were concluded with cards, he cheated himself and all the rest of the party to get her a good hand. If dancing formed the amusement of the night, they were partners for half the time; and when obliged to separate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together and scarcely spoke a word to any body else. Such conduct made them of course most exceedingly laughed at; but ridicule could not shame, and seemed hardly to provoke them.
Mrs. Dashwood entered into all their feelings with a warmth which left her no inclination for checking this excessive display of them. To her it was but the natural consequence of a strong affection in a young and ardent mind.
This was the season of happiness to Marianne. Her heart was devoted to Willoughby, and the fond attachment to Norland, which she brought with her from Sussex, was more likely to be softened than she had thought it possible before, by the charms which his society bestowed on her present home.
Elinor’s happiness was not so great. Her heart was not so much at ease, nor her satisfaction in their amusements so pure. They afforded her no companion that could make amends