The fact is, that there wasconsiderable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office ofnresperation,
我感觉应该是"亲自"的意义,与Oliver是同位关系，但这里放的地方让我非常费解？我也找不到take upon onself sth的动词短语，不知如此理解对不对?
The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office ofrespiration.
◆这是介词短语upon himself 提到宾语前，把动宾分隔了。
take upon himself the office of respiration 等于：take the office ofrespiration upon himself （结构：动+宾+状）
字面意思：把呼吸空气的职能拿来放在自己身上。引申意思：“让自己承担呼吸空气的职能”，暗示不借用外力。
◆这个词组跟 take the responsibility upon oneself （自己承担起责任来；引为己任），是完全一样的结构。