PART 1 Sentences
But it was an impulse so fine and beautiful that the poet could not resist it, regardless of consequences for his own family. If that was a beautiful thing to do, it was a beautiful thing to do——that was all.
I really like the sentence that "if that was a beautiful thing to do, it was a beautiful thing to do -- that was all". Not every input is calculated to bring about an output, for example, donation, charity, travelling, reading, to name but a few. A touching story which hit the headline today, tells that a man who spent 50 dollars on food left 3,000 dollars' tip to help the waiters spend a happier Christmas holiday. The only benefit he could gain, if there was any, was the fulfillment and the gaiety he had in the process of helping others. The kindness per se is beautiful enough to justify the generosity.
PART 2 Expressions
1. In order to carry out my duty I had to wrangle with the farmers and merchants about weights and measures.
wrangle with sb: to argue with sb angrily for a long time
The various government departments are wrangling with each other.
wrangle over/ about sth
They are still wrangling over ownership of the house.
2. There was a story that once Su Tungpo outmatched Wang in writing verse on a given rhyme and subject, and Wang gave up halfway.
outmatch: 优于；胜过， to surpass to be better than sb or sth else
类似表达： outdo; outperform
skaters trying to outdo each other in grace and speed
Stocks generally outperform other investments.
4. The son, who he knew was a scoundrel, was pilloried and in chains.
scoundrel: [ˈskaʊndrəl] a bad or dishonest man, especially someone who cheats or deceives other people 恶棍；坏蛋
a lying scoundrel, an incorrigible scoundrel
类似表达： ruffian, bully, villain, rogue, wretch
5. Between the two of them, they hatched a plan for Su to buy a farm at Ishing and then petition the Emperor for permission to stay there on the ground that the farm was his only means of support.
hatch 本意是孵（小鸡、小鸟等）
hatch a plot/ plan/ deal etc: to form a plan etc in secret
Together with his hilarious friend they hatched a genius plan to alter your work life, so there's no need to worry.
6. At long last, Su Tungpo believed he was going to settle there for life.
at long last: last这里是 n., 我们比较熟悉的是 at last, 两者其实是同一个表达。
We reached the summit at long last.
At last it was time to leave.
last 作名词还可以表示剩余的东西（the remaining part of sth）
John ate the last of the bread at lunchtime.
PART 3 Thoughts
这一章里写到苏轼的小儿子苏遁夭折了。对于这个小儿子我印象挺深的，因为前文有说到他出生的时候苏东坡说:"惟愿吾儿愚且痴，无灾无难到公卿。"不求大富大贵，只求无灾无难，甚至愚笨无为。然而上天连这个小小的祈愿也没有允诺，那个可怜的孩子终究没有活到“公卿”，不禁让人感到命运的冷酷和造化的弄人。苏东坡本人其实也是如此，当他有志于为民谋利的时候屡次造贬，政治才华无法施展。如今他已经完全放下名利，忘却朝堂，打算过闲云野鹤的生活的时候，朝廷却将高管厚禄强塞到他手上，天地之大，却没有他归隐的一亩容身之所。如果不是神宗的突然去世，或许苏轼的人生会舒心和安定很多吧。但是上天却偏偏给了他波折起伏的命运，不容他自己去选择，或许上天不满足成就一个满腹经纶的天才，而是要成就一个伟大的天才。
这一章还提到了晚年的王安石和苏轼在一起敞开心扉聊天的事。那一部分读起来让我为之动容。两个曾经的死敌在年过半百之后能够待在一个屋子里闲聊往事、泯却恩仇，这个画面特别美好。我很佩服苏轼的胸襟和豁达。相比之下我还离这种境界太远。今天晚上我收到一个高中同学的短信，曾经的五年里我们曾是彼此最好的朋友。她后来狠狠地整了我一次，我曾经一度在家里不愿出门，而这两年我们完全断了联络。她在短信里说，“好久不联系了，很想念你，很想和你好好聊聊天，毕竟我们高中是那么好的朋友”，那种如无其事的语气仿佛那些不开心的事从来没有发生过。我读到这段话的时候只觉得手心发凉。如果她在短信里和我说，对不起，我很内疚，我想我会选择原谅的，但是我无法去原谅一个我到现在也看不透是真心还是假意的“朋友”。我不缺少聊天对象，更不需要那种只是为了以后互相帮忙而存在的廉价朋友关系。回避曾经的伤痛不代表那根扎在心里的刺就拔出来了，至少于我而言是如此。也许原谅一个人是需要漫长的时间的，也或许原谅一个伤害过你的朋友要比原谅一个曾经的敌人更难一些。
