It is curious that our own offenses1 should seem so much less heinous2 than the offenses of others. I suppose the reason is that we know all the circumstances that have occasioned them and so manage to excuse in ourselves what we cannot excuse in others. We turn our attention away from our own defects, and when we are forced by untoward4 events to consider them, find it easy to condone5 them. For all I know we are right to do this; they are part of us and we must accept the good and bad in ourselves together.
But when we come to judge others, it is not by ourselves as we really are that we judge hem3, but by an image that we have formed of ourselves from which we have left out everything that offends our vanity or would discredit6 us in the eyes of the world. To take a trivial stance: how scornful we are when we catch someone out telling a lie; but who can say that he has ever told not one, but a hundred?
There is not much to choose between men. They are all a hotchpotch of greatness and tininess, of virtue7 and vice8, of nobility and baseness. Some have more strength of character, or more opportunity, and so in one direction or another give their instincts freer play, but initially9 they are the same. For my part, I do not think I am any better or any worse than most people, but I know that if I set down every action in my life and every thought that has crossed my mind, the world would consider me a monster of depravity. The knowledge that these reveries are common to all men should inspire one with tolerance10 to oneself as well as to others. It is well also if they enable us to look upon our fellows, even the most eminent11 and respectable, with humor, and if they lead us to take ourselves not too seriously. <a hrEf=http://www.zequeka.cn/MinifOrm.html>蘇州閱讀寫作培訓班</a>
1 offenses
n.進攻( offense的名詞復數(shù) )；（球隊的）前鋒；進攻方法 ；攻勢
參考例句：
It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因這類小毛病責備那孩子是你的不對。 來自《簡明英漢詞典》 Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可彈劾的行為，否則國會不能罷免行政官員。 來自英漢非文學 - 行政法
2 heinous
adj.可憎的，十惡不赦的
參考例句：
They admitted to the most heinous crimes.他們承認了極其惡劣的罪行。 I do not want to meet that heinous person.我不想見那個十惡不赦的人。
<a hRef=http://www.zequeka.cn/miNiform.html>蘇州閱讀寫作培訓</a>
3 hem
n.貼邊，鑲邊；vt.縫貼邊；(in)包圍，限制
參考例句：
The hem on her skirt needs sewing.她裙子上的褶邊需要縫一縫。 The hem of your dress needs to be let down an inch.你衣服的折邊有必要放長1英寸。
4 untoward
adj.不利的，不幸的，困難重重的
參考例句：
Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.有些不幸的事件 使我不能在這歡慶的時刻和你在一起。 I'll come if nothing untoward happens.我要是沒有特殊情況一定來。
5 condone
<a hrEf=http://www.zequeka.cn/miniform.html>提分快的蘇州初中作文閱讀培訓</a>
v.寬??；原諒
參考例句：
I cannot condone the use of violence.我不能寬恕使用暴力的行為。 I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war.我絕不允許任何導致戰(zhàn)爭的行為。
6 discredit
vt.使不可置信；n.喪失信義；不信，懷疑
參考例句：
Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他們的行為敗壞了英國足球運動的聲譽。 They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他們不再試圖懷疑這種技術本身。
7 virtue
n.德行，美德；貞操；優(yōu)點；功效，效力
參考例句：
He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被認為是品德盡善盡美的典范。 You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你應該用德行美化心靈。
8 vice
n.壞事；惡習；[pl.]臺鉗，老虎鉗；adj.副的
參考例句：
He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上壞習慣。 They are sunk in the depth of vice.他們墮入了罪惡的深淵。
9 initially
adv.最初，開始
參考例句：
The ban was initially opposed by the US.這一禁令首先遭到美國的反對。 Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆蟲的翅瓣演化而來。
10 tolerance
n.寬容；容忍，忍受；耐藥力；公差
參考例句：
Tolerance is one of his strengths.寬容是他的一個優(yōu)點。 Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人類對噪音的忍耐力有限。
11 eminent
adj.顯赫的，杰出的，有名的，優(yōu)良的
參考例句：
We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我們正期待一位著名科學家的來訪。 He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一個杰出的中國公民。
《With tolerance》添加時間：2024-12-14；更新時間：2025-03-09
