《四季隨筆》節(jié)選 - 春 22

《四季隨筆》是吉辛的散文代表作。其中對隱士賴克羅夫特醉心于書籍、自然景色與回憶過去生活的描述，其實是吉辛的自述，作者以此來抒發(fā)自己的情感，因而本書是一部富有自傳色彩的小品文集。

吉辛窮困的一生，對文學名著的愛好與追求，以及對大自然恬靜生活的向往，在書中均有充分的反映。本書分為春、夏、秋、冬四個部分，文筆優(yōu)美，行文流暢，是英國文學中小品文的珍品之一。

以下是由網(wǎng)友分享的《四季隨筆》節(jié)選 - 春 22的內(nèi)容，讓我們一起來感受吉辛的四季吧!

Were one to look at the literary journals only, and thereafter judge of the time, it would be easy to persuade oneself that civilization had indeed made great and solid progress, and that the world stood at a very hopeful stage of enlightenment. Week after week, I glance over these pages of crowded advertisement; I see a great many publishing houses zealously active in putting forth every kind of book, new and old; I see names innumerable of workers in every branch of literature. Much that is announced declares itself at once of merely ephemeral import, or even of no import at all; but what masses of print which invite the attention of thoughtful or studious folk! To the multitude is offered a long succession of classic authors, in beautiful form, at a minimum cost; never were such treasures so cheaply and so gracefully set before all who can prize them. For the wealthy, there are volumes magnificent; lordly editions; works of art whereon have been lavished care and skill and expense incalculable. Here is exhibited the learning of the whole world and of all the ages; be a man's study what it will, in these columns, at one time or another he shall find that which appeals to him. Here are labours of the erudite, exercised on every subject that falls within learning's scope. Science brings forth its newest discoveries in earth and heaven; it speaks to the philosopher in his solitude, and to the crowd in the market-place. Curious pursuits of the mind at leisure are represented in publications numberless; trifles and oddities of intellectual savour; gatherings from every byway of human interest. For other moods there are the fabulists; to tell truth, they commonly hold the place of honour in these varied lists. Who shall count them? Who shall calculate their readers? Builders of verse are many; yet the observer will note that contemporary poets have but an inconspicuous standing in this index of the public taste. Travel, on the other hand, is largely represented; the general appetite for information about lands remote would appear to be only less keen than for the adventures of romance.

如果只看文學報紙，并據(jù)此對時代進行評判，便很容易相信文明的確已取得長足堅實的進步，世界很有希望步入一個開明時代。周復一周，我瀏覽報紙時滿眼都是廣告。我看到許多出版社熱忱積極地出版各種新舊書籍?？吹礁黝愇膶W工作者數(shù)不清的名字。宣傳的作品大都要么只有短暫的意義，要么沒有絲毫意義。不過，值得勤思好學者注意的印刷品真是堆積如山！一冊冊裝幀精美、價格低廉的經(jīng)典作品呈現(xiàn)在讀者大眾面前，這些寶貝對于珍視它們的人從來沒有像現(xiàn)在這樣實惠和體面。對于有錢人，可選擇的有華麗的書卷，氣派的版本，以及保養(yǎng)細致、制作精良、價格不菲的藝術品。這里呈現(xiàn)的是全世界古往今來的所有學問，不管一個人的研究領域是什么，在這里的浩繁卷帙中，他總能找到自己感興趣的。這里陳列的是治學之人在學問各個領域苦心孤詣的研究成果?？茖W帶來了它在天上和地下的最新發(fā)現(xiàn)，它既啟迪孤獨中的哲學家，又教育市井里的百姓。閑暇時刻在精神世界尋幽探勝的文字在許多出版物里都能找到；學問領域的奇聞軼事，以及人們感興趣的旁門左道的知識薈萃，也都俯拾即是。對于其他的閱讀心境，還有寓言家的作品，說實話，它們在名目繁多的書目中通常占據(jù)比較尊崇的地位。誰去計算它們呢？誰又去計算它們的讀者數(shù)量呢？寫詩的不乏其人，但觀察一下就會發(fā)現(xiàn)，當代詩人在以大眾趣味為尺度的排名榜上的位置并不顯眼。另一方面，旅游圖書為數(shù)眾多，介紹遙遠國度的書籍似乎很符合大眾趣味，走紅程度僅次于浪漫愛情作品。

With these pages before one's eyes, must one not needs believe that things of the mind are a prime concern of our day? Who are the purchasers of these volumes ever pouring from the press? How is it possible for so great a commerce to flourish save as a consequence of national eagerness in this intellectual domain? Surely one must take for granted that throughout the land, in town and country, private libraries are growing apace; that by the people at large a great deal of time is devoted to reading; that literary ambition is one of the commonest spurs to effort?

把這些書放在你面前，豈不是要相信思想求索已成為我們這個時代的首要關切？是誰在購買從印刷廠源源流出的書籍？規(guī)模宏大的圖書產(chǎn)業(yè)如此繁榮，豈能不是舉國上下熱心向學的結果？舉國上下，不管城市還是鄉(xiāng)村，私人圖書館的數(shù)量激增，大多數(shù)人都將很多時間用在閱讀上，文學上的雄心是催人奮進的最尋常的動力之一。這些你都可以視為理所當然嗎？

It is the truth. All this may be said of contemporary England. But is it enough to set one's mind at ease regarding the outlook of our civilization?

以上都是事實。在當代英國確實如此，但這就足以讓人們對文明的未來有信心了嗎？

Two things must be remembered. However considerable this literary traffic, regarded by itself, it is relatively of small extent. And, in the second place, literary activity is by no means an invariable proof of that mental attitude which marks the truly civilized man.

必須要記住兩件事。盡管我們看到文學事業(yè)本身很繁榮，但相對來說它的規(guī)模不大。另外，文學活動絕不是代表真正文明社會思想態(tài)度的最可靠證據(jù)。

Lay aside the "literary organ," which appears once a week, and take up the newspaper, which comes forth every day, morning and evening. Here you get the true proportion of things. Read your daily newssheet—that which costs three pence or that which costs a halfpenny—and muse upon the impression it leaves. It may be that a few books are "noticed"; granting that the "notice" is in any way noticeable, compare the space it occupies with that devoted to the material interests of life: you have a gauge of the real importance of intellectual endeavour to the people at large. No, the public which reads, in any sense of the word worth considering, is very, very small; the public which would feel no lack if all book-printing ceased tomorrow, is enormous. These announcements of learned works which strike one as so encouraging, are addressed, as a matter of fact, to a few thousand persons, scattered all over the English-speaking world. Many of the most valuable books slowly achieve the sale of a few hundred copies. Gather from all the ends of the British Empire the men and women who purchase grave literature as a matter of course, who habitually seek it in public libraries, in short who regard it as a necessity of life, and I am much mistaken if they could not comfortably assemble in the Albert Hall.

將每周一期的“文學機關報”放在一邊，拿起每天早晚都會出版的報紙，你便會看到事情的真正情形。閱讀一份標價三便士或半便士的日報，然后回想它留給你的印象，你可能會記得有幾本書受到“關注”；而這種“關注”幾乎讓人注意不到。對比一下它占據(jù)的空間和討論生活中物質利益的版面，你就能計算出思想求索對大多數(shù)人的重要性到底幾何了。真正閱讀的人鳳毛麟角，而在所有書停印后不會感到任何缺憾的卻大有人在。那些對博學之作讓人鼓舞的宣傳，實際上針對的只是散落在英語國家的幾千個人而已。許多最有價值的書，銷量以蝸牛的速度爬升，最后能賣掉幾百本。習慣購買嚴肅文學書籍并經(jīng)常在公共圖書館借閱的人—也就是將嚴肅文學視為生活必需品的人，從大英帝國的各個角落聚攏起來，并舒服自在地在阿爾伯特紀念堂集會，我相信我不會估計錯的。

But even granting this, is it not an obvious fact that our age tends to the civilized habit of mind, as displayed in a love for intellectual things? Was there ever a time which saw the literature of knowledge and of the emotions so widely distributed? Does not the minority of the truly intelligent exercise a vast and profound influence? Does it not in truth lead the way, however slowly and irregularly the multitude may follow?

即便如此，我們的時代確實在向文明的思維習慣靠攏，對學問的熱愛正表明了這一點，這一點不是顯而易見的嗎？傳遞知識和情感的文學最廣泛地得到傳播，哪個時代能與現(xiàn)代比肩？真正智慧的少數(shù)人不是發(fā)揮了廣泛深刻的影響力嗎？不管大眾的腳步多么緩慢雜亂，實際上不還是在追隨著精英們的指引嗎？

I should like to believe it. When gloomy evidence is thrust upon me, I often say to myself: Think of the frequency of the reasonable man; think of him everywhere labouring to spread the light; how is it possible that such efforts should be overborne by forces of blind brutality, now that the human race has got so far?—Yes, yes; but this mortal whom I caress as reasonable, as enlightened and enlightening, this author, investigator, lecturer, or studious gentleman, to whose coat tails I cling, does he always represent justice and peace, sweetness of manners, purity of life—all the things which makes for true civilization? Here is a fallacy of bookish thought. Experience offers proof on every hand that vigorous mental life may be but one side of a personality, of which the other is moral barbarism. A man may be a fine archaeologist, and yet have no sympathy with human ideals. The historian, the biographer, even the poet, may be a money-market gambler, a social toady, a clamorous Chauvinist, or an unscrupulous wire-puller. As for "leaders of science," what optimist will dare to proclaim them on the side of the gentle virtues? And if one must needs think in this way of those who stand forth, professed instructors and inspirers, what of those who merely listen? The reading-public—oh, the reading-public! Hardly will a prudent statistician venture to declare that one in every score of those who actually read sterling books do so with comprehension of their author. These dainty series of noble and delightful works, which have so seemingly wide an acceptance, think you they vouch for true appreciation in all who buy them? Remember those who purchase to follow the fashion, to impose upon their neighbour, or even to flatter themselves; think of those who wish to make cheap presents, and those who are merely pleased by the outer aspect of the volume. Above all, bear in mind that busy throng whose zeal is according neither to knowledge nor to conviction, the host of the half-educated, characteristic and peril of our time. They, indeed, purchase and purchase largely. Heaven forbid that I should not recognize the few among them whose bent of brain and of conscience justifies their fervour; to such—the ten in ten thousand—be all aid and brotherly solace! But the glib many, the perky mispronouncers of titles and of authors' names, the twanging murderers of rhythm, the maulers of the uncut edge at sixpence extra, the ready-reckoners of bibliopolic discount—am I to see in these a witness of my hope for the century to come?

我愿意相信這一點。當令人沮喪的證據(jù)擺在面前時，我常對自己說：想想那些頻頻出現(xiàn)的理智的人們，想想他在到處努力地播灑光明，人類現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)進步到這個階段，這種努力怎會被盲目的野蠻力量征服呢？是的，沒錯。但是這個我想象中理智、開明、給人啟迪的人，這位作者、調查者、演講者或是勤學的紳士，這個令我馬首是瞻的人，他是否會一直代表正義與和平、溫文爾雅的舉止、純潔的生活等真正文明必不可少的所有事物呢？這是一個學究式思想的謬誤。人生的各方面經(jīng)驗證明，豐富多彩的精神生活可能只是性格的一面，另一面則是道德上的野蠻。一個人或許是一名優(yōu)秀的考古學家，但卻并不認同人類的理想。而歷史學家、傳記作家，甚至詩人，也許是一個金融市場的賭徒，一個社交馬屁精，一個叫囂的沙文主義者，或是一個恬不知恥的幕后操縱者。至于“科學的領軍人物”，哪個樂觀主義者敢為他們的優(yōu)良品德打保票呢？如果連這些杰出的人，這些公認的教導者和激勵者，都要受到這樣的質疑，那些只知道言聽計從的人，他們又怎樣呢？讀者大眾—對，讀者大眾！謹慎的統(tǒng)計學家?guī)缀鯖]人敢說，二十個確實閱讀過那些精裝書籍的讀者中能有一個真正理解了作者的意圖。這些裝幀精美的書，氣派十足，賞心悅目，似乎買者甚眾，你以為所有買書的人都能真正欣賞它們嗎？別忘了，有人買書是跟風，或是向鄰居炫耀，又或者只是為了抬高自己；有人買書是想把它們作為便宜的禮物，還有的只是喜歡書籍的外觀。最要記住的是那些攘攘眾生，他們的熱情既非源于知識亦非信仰，他們是些受教育不多的人，是我們時代的特征和威脅。他們的確買書，而且買得很多。憑天地良心，我必須承認，他們中確有幾個人的頭腦或覺悟可以解釋對書的熱情，對這樣的人—在一萬個人中可能有十個—要不吝幫助和親切慰藉。然而，對于那些油嘴滑舌的多數(shù)人，那些將書名和作者名字念錯的裝腔作勢之徒，那些謀殺韻律的朗讀者，那些多花六個便士將未裁切書頁糟蹋了的人，那些在書的折扣上精打細算的人—在他們身上焉能看到下個世紀的希望？

I am told that their semi-education will be integrated. We are in a transition stage, between the bad old time when only a few had academic privileges, and that happy future which will see all men liberally instructed. Unfortunately for this argument, education is a thing of which only the few are capable; teach as you will, only a small percentage will profit by your most zealous energy. On an ungenerous soil it is vain to look for rich crops. Your average mortal will be your average mortal still: and if he grows conscious of power, if he becomes vocal and self-assertive, if he gets into his hands all the material resources of the country, why, you have a state of things such as at present looms menacingly before every Englishman blessed—or cursed—with an unpopular spirit.

我聽說，他們殘缺的教育最終會完整。我們正處在一個過渡階段，身后是一個糟糕的舊時代，只有少數(shù)人有受教育的權利，面前是所有人都能自由接受教育的美好未來。不幸的是，這個論點并不成立，因為教育只有少數(shù)人才能獲得。你可以教授所有人，但只有少數(shù)人能從你熱情的授業(yè)中獲益。貧瘠的土地上長不出好莊稼，平庸的人最終仍歸于平庸：如果他有了權利意識，如果他學會宣傳自己并專斷獨行，如果他掌握了這個國家的物質資源，那么，每個幸運的或不幸的并且懷抱不得人心思想的英國人都會面對目前這種悄悄逼近的險惡事態(tài)。