PART 1 Sentences

1. Determination of character, we are told, is a great virtue, but a qualification is necessary : so much depends upon what a man is determined to do.

2. But there is not one "Man of Destiny" who does not appear slightly pathetic in the contemplation of future historians a man caught in the prison of his ambition, a victim of his own dream, which grew and expanded and then burst like a bubble.

3. The relation of the people's support to the ruler may be likened to that of the roots to a tree, oil to the lamp, water to the fish, rice fields to the farmer, and capital to the businessman.

PART 2 Expressions

1. The "Bull-headed Premier" brooked no opposition from any quarter, friends or foes.

not brook sth/ brook no sth: (v.) formal, to not allow or accept something

He would brook no criticism, even from his beloved daughter.

brook: （n.）小溪

2. The more important charge of the opposition was that he wanted to "shut up the mouths of all people"; i.e., muzzle all free criticism of the government.

muzzle:(n.) （防止动物咬人的）口套； （v.）给（动物）带上口套；使缄默, to prevent someone from saying that they think in public

an attempt by the government to muzzle the country's media

3. The bickerings and dissensions at the court now were increased by the peculiar Sung system of government.

bickering: (n.) 争吵；口角 argument over sth, usually very unimportant 

bicker: (v.) eg.  They kept bickering over who should answer the phone.

dissension: (n.) 纠纷；不和 disagreement among a group of people

This move sowed dissension within the party ranks.

dissent: (v.)  eg. Few historians would dissent from this view.

4.The tragedy of Wang Anshih comes from the fact that he was not in any way self-indulgent or corrupt himself, and that his hand was forced.

force sb's hand: to make sb do sth unwillingly or earlier than they had intended

They're reluctant to sell the house yet but the right offer could force their hand.

5. But the arch supporters of Wang Anshih were two extremely active and persuasive talkers of great scheming ability, Tseng Pu and Lu Huiching, particularly the latter, who eventually double-crossed Wang Anshih in an effort to supersede him.

double-cross: (v.) to cheat someone, especially after you have agreed to do something dishonest with them 出卖；欺骗

The guy you wanted to double-cross screw you first.

double cross: (n.)

double-crosser: (n.) 出卖者

6. Wang Anshih and Szema Kuang, while uncompromising in their fight over government policies, were both sincere in their convictions and above reproach in their private lives.

reproach (n./v.) 责备；谩骂

above/ beyond reproach: impossible to criticize SYN perfect

His behavior throughout this affair has been beyond reproach.

sth is a reproach to sb/ sth: sth that should make a person, society etc feel bad or ashamed

These derelict houses are a reproach to the city.

7. This is an inexorable law from whose consequences no ruler can hope to escape.

inexorable: [ɪnˈeksərəbl] not to be persuaded or stopped 铁面无私的；不可动摇的；不可阻挡的

the inexorable decline of Britain's manufacturing industry

the seemingly inexorable rise in crime

inexorability: (n.) 

He is aware of the inexorability of change.

8. I do not presume to know what the founders of this dynasty, the Imperial Ancestors, had in mind as the means to check the dangers of overcentralization.

presume to do sth: formal, to behave without respect or politeness by doing sth that have no right to do 擅自做某事

I would never presume to tell you what to do.

presume that: formal, to accept sth as being true and base sth else on it, SYN presuppose

I presume that someone will be there to meet us when we arrive.

presume on/ upon sb's friendship/ generosity etc: to unfairly ask sb for more than you should, because they are your friend are generous etc

I would be presuming on his generosity to ask him for money.

PART 3 Thoughts

这一周读的这两章内容我个人不太感兴趣，也有点不太赞同林语堂的观点。不太感兴趣是因为觉得政治斗争和权谋离我的生活太遥远了，很难找到共感的地方。另一方面，我也不太赞同林语堂对王安石的评价。后人读到的历史大都是被加工过的历史，是非真相，即使是亲历者，也未必都能了解。王安石的变法是以失败告终了，但假若他当时的变法成功了，那么他在史册里肯定是另一番模样了吧。有一句话说，“成者为王败者为寇”，成功者的历史由成功者自己书写，而失败者的历史由他的对手来书写。更何况，王安石的变法直接触动了士大夫的利益，那些书写史册的士大夫自然不会对他笔下留情。就这本书而言，林语堂对王安石的厌恶之情跃然于纸上，字里行间充满着对他的不屑和鞭挞。虽然林语堂也肯定了王安石的人品，比如他不为私利，不贪女色等。然而林语堂把王安石定位为一个缺乏政治判断力、顽固不化、空谈误国的政治家，而对苏氏父子的定位则是体恤民情、善于识人、有政治远见和才干的人。苏氏父子诚然是一等一的文人墨客和学问家，但是否真的是好的政治家是存疑的。其次，王安石是否是纸上谈兵、罔顾现实也是很难说清的。战国的商鞅变法，日本的明治维新和清朝末年的戊戌变法，每逢大的变革总会遭遇巨大的反对浪潮，甚至于举国的反对。然而如果掌权者没有壮士断腕的魄力和破釜沉舟的坚定，变法根本没有成功的可能性。我不认为宋神宗是被王安石等人蒙蔽了双眼，更不是轻信小人和佞臣，而只是基于当时的国情和时局做了一个自己的判断和选择，虽然那个选择最后没有达到他的预期甚至背道而驰。在林语堂的笔下，王安石变法的失败从一开始就是注定的，那是因为林语堂已经知道了结果然后顺藤而上地去追溯源头，但是如果真的站在当时那个时局里是很难判断对错的。朱熹等人把北宋覆灭的黑锅扣在王安石头上，我觉得这个论断是有失偏颇的。宋神宗那时代的北宋王朝早已是山雨欲来风满楼，内忧外患不断。不管王安石到底是功是过，大厦之将倾非一人之力所致，更非一人之力可以挽回。回过头来说，功不掩过，瑕不掩瑜，无论王安石是否是一个好的政治家，他的人品和学问还是令人崇敬的。我记得这本书的后半部分有写道苏轼晚年在贬谪地与同样落魄潦倒的王安石重逢，两人尽释前嫌，把酒言欢的场景。政治是喧嚣的，而喧嚣过后一切又归于平静。借用王安石《明妃曲》里的两句诗来评他本人的人生感觉非常合适：“汉恩自浅胡恩深，人生乐在相知心。可怜青冢已芜没，尚有哀弦留至今。”

PS: 感谢楚汐的视频分享。视频里主持人老罗的分析非常独到和有启发性。有这样几句话印象深刻：“王安石的过错是把大宋的天下变成了一个党争的天下，这里面谁都不正确，一个正确上台，另一个正确就在台下等着，把你推翻，我正确。在这场斗争当中，到底是王安石对，还是苏东坡对，还是司马光对，已经变成了一锅稀粥，谁都不对。”

Wang Anshih