3.1833年，英属殖民地所有奴隶都获得解放。政府批准拨款2000万英国货币付给奴隶主。80万奴隶由此成为自由人。威廉·威尔伯福斯在六十五年前曾提出过这一举措，并在此后一直致力于推动它通过，而他也刚好活到了能看到夙愿变成现实的那一天。他于1833年去世。
4.威廉四世在72岁那年去世，没有留下后代。凭借心肠善良、时刻关心人民疾苦，他获得了“英国之父”的美誉。
5.在曼彻斯特和利物浦之间铺设的第一条铁路于1830年启用，而政府要员哈斯基森先生当时却被机车压倒并丧命。
145
VICTORIA （PART I）
维多利亚（一）
1837A.D.（公元1837年）
cargoes，ship-loads.
drug，article used as medicine.
duties，taxes.eloquent，well-spoken.idea，thought.
protection，the taxing of imported corn to keep up the price of home grown corn.
smuggle，carry secretly.
stormy，quarrelsome.
1.Queen Victoria ascended the throne June 20，1837，in the nineteenth year of her age.Her Majesty is the daughter of the late Duke of Kent，who was a brother of William the Fourth and fourth son of George the Third.She wasaborn at Kensington Palace，May 24，1819.
b
2.Her Majesty married her cousin，Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha；and theirfamily consisted of four sons，Albert-Edward （Prince of Wales），Alfred，Arthur，and Leopold；and five daughters，Victoria，Alice，Helena，Louise，and Beatrice.At the Queen‘s accession Hanover became a separate kingdom，as there is a law in that country against any woman wearing the crown；and Ernest，Duke of Cumberland，fifth son of George the Third，became its King.
3.Early in the reign a dispute arose with China about the trade in opium，a drug which the Chinese love to smoke and chew.The Emperor，wishing to put an end to these bad habits，ordered that no opium should be allowed to enter China，and destroyed many cargoes which British merchants had tried to smuggle into Chinese ports from India，where it is grown.He also threw several British subjects into prison.
4.War was declared.British troops captured several large towns，and forced the Chinese to open five ports to British trade，to pay a large sum of money，and to give up the island of Hong-Kong，which has ever since be longed to England.
5.One of the most important events of the reign was the Repeal of theCorn Laws.High duties had been charged on all corn brought into thea Kensington Palace.-In Kensington Park，in the west of London.
b Saxe-Coourg-Gotha.-One of the Saxon States of Germany.
country from abroad.This made bread dear；and Richard Cobden proposed that the duties should be taken off.The farmers went against this with all their might，as they wished to get a high price for their corn.They called loudly for “Protection；”but by the eloquent speeches of Mr.Cobden and Sir Robert Peel，the cause of “Free Trade”triumphed，and the duty on wheat was very soon done away with.
6.The year 1848was a ver y stormy one throughout Europe.A new Revolution took place in France.King Louis Philippe escaped to England，andaFrance was once more a Republic.Louis Napoleonafterwards Emperor-a title which he kept till 1870.
was chosen President，and
7.The peaceful progress of England was shown by the Great Exhibition which was held in a Cr ystal Palace in Hyde Park.The grand idea of exhibitions of the works of different nations was first started by Albert，the Prince Consort.
中文阅读
1.维多利亚女王在1837年6月20日即她19岁那年登上王座。女王陛下是已故肯特公爵的女儿，而肯特公爵则是威廉四世的弟弟和乔治三世的第四个儿子。她于1819年5月24日出生于肯辛顿宫b。
2.女王陛下与她表弟撒克逊－科伯格－哥达c的阿尔伯特结婚，他们的家庭有四个儿子，即阿尔伯特－爱德华（威尔士王子）、阿尔弗雷德、亚瑟和利奥波德，以及五个女儿即维多利亚、爱丽丝、海伦娜、路易斯和比阿特丽斯。在女王就职之后，汉诺威成为一个独立的王国，因为这个国家有一项法律反对任何女性佩戴王冠，因此欧内斯特（即乔治三世的五儿子坎伯兰公爵）就成了汉诺威国王。
3.在这一统治时期的早期，中国针对鸦片贸易对英国提出了抗议。鸦片是中国人喜欢吸食和咀嚼的一种毒品。希望国民戒除这一恶习的中国皇帝命令，不允许任何鸦片进入中国，并毁掉了英国商人企图从鸦片生长地印度走私到中国港口的多船货物。他还将几名英国人送进了监狱。
4.两国宣战了。英国军队占领了几座大型城镇，迫使中国开放五个港口为英国通商，还要赔偿一大笔钱，将香港岛送给英国，此后香港就一直属于英国。da Louis Napoleon.-A nephew of the great Napoleon.He was defeated and taken prisoner by the Prussians in 1870.The French Empire was then abolished，and a Republic was set up.Napoleon was soon released by the Prussians，and went to England，where he died in 1873.
b 肯辛顿宫：在肯辛顿公园里，位于伦敦以西。
c 撒克逊－科伯格－哥达：德国一个撒克逊人住的州。
d 香港于1997年回归中国。--译者注
5.这一统治时期最重要的一件事是“谷物法”的废止。从国外进入英国的所有谷物都要征收重税。这样使面包奇贵，理查德·科布登a提议废除这一税法。农民们全力反对这一做法，因为他们希望自家的谷物卖出高价。他们高喊着“保护”，但是科布登先生和罗伯特·皮尔爵士b凭借其慷慨陈词的演讲，成功实现了“自由贸易”的目标，针对小麦收的税很快便废止了。
6.1848年是整个欧洲风雨飘摇的一年。法国爆发了一场新的革命。路易斯·菲利普国王逃到英国，法国再次成为共和国。路易·拿破仑c当选为总统，后来又成为皇帝，并将这一头衔保留到1870年。
7.英国的和平进程在海德公园的水晶宫里举行的“世界博览会”会上体现出来。展示不同国家产品的大思路，最早是康索特王子阿尔伯特提出来的。
a Richard Cobden（1804~1865年）：英国政治家，自由贸易的领导者与支持者，保护贸易主义的反对者。
--译者注
b Robert Peel（1788~1850年）：英国政治家。他作为内政大臣，建立了伦敦警察部队，并帮助通过了天主教徒释放法令。--译者注c 路易·拿破仑：伟大的拿破仑的侄子。他于1870年被普鲁士人击败并送进监狱。这位法国皇帝随后被废除，法国建成了共和国。不久，拿破仑被普鲁士人释放，前往英国，并在那里于1873年去世。
146
SIR ROBERT PEEL
罗伯特·皮尔爵士
arduous，severe；hard.conversion，change of opinion.defection，falling away；desertion.designed，planned.
devoted，applied.
distinguished，signalized；made famous.
experience，practice；knowledge.generally.by most people.humanity，kindness of heart.merchandise，commerce.reputation，fame.
selected，chosen.
1.When Sir Robert Peel was born，his father vowed that he would devote him to the service of his country.The vow was faithfully kept.The whole education and home-training of the boy were designed with a view to his one day entering the House of Commons.
2.From a very early age he was required by his father to recite the speeches of great orators.He was required also to make speeches at table，on the spur of the moment；and he was made to repeat every Sunday as much of the sermon as his memory could retain.
3.From home，young Peel was sent to Harrow School，where he excelled both as a reciter and as an actor.There he had，as his “form-fellow，”Lord Byron，who admits that as a scholar Peel was greatly his superior.