英文真差。上班这么久觉得英文没怎么进步

所以现在有空看看英文小说。碰到这一句，怎么这么别扭啊。

The despotism and hatred of Liberalism which animated
the Continental governments had had the effect of driving to our shores a
number of men who might have made excellent citizens were they not
soured by the recollection of all that they had undergone.