評論
打印
The Westminster politicians knew they needed a sweetener to make the Union more palatable,and this is it.
英格蘭的政客們深知 必須施以恩惠 方能使聯合更具合理性 他們想出了這樣的方法
In this chest was deposited the equivalent,
在這只木箱中裝滿了
the exact amount lost in the Darien adventure,all 398,000 pounds of it.
與達連計劃損失相同的金額 共計39萬8千英鎊
You can almost hear the advocates of union saying,as they beamed broadly,Now, this is what union means.
你幾乎能夠聽到聯合政府的支持者 滿帶微笑地說道 這就是聯合的意義
You seem to be a little hard pressed for funds, my dear fellows,
親愛的同胞 不要再為金錢而煩惱
Well, now Scotland's debts will be Britain's.
自今日起 不列顛將為你們扛起債務
Sink or swim, we shall do it together.
我們進退相攜 休戚與共
The equivalent money, along with favourable trade concessions,
相同數量的金額 伴隨著貿易特許
was the carrot dangled before members of the Scottish parliament.
巨大的經濟利益誘惑著蘇格蘭議會
By now, there were many who were already looking south,saw reality, smelled the profits.
至此 許多人已認清現實 屈從利益 臣伏于英格蘭的寶座下
But behind the carrot, of course, lay the stick.
但胡蘿卜背后 通常都藏著一支大棒
Westminster threatened to block Scottish exports to England
英國議會以封鎖蘇格蘭對英格蘭的出口
unless Scotland entered union negotiations.
威脅蘇格蘭必須加入聯合談判
The writing was on the wall.
結果不言而喻
Distraught, Lord Belhaven delivered a lament over the funeral pyre of Scottish independence.
貝翰文勛爵在這場 葬送蘇格蘭獨立性的葬禮上發表沉痛悼詞
I see our ancient mother Caledonia,
我眼見著我們蒼老的母親加勒多尼亞
like Caesar sitting in the midst of the Senate,
像是凱撒端坐在議會當中
attending the final blow and breathing out her last.
面對她生命中的最后一擊
