"The recent sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose name has been mentioned as the probable Liberal candidate for Mid-Devon at the next election, has cast a gloom over the county. Though Sir Charles had resided at Baskerville Hall for a comparatively short period his amiability of character and extreme generosity had won the affection and respect of all who had been brought into contact with him. In these days of nouveaux riches it is refreshing to find a case where the scion of an old county family which has fallen upon evil days is able to make his own fortune and to bring it back with him to restore the fallen grandeur of his line.
"Sir Charles, as is well known (сэр Чарльз, как хорошо известно), made large sums of money in South African speculation (заработал большую сумму денег на биржевых операциях в Южной Африке; speculation — размышление; игра на бирже). More wise than those who go on (/будучи/ благоразумнее тех, кто продолжает = не останавливается; to go on — продолжать) until the wheel turns against them (до тех пор, пока колесо /фортуны/ не повернется против них), he realized his gains and returned to England with them (он обратил акции в деньги: «реализовал свои прибыли» и с ними вернулся в Англию). It is only two years since (/прошло/ всего лишь два года с тех пор) he took up his residence at Baskerville Hall (как он поселился в Баскервиль-холле; to take up residence — въехать /в квартиру, номер/), and it is common talk how large were those schemes of reconstruction and improvement (но /уже распространились слухи о том/, какими масштабными были планы реконструкции и усовершенствования; common talk — молва) which have been interrupted by his death (прерванные его смертью). Being himself childless (сам будучи бездетным), it was his openly-expressed desire (он открыто выражал свое желание = намерение) that the whole countryside should, within his own lifetime (чтобы, пока он жив, все /жители/ окрестных деревень), profit by his good fortune (воспользовались его удачей = благотворительностью), and many will have personal reasons for bewailing his untimely end (и /поэтому/ у многих были личные причины оплакивать его безвременную кончину). His generous donations to local and county charities (его щедрые пожертвования благотворительным организациям как местным, так и по всему графству) have been frequently chronicled in these columns (не раз упоминались в нашей: «этой» газете; to chronicle — заносить /в дневник/; отмечать /в прессе/; column — колонна; рубрика, раздел /в газете, журнале/).
speculation [,spekju'leIS(@)n], scheme [ski:m], column ['kOl@m]
"Sir Charles, as is well known, made large sums of money in South African speculation. More wise than those who go on until the wheel turns against them, he realized his gains and returned to England with them. It is only two years since he took up his residence at Baskerville Hall, and it is common talk how large were those schemes of reconstruction and improvement which have been interrupted by his death. Being himself childless, it was his openly-expressed desire that the whole countryside should, within his own lifetime, profit by his good fortune, and many will have personal reasons for bewailing his untimely end. His generous donations to local and county charities have been frequently chronicled in these columns.