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1、MiddlemarchByGeorgeEliotTomydearHusband,GeorgeHenryLewes,inthisnineteenthyearofourblessedunion.PRELUDEWhothatcaresmuchtoknowthehistoryofman,andhowthemysteriousmixturebehavesunderthevaryingexperimentsofTime,hasnotdwelt,atleastbriefly,onthelifeofSaintTheresa,has
2、notsmiledwithsomegentlenessatthethoughtofthelittlegirlwalkingforthonemorninghand-in-handwithherstillsmallerbrother,togoandseekmartyrdominthecountryoftheMoors?OuttheytoddledfromruggedAvila,wide-eyedandhelpless-lookingastwofawns,butwithhumanhearts,alreadybeating
3、toanationalidea;untildomesticrealitymetthemintheshapeofuncles,andturnedthembackfromtheirgreatresolve.Thatchild-pilgrimagewasafitbeginning.Theresa'spassionate,idealnaturedemandedanepiclife:whatweremany-volumedromancesofchivalryandthesocialconquestsofabrilliantg
4、irltoher?Herflamequicklyburnedupthatlightfuel;and,fedfromwithin,soaredaftersomeillimitablesatisfaction,someobjectwhichwouldneverjustifyweariness,whichwouldreconcileself-despairwiththerapturousconsciousnessoflifebeyondself.Shefoundhereposinthereformofareligious
5、order.ThatSpanishwomanwholivedthreehundredyearsago,wascertainlynotthelastofherkind.ManyTheresashavebeenbornwhofoundforthemselvesnoepiclifewhereintherewasaconstantunfoldingoffar-resonantaction;perhapsonlyalifeofmistakes,theoffspringofacertainspiritualgrandeuril
6、l-matchedwiththemeannessofopportunity;perhapsatragicfailurewhichfoundnosacredpoetandsankunweptintooblivion.Withdimlightsandtangledcircumstancetheytriedtoshapetheirthoughtanddeedinnobleagreement;butafterall,tocommoneyestheirstrugglesseemedmereinconsistencyandfo
7、rmlessness;fortheselater-bornTheresaswerehelpedbynocoherentsocialfaithandorderwhichcouldperformthefunctionofknowledgefortheardentlywillingsoul.Theirardoralternatedbetweenavagueidealandthecommonyearningofwomanhood;sothattheonewasdisapprovedasextravagance,andthe
8、othercondemnedasalapse.SomehavefeltthattheseblunderinglivesareduetotheinconvenientindefinitenesswithwhichtheSupremePowerhasfashionedthenaturesofwomen:iftherewereoneleveloffemininei
