另外,我們考察一下在法院里的情形。才能可以讓別人感受到一個人的影響力,而機智則可以讓其盡情發(fā)揮影響力。
talent commands, tact is obeyed; talent is honored with approbation, and tact is blessed by preferment.
才能居于指揮地位,而機智則會令別人服從;才能榮享贊揚,而機智則優(yōu)先得到上天的恩賜;
Place them in the senate: talent has the ear of the house, but tact wins its heart, and has its votes;
那么在參議院情形怎樣呢?才能使議會能聽到它希望了解的東西,而機智卻能贏得它的芳心,獲得大家的投票;
talent is fit for employment, but tact is fitted for it.
才智適合就業(yè),而機智則使就業(yè)的人游刃有余。
It has a knack of slipping into place with a sweet silence and glibness of movement, as a billiard ball insinuates itself into the pocket.
機智具有一種悄無聲息地占據(jù)有利位置,口齒伶俐地表達(dá)自己的想法的技巧,就像彈子球巧妙迂回落入袋中一樣。
It seems to know everything, without learning anything.
機智不需要掌握什么就能洞察一切。
It has served an extemporary apprenticeship; it wants no drilling; it never ranks in the awkward squad; it has no left hand, no deaf ear, no blind side.
它需要一個練習(xí)不用事先準(zhǔn)備,張嘴就說的見習(xí)期。它不需要刻苦鉆研,在那些愚笨的人從來就不具備這種本領(lǐng);它是信手拈來的,對周圍的一切洞若觀火。
It puts on no look of wondrous wisdom, it has no air of profundity,
它沒有令人驚嘆的智慧那不屑一顧的傲慢,也沒有深奧的外表,
but plays with the details of place as dexterously as a well-taught hand flourishes over the keys of the pianoforte.
但是卻敏捷地注意到所處環(huán)境的細(xì)微末梢之處,就像一只訓(xùn)練有素的手在鋼琴鍵盤上跳舞一樣。
It has all the air of commonplace, and all the force and power of genius.
機智披著尋常的外衣,卻勝過天才所有的力量和影響力。