我们认识一下英国的盛与衰。
第一次工业革命（18世纪60年代），英国人瓦特改良了蒸汽机，史蒂芬孙发明了蒸汽火车，哈格里夫斯发明了“珍妮纺织机”，英国成为世界上第一个工业化国家。
维多利亚女王统治期间,英国殖民地总面积超过3000万平方公里，英国工业产值超过世界总产值的三分之一，钢铁产量占到了世界的一半。
而到了第二次工业革命（19世纪中期），在“电”的发明中英国人落后了。二战前美国将大量资金和人才从欧洲吸引到美国，二战后确立霸权地位，而英国则在二战后失去了所有的殖民地，海上霸权，世界货币权。这是历史。
电影The King’s Speech （《国王的演讲》）里面有三段发自三位国王的演讲，读完你能了解二战来临的英国。
《国王的演讲》剧照
第一段：1934年，诺福克群桑德林恩宫乔治五世国王圣诞演说：
For the present,the work to which we are all equally bound is to arrive at a reasoned tranquility within our borders,to regain prosperity at this time of depression without self-seeking,and to carry with us those whom the burden of the past years has disheartened or overborne.
目前我们每个人都应该做的是让国内情势达到合理的安定，在这经济萧条的时期回复繁荣，不追逐私利，并带着过去几年中因肩上重担而心力交瘁的人向前走。
乔治五世
这是英国王室首次向全球广播播出的圣诞节演讲，也是时代对英王室的要求。约克郡公爵说：
In the past,all a king had to do was look respectable in uniform and not fall off his horse.Now,we must invade people’s homes and ingratiate ourselves with them.This family’s been reduced to those lowest,basest of all creatures.
过去国王只要体面地穿着军礼服不要落马就好，现在却得闯进民宅讨好百姓，皇室已经沦落为最底下的人种。
We’ve become actors.We’re not a family,we’re a firm.Yet at any moment,some of us may be out of work.
我们成了演员，我们不是家庭而是商行，但随时可能有人失业。
乔治五世去世后，爱德华八世继承王位，却为了迎娶寡妇辛普森夫人发表的退位演讲：
At long last,I am able to say a few words of my own.I have never wanted to withhold anything,but until now it has not been constitutionally possible for me to speak.
好不容易我能说几句自己想说的话，我从不隐瞒任何事情却碍于宪法规定，一直无法开口。
A few hours ago,I discharged my last duty as king and Emperor,and now that I have been succeeded by my brother,the Duke of York,my first words must be to declare my allegiance to him.This I do with all my heart. You all know the reasons which impelled me to renounce the throne,but you believe me when I tell you,that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king,as I would wish to do without the help and support of the women I love.
几个小时前，我卸下了国王和皇帝的职务，如今在我的王弟约克公爵继位后，我首先要对他宣示效忠这是我真心诚意的表示，各位都知道我退位的原意，但请务必相信，若没哟心爱之人的支持和帮助，我实在无法扛起重则之任，所以卸下原想尽心尽力的职务。
And I want you to know,this decision has been made less difficult to me by the sure knowledge that my brother,with his long training in the public affairs of this country,and with his fine qualities,will be able to make my place forthwith without interruption or injury to the life and progress of the Empire.
希望各位明白，做这个决定困难度得以减弱是因为我确认我的王弟，长期接受国事训练又天资优秀，将能够立即继任，政事不会中断或受到影响，愿大英帝国国运昌盛，向前迈进。
爱德华八世退位后，接受了语言治疗的口吃的约克郡公爵成为国王乔治六世，在二战前发表的演讲：
In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.
在这个庄严的时刻，或许是国家历史上最生死攸关的时刻，无论你身处何方，我向每一位民众，都传递这样一个信息：对于你们正遭受的苦难，我感同身受，我甚至希望能挨家挨户地，亲自向你们诉说。我们中的大多数人，将经历有生之年里的第二次战争。
Over and over again, we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies; but it has bee in vain.We have been forced into a conflict, for which we are called, with our allies to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world.
我们已经不止一次地尝试通过一种和平的方法，来解决与敌国间的争端，但那都是徒劳无功。我们已经被卷入了这场战争，我们和盟国正受到法西斯主义的挑战，如果它得胜，世界的文明秩序都将受到致命的摧残。
It is a principle which permits a state in the selfish pursuit of power to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges, which sanctions the use of force or threat of force against the sovereignty and independence of other states.Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right, and if this principle were established through the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of nations would be in danger.
这是一种允许一国因对权利自私贪婪的追求，便可肆意违反协约和承诺的主义；是一种认可对其他主权国家滥用武力，或施予武力威胁的主义。这样一种主义，在揭去虚伪的外衣后，也仅剩下了原始的野心。如果这样的主义在全球范围内立足，那我国及所有英联邦国家民众的自由都将身处险境。
But far more than this, the peoples of the world would be kept in bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of security, of justice and liberty, among nations, would be ended.This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge.
更可怕的是，全世界人民将被恐惧奴役，各国百姓对“和平”、“安定”、“正义”、“自由”的憧憬将走到尽头。这是对我们的终极考验。为了捍卫我们珍视的一切，为了世界的和平有序，我们应该毫不犹豫地接受这项挑战。
It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own.I ask them to stand calm and firm and united in this time of trial.The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield, but we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then with God's help, we shall prevail.
正是出于这个目的，今天我呼吁所有国内国外的子民，以此崇高目标为己任。我恳请大家，在磨砺来临之际，保持平静、坚定、团结。这会是一项艰巨的任务。前路漫漫而艰辛，战争也不只局限于战场，心怀正义，便能正确处事。虔诚地将自己交付给上帝，并毅然忠诚于他，准备好为他的指引做出一切努力甚至牺牲，在上帝的帮助下，我们必将获胜！
语言治疗师speech therapist 莱昂纳尔·罗格给了口吃的约克郡公爵很大的帮助，
练习横膈膜：strengthen diaphragm ；
练习绕口令：I’m a thistle-sifter.I have a sieve of sifted thistles and a sieve of unsifted thistles.Because I am a thistle-sifted.吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。
并发现约克郡公爵在听着音乐朗读莎翁的作品时十分流利：
To be or not to be,that is the question.Whether this nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,or to take arms against a sea of troubles,and by opposing end them?To die ,to sleep no more,and by a sleep to say the end is the heartache and the thousand natural shocks the flesh is heir to.Tis a consummation hopeless.
生存还是死亡，这是个问题，是隐忍坎坷命运的箭弩相向比较崇高，还是应该与无涯苦海为战并将之克服？死即睡眠，如此罢了，长眠能够了结心灵之痛苦与肉体之祸患。这样的结局没办法更改。
经典台词全解析，收藏~
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