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May 4.
How happy I am that I am gone! My dear friend, what a thing is the heart of man! To leave you, from whom I have been inseparable, whom I love so dearly, and yet to feel happy! I know you will forgive me. Have not other attachments been specially appointed by fate to torment a head like mine? Poor Leonora! and yet I was not to blame. Was it my fault, that, whilst the peculiar charms of her sister afforded me an agreeable entertainment, a passion for me was engendered in her feeble heart? And yet am I wholly blameless? Did I not encourage her emotions? Did I not feel charmed at those truly genuine expressions of nature, which, though but little mirthful in reality, so often amused us? Did I not -- but oh! what is man, that he dares so to accuse himself? My dear friend I promise you I will improve; I will no longer, as has ever been my habit, continue to ruminate on every petty vexation which fortune may dispense; I will enjoy the present, and the past shall be for me the past. No doubt you are right, my best of friends, there would be far less suffering amongst mankind, if men -- and God knows why they are so fashioned -- did not employ their imaginations so assiduously in recalling the memory of past sorrow, instead of bearing their present lot with equanimity. Be kind enough to inform my mother that I shall attend to her business to the best of my ability, and shall give her the earliest information about it. I have seen my aunt, and find that she is very far from being the disagreeable person our friends allege her to be. She is a lively, cheerful woman, with the best of hearts. I explained to her my mother's wrongs with regard to that part of her portion which has been withheld from her. She told me the motives and reasons of her own conduct, and the terms on which she is willing to give up the whole, and to do more than we have asked. In short, I cannot write further upon this subject at present; only assure my mother that all will go on well. And I have again observed, my dear friend, in this trifling affair, that misunderstandings and neglect occasion more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness. At all events, the two latter are of less frequent occurrence.
 
In other respects I am very well off here. Solitude in this terrestrial paradise is a genial balm to my mind, and the young spring cheers with its bounteous promises my oftentimes misgiving heart. Every tree, every bush, is full of flowers; and one might wish himself transformed into a butterfly, to float about in this ocean of perfume, and find his whole existence in it.
 
The town itself is disagreeable; but then, all around, you find an inexpressible beauty of nature. This induced the late Count M to lay out a garden on one of the sloping hills which here intersect each other with the most charming variety, and form the most lovely valleys. The garden is simple; and it is easy to perceive, even upon your first entrance, that the plan was not designed by a scientific gardener, but by a man who wished to give himself up here to the enjoyment of his own sensitive heart. Many a tear have I already shed to the memory of its departed master in a summer-house which is now reduced to ruins, but was his favourite resort, and now is mine. I shall soon be master of the place. The gardener has become attached to me within the last few days, and he will lose nothing thereby.
 
 
1、torment  n.痛苦 v.折磨  特别指精神上
2、whilst  conj.同时，时时   adv.当...的时候
3、agreeable  adj.令人愉快的，惬意的，适合的  
   agreeable weather 宜人的天气
4、engender  v.造成，产生
   Sympathy often engenders love  同情常常产生爱情
5、feeble   adj.虚弱的，无力的
   feeble-minded adj 意志薄弱的，低能的
6、genuine  adj.真实的，真正的，诚恳的
   All geninue knowledge originates in direct experience.  一切真知都是从直接经验发源而来的。
7、mirthful  adj.愉快的，高兴的
   mirth n.欢笑，高兴
8、ruminate  n.v.反刍，沉思   n.沉思默想的人，好思考的人
9、petty  adj.小的，不重要的
10、vexation   n.烦恼，苦恼的原因
11、fortune  n.命运
12、dispense  v.分配，分发
13、accuse  v.控告，谴责，非难
14、far less 远不及
15、suffering  n.苦难，苦楚  adj.受苦的，患病的
16、assiduous  adj.勤勉的，刻苦的，专心的
17、bear  v.负担，忍受
18、lot  n.命运，份额，签，抽签
19、equanimity   n.镇定，沉着
    equanimous   adj.镇定的，安静的
20、attend to  留心，注意，办理
21、disagreeable  adj.不愉快的，令人讨厌的
22、allege  v.宣称，断言
23、withhold  保留，拒给，忍住
24、motive  n.动机，目的
25、conduct  n.行为，操作   v.引导，管理，为人，引导
    My aunt conducts her business very successfully.我的阿姨把企业经营得很成功。
    Metal conducts electicity.金属导电。
26、occasion  n.场合，时机，机会    v.引起，惹起
    Her conduct occasions me great anxiety.她的行为使我非常担心。
27、malice  n.恶意，怨恨，预谋，蓄意犯罪
28、wickedness  n.邪恶，不道德
    wicked  adj.邪恶的，不道德的
29、neglect  n.v.忽视，疏忽   
30、mischief n.伤害，故障，恶作剧           
31、terrestrial  adj.陆地上的，地球上的
32、genial  adj.亲切的
33、balm  n.（止痛或疗伤的）香油，香膏
34、bounteous  adj.慷慨的，宽宏大量的，丰富的
35、promise  n.v.允诺，答应；希望，展望；预示，预兆   
36、oftentimes  adv.时常地
37、misgiving  adj.n.疑虑，疑惧，不安，担忧
    have some misgivings  有些担忧
38、perfume  n.香味，芳香，香水 v.发香味
39、late  adj.已故的
40、lay out 布置，安排
41、sloping  adj.倾斜的，
42、intersect  v.交叉，相交
    Streets usually intersect at right angles.马路经常以直角交叉。
43、perceive  v.察觉，感知，认识到
44、sensitive  adj.敏感的，灵敏的，感光的
    She is sensitive to what people think of her.
45、shed  v.流出，脱皮
    shed tears
46、departed  adj.死了的，过去的
    depart v.离开，启程；逝世   adj.过去的，逝世的
47、ruin  v.（使）破产，堕落，毁灭   n.毁灭，废墟，遗迹           
48、resort  v.求助，诉诸；常去    n.凭借，手段，常去之地，胜地
    resort to force 诉诸武力
    This restaurant is my favourite resort.这饭馆是我最爱去的地方。
49、attach to  v.使依恋，把...放在
    Mary was attached to her brother.玛丽很喜爱他的弟弟。
       
 

but oh! what is man, that he dares so to accuse himself?
噢，人呢，自己抱怨一阵又有什么用呢？
 
I will no longer, as has ever been my habit, continue to ruminate on every petty vexation which fortune may dispense;
我不会再像往常那样，把命运加给我们的一点儿不幸拿来反复咀嚼。
 
there would be far less suffering amongst mankind, if men -- and God knows why they are so fashioned -- did not employ their imaginations so assiduously in recalling the memory of past sorrow, instead of bearing their present lot with equanimity.
人要是不那么死心眼，不那么执着地追忆往昔的痛苦——上帝知道为什么这样！——而是更多地考虑如何对现时处境泰然处之，那么，人类的苦楚就会小很多。
 
 misunderstandings and neglect occasion more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness. At all events, the two latter are of less frequent occurrence.
误解和懈怠也许比奸诈和恶意还要误事，至少奸诈和恶意并不多见。
 
Solitude in this terrestrial paradise is a genial balm to my mind, and the young spring cheers with its bounteous promises my oftentimes misgiving heart.
寂寞是一剂治疗我心灵的良药，而这昭华时节正以她明媚的春光温暖我常常寒颤的心。