and of course the British people, colonists and all,

当然无论是英国人抑或殖民地居民
felt that they were at the peak of the civilized world.

都认为自己站在世界文明的巅峰
As somebody at the time wrote,

正如当时有人所说
"What signify riches?

"假如生而不自由
What signifies health, or life itself without liberty?

财富有何意义健康有何意义
Life without liberty is the most errant trifle,

失去自由的生命不过是迷途的羔羊
the most insignificant enjoyment in the world."

是行尸走肉般的存在"
Okay, extreme, but something to think about.

此言论很极端但还是有参考价值
I suppose it's related to what I said on Tuesday.

我在星期二也讲了类似的内容
I think it's also easy to hear some of this talk

我们经常能听到如此夸张的言论
that sounds really inflated and to dismiss it as mere rhetoric,

认为它们是肤浅的花言巧语而否定之
and I'm sure there is some mere rhetoric floating around here,

的确这里头有夸夸其谈之处