羅伯特・沃波爾
Robert Walpole

context: zh_tw: 沃波爾早年自 1690 年至 1695 年受教於伊頓公學，後在 1696 年獲劍橋大學英皇學院取錄。在 1698 年，沃波爾唯一在生的兄長愛德華去世，為了協助父親管理家族財產，他被迫綴學離校。沃波爾原本打算當神職人員，但由於自己成為了家中長子，將要繼承父親家產，他唯有打消此念頭。
en: As a child, Walpole attended a private school at Massingham, Norfolk. Walpole entered Eton College in 1690 where he was considered "an excellent scholar". He left Eton on 2 April 1696 and matriculated at King's College, Cambridge on the same day. On 25 May 1698, he left Cambridge after the death of his only remaining elder brother, Edward, so that he could help his father administer the family estate to which he had become the heir. Walpole had planned to become a clergyman but as he was now the eldest surviving son in the family, he abandoned the idea. In November 1700 his father died, and Robert succeeded to inherit the Walpole estate. A paper in his father's handwriting, dated 9 June 1700, shows the family estate in Norfolk and Suffolk to have been nine manors in Norfolk and one in Suffolk.As a young man, Walpole had bought shares in the South Sea Company, which monopolized trade with Spain, the Caribbean and South America. The speculative market for slaves, rum and mahogany spawned a frenzy that had ramifications throughout Europe when it collapsed. However, Walpole had bought at the bottom and sold at the top, adding greatly to his inherited wealth and allowing him to create Houghton Hall as seen today.
qas: question: zh_tw: 他 1696 年離開了什麼地方？
en: Where did he leave in 1696?
answers: zh_tw: text: 伊頓公學
en: text: Eton

context: zh_tw: 在 1700 年 11 月，沃波爾的父親逝世，並遺下了下院賴辛堡自治鎮議席。沃波爾後在 1701 年 1 月的補選中成功取得父親的下院議席，由此展開其政治生涯。到 1702 年，他離開賴辛堡自治鎮選區，改到鄰近的金斯林（King's Lynn）選區參選，以求謀得更重要及穩定的議席。他在此後的 40 多年時間，都是下院金斯林選區的議員。
en: Walpole's political career began in January 1701 when he won a seat in the general election at Castle Rising. He left Castle Rising in 1702 so that he could represent the neighbouring borough of King's Lynn, a pocket borough that would re-elect him for the remainder of his political career. Voters and politicians nicknamed him "Robin".Like his father, Robert Walpole was a member of the Whig Party. In 1705, Walpole was appointed by Queen Anne to be a member of the council for her husband, Prince George of Denmark, Lord High Admiral. After having been singled out in a struggle between the Whigs and the government, Walpole became the intermediary for reconciling the government to the Whig leaders. His abilities were recognised by Lord Godolphin (the Lord High Treasurer and leader of the Cabinet) and he was subsequently appointed to the position of Secretary at War in 1708; for a short period of time in 1710 he also simultaneously held the post of Treasurer of the Navy.Despite his personal clout, however, Walpole could not stop Lord Godolphin and the Whigs from pressing for the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell, a minister who preached anti-Whig sermons. The trial was extremely unpopular with much of the country, causing the Sacheverell riots, and was followed by the downfall of the Duke of Marlborough and the Whig Party in the general election of 1710. The new ministry, under the leadership of the Tory Robert Harley, removed Walpole from his office of Secretary at War but he remained Treasurer of the Navy until 2 January 1711. Harley had first attempted to entice him and then threatened him to join the Tories, but Walpole rejected the offers, instead becoming one of the most outspoken members of the Whig Opposition.  He effectively defended Lord Godolphin against Tory attacks in parliamentary debate, as well as in the press.In 1712, Walpole was accused of venality and corruption in the matter of two forage contracts for Scotland. Although it was proven that he had retained none of the money, Walpole was pronounced "guilty of a high breach of trust and notorious corruption". He was impeached by the House of Commons and found guilty by the House of Lords; he was then imprisoned in the Tower of London for six months and expelled from Parliament. While in the Tower he was regarded as a political martyr, and visited by all the Whig leaders. After he was released, Walpole wrote and published anonymous pamphlets attacking the Harley ministry and assisted Sir Richard Steele in crafting political pamphlets. Walpole was re-elected for King's Lynn in 1713.
qas: question: zh_tw: 沃波爾在哪個世紀開始了他的職業生涯？
en: During which century did Walpole begin his career?
answers: zh_tw: text: 1701 年 1 月
en: text: January 1701

context: zh_tw: 南海泡沫事件使公眾對政府誠信破產，在 1721 年，下院即成立委員會調查事件，並發現內閣不少官員皆涉嫌貪汙舞弊。當中受牽連在內的閣臣更計有財政大臣約翰・艾思拉比、郵政總局局長老詹姆士・克拉格斯、南方大臣小詹姆士・克拉格斯，甚至乎斯坦厄普勳爵及巽得蘭勳爵等等。事後，克拉格斯父子兩人在舉國痛罵下分別在 1721 年 3 月及 2 月逝世，其餘人等都因貪汙罪名被下院彈劾，艾思拉比更被下獄囚禁。可是在沃波爾的影響下，斯坦厄普勳爵、巽得蘭勳爵及部分人士最終沒有被深究，結果沃波爾被輿論戲稱為「包庇大臣」（Screenmaster-General）。
en: Soon after Walpole returned to the Cabinet, Britain was swept by a wave of over-enthusiastic speculation which led to the South Sea Bubble. The Government had established a plan whereby the South Sea Company would assume the national debt of Great Britain in exchange for lucrative bonds. It was widely believed that the Company would eventually reap an enormous profit through international trade in cloth, agricultural goods, and slaves. Many in the country, including Walpole himself (who sold at the top of the market and made 1,000 percent profit), frenziedly invested in the company. By the latter part of 1720, however, the company had begun to collapse as the price of its shares plunged. In 1721 a committee investigated the scandal, finding that there was corruption on the part of many in the Cabinet. Among those implicated were John Aislabie (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), James Craggs the Elder (the Postmaster General), James Craggs the Younger (the Southern Secretary), and even Lords Stanhope and Sunderland (the heads of the Ministry). Both Craggs the Elder and Craggs the Younger died in disgrace; the remainder were impeached for their corruption. Aislabie was found guilty and imprisoned, but the personal influence of Walpole saved both Stanhope and Sunderland. For his role in preventing these individuals and others from being punished, Walpole gained the nickname of "The Screen", or "Screenmaster-General".The resignation of Sunderland and the death of Stanhope in 1721 left Walpole as the most important figure in the administration. In April 1721 he was appointed First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons. Walpole's de facto tenure as "Prime Minister" is often dated to his appointment as First Lord of the Treasury in 1721. His brother-in-law Lord Townshend served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department and controlled the nation's foreign affairs. The two also had to contend with the Secretary of State for the Southern Department, Lord Carteret. Townshend and Walpole were thus restored to power and "annihilated the opposing faction".
qas: question: zh_tw: 被調查的郵政總局局長是誰？
en: Who was the Postmaster general who was investigated?
answers: zh_tw: text: 老詹姆士・克拉格斯
en: text: James Craggs the Elder

context: zh_tw: 南海泡沫事件以後，在沃波爾的推動下，國會推出多項措施挽救金融危機。其中，南海公司董事們的資產都被充公，以向事件受害者發放補償金；另外南海公司的所有股份更被英倫銀行及東印度公司瓜分。儘管南海泡沫事件使國民對英皇及輝格黨皆大失信心，但經過沃波爾在下院努力發表富有技巧的演說加以辯護後，大眾多少也回覆了相當的信心。
en: Under the guidance of Walpole, Parliament attempted to deal with the financial crisis brought on by the South Sea Bubble. The estates of the directors of the South Sea Company were used to relieve the suffering of the victims, and the stock of the company was divided between the Bank of England and East India Company. The crisis had significantly damaged the credibility of the King and of the Whig Party, but Walpole defended both with skilful oratory in the House of Commons.
qas: question: zh_tw: 哪兩個實體公司得到了股份？
en: What two entities received the stock?
answers: zh_tw: text: 英倫銀行及東印度公司
en: text: Bank of England and East India Company

context: zh_tw: 在英、西開戰以後，沃波爾的影響力仍然富戲劇性地下跌。在 1741 年的下院大選中，雖然沃波爾一派在不少選區都獲得普遍選民支援，不過在「口袋選區」卻遭遇連番挫折（口袋選區是指那些由地方權貴內定或操控人選的選區）。大抵而言，沃波爾一派在英格蘭及威爾斯地區的下院議席皆有增長，但議席的增長未能夠彌補他們於 1734 年及這次大選在康沃爾地區失去的議席。由於威爾斯親王腓特烈本身兼領康沃爾公爵的頭銜，因此康沃爾實為他的領地，而領地內選出的下院議員大多都聽命於威爾斯親王，對沃波爾則心懷敵意。此外，在阿蓋爾公爵的影響下，沃波爾在蘇格蘭也失去不少議席。綜合而言，鑑於大選後很多新議員的政治意向不明，因此難以斷定沃波爾在大選後所得的確實多數優勢，不過一般當代歷史學家則推算，他在下院僅餘 14 至 18 席的些微優勢。
en: Walpole's influence continued to dramatically decline even after the war began. In the 1741 general election his supporters secured an increase in votes in constituencies that were decided by mass electorates but failed to win in many pocket boroughs (constituencies subject to the informal but strong influence of patrons). In general the government made gains in England and Wales but this was not enough to overturn the reverses of the 1734 election and further losses in Cornwall where many constituencies were obedient to the will of the Prince of Wales (who was also Duke of Cornwall). These constituencies returned members of parliament hostile to the Prime Minister. Similarly, the influence of the Duke of Argyll secured the election of members opposed to Walpole in some parts of Scotland. Walpole's new majority was difficult to determine because of the uncertain loyalties of many new members, but contemporaries and historians estimated it as low as fourteen to eighteen.In the new Parliament, many Whigs thought the aging Prime Minister incapable of leading the military campaign. Moreover, his majority was not as strong as it had formerly been, his detractors—such as William Pulteney, earl of Bath, and Lord Perceval—being approximately as numerous as his supporters. Behind these political enemies were opposition Whigs, Tories and Jacobites. Walpole was alleged to have presided over an immense increase in corruption and to have enriched himself enormously whilst in office. Parliamentary committees were formed to investigate these charges. In 1742 when the House of Commons was prepared to determine the validity of a by-election in Chippenham, Walpole and others agreed to treat the issue as a motion of no confidence. As Walpole was defeated on the vote, he agreed to resign from the Government. The news of the naval disaster against Spain in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias also prompted the end of his political career. King George II wept on his resignation and begged to see him frequently. As part of his resignation the King agreed to elevate him to the House of Lords as the Earl of Orford, Viscount Walpole and Baron Walpole of Houghton in the County of Norfolk, this occurred on 6 February 1742. Five days later he formally relinquished the seals of office.Although no longer First Lord of the Treasury, Walpole remained politically involved as an advisor.   His former colleagues were still pleased to see him, perhaps in part because he retained the king's favour. After his resignation, his main political roles were to support the government by means of advice, to dole out some patronage and to speak on the ministry's behalf in the Lords.
qas: question: zh_tw: 誰影響了選舉？
en: Who influenced the election?
answers: zh_tw: text: 阿蓋爾公爵
en: text: Duke of Argyll

context: zh_tw: 奧福德伯爵退仕後，首相一職由維明頓伯爵接任，但實權則握在加特利勳爵手中。此外，維明頓伯爵政府曾設立一個委員會，專門調查前任政府曾否有任何貪汙徇私或政策失當的問題，但最後沒有任何發現。退仕後的奧福德伯爵依然對喬治二世起很大的影響力，雖然他已不再任官，但喬治二世卻仍經常就每事諮詢於他，使他被輿論稱為「布幕後的官員」（Minister behind the Curtain）。在 1744 年，在他的協助下，加特利勳爵成功被逐出內閣，並讓亨利・佩勒姆成為首相。
en: Lord Orford was succeeded as Prime Minister by Lord Wilmington in an administration whose true head was Lord Carteret. A committee was created to inquire into Walpole's ministry but no substantial evidence of wrongdoing or corruption was discovered. Though no longer a member of the Cabinet, Orford continued to maintain personal influence with George II and was often dubbed the "Minister behind the Curtain" for this advice and influence. In 1744 he managed to secure the dismissal of Carteret and the appointment of Henry Pelham whom he regarded as a political protégé. He advised Pelham to make use of his seat in the Commons to serve as a bridge between the King and Parliament, just as Walpole had done.During this time, Walpole also made two interventions in the Lords. The first was in January 1744 in the debate on Hanoverian troops being kept in British pay. Walpole prevented them from losing the troops. In his second intervention, Walpole, with fear of a Jacobite-inspired invasion in February 1744, made a speech on the situation. Frederick, Prince of Wales, usually hostile to Walpole, warmly received him at his court the next day, most likely because his father's throne, and the future of the whole Hanoverian dynasty, was at risk from the Stuart Pretender.Along with his political interests in his last years, Walpole enjoyed the pleasures of the hunt. Back at his recently rebuilt country seat in Houghton, Norfolk, such pastimes were denied him due to "dismal weather". He also enjoyed the beauties of the countryside. His art collection gave him particular pleasure. He had spent much money in the 1720s and 1730s in building up a collection of Old Masters from all over Europe. Walpole also concerned himself with estate matters.His health, never good, deteriorated rapidly toward the end of 1744; Orford died in London in 1745, aged nearly sixty-nine years; he was buried in the parish church of St Martin in Houghton, Norfolk. His earldom passed to his eldest son Robert who was in turn succeeded by his only son George. Upon the death of the third Earl, the Earldom was inherited by the first Earl's younger son Horace Walpole, who is now remembered for his many thousands of insightful letters, published in 48 volumes by Yale University Press.
qas: question: zh_tw: 亨利・佩勒姆何時被任命為下議院議員？
en: When was Henry Pelham appointed to the House of Commons?
answers: zh_tw: text: 1744
en: text: 1744

context: zh_tw: 在治國方面，沃波爾在任期間長期採取維持和平的政策，使英國的經濟得以繁榮穩定。此外，在他的帶領下，漢諾威王朝得以在英國生根，而詹姆士黨的勢力則被有效打壓。沃波爾下野後不久，詹姆士黨人在 1745 年發動起義，有關起義被鎮壓後，詹姆士黨在英國的勢力終告被徹底粉碎。
en: Walpole's strategy of keeping Great Britain at peace contributed greatly to the country's prosperity. Walpole also managed to secure the position of the Hanoverian Dynasty, and effectively countervailed Jacobitism. The Jacobite threat ended, soon after Walpole's term ended, with the defeat of the rebellion of 1745. Later in the century, the Whig MP Edmund Burke "admitted him into the whig pantheon". Burke wrote:
qas: question: zh_tw: 誰是英國繁榮的功臣？
en: Who was the major reason for Great Britain's prosperity?
answers: zh_tw: text: 沃波爾
en: text: Walpole