約翰·洛克的教育思想(中英對照)-11: 個人脾性

TEMPER | When this foundation is once well laid, and you find this reverence begin to work in him, the next thing to be done is carefully to consider his temper, and the particular constitution of his mind. Stubbornness, lying, and ill-natured actions, are not (as has been said) to be permitted in him from the beginning, whatever his temper be: those seeds of vices are not to be suffered to take any root, but must be carefully weeded out, as soon as ever they begin to show themselves in him; and your authority is to take place, and influence his mind from the very dawning of any knowledge in him, that it may operate as a natural principle, whereof he never perceived the beginning; never knew that it was, or could be otherwise. By this, if the reverence he owes you be established early, it will always be sacred to him; and it will be as hard for him to resist it, as the principles of his nature.

脾性 | 一旦這種基礎打好了，你發現這種敬愛心理開始在他身上起作用，下一步要做的是仔細地考慮他的脾氣性情，以及他的心理特征。頑固、撒謊和不良行為， (前麵說過)從開始就不允許他，不管他的脾氣如何：那些邪惡的種子不能讓其生根，隻要它們在他身上一露苗頭，就立即小心地拔除；並且你要在他剛開始有知識的時候就建立你的權威，影響他的心理，這樣它可以象自然本能一樣操作，而他卻永遠不會意識到它的起源，也永遠不知道它原來是或可能是別的情形。這樣，如果他對你的尊敬能及早地建立起來，對他來說這尊敬永遠是神聖，它就如同他的天性本能，不可能為他所抗拒。

Having thus very early set up your authority, and, by the gentler applications of it, shamed him out of what leads towards an immoral habit; as soon as you have observed it in him, (for I would by no means have chiding used, much less blows, till obstinacy and incorrigibleness make it absolutely necessary,) it will be fit to consider which way the natural make of his mind inclines him. Some men, by the unalterable frame of their constitutions, are stout, others timorous; some confident, others modest, tractable or obstinate, curious or careless, quick or slow. There are not more differences in men's faces, and the outward lineaments of their bodies, than there are in the makes and tempers of their minds: only there is this difference, that the distinguishing characters of the face, and the lineaments of the body, grow more plain and visible with time and age, but the peculiar physiognomy of the mind is most discernible in children, before art and cunning have taught them to hide their deformities, and conceal their ill inclinations under a dissembled outside.

這樣及早地樹立了你的威信，通過溫和地運用它，使他羞愧而不做那會導致不道德習慣的事情；一旦你發現他有那種傾向， (因為我不主張嗬叱，更不主張責打小孩，除非是頑固不化與屢教不改使其成為絕對必要，)你就應該考慮他的天性使他傾向哪個方向。由於不可改變的本質，有的人堅強，有的人懦弱，有的人自負，有的人謙遜，有的人順從，有的人固執，有的人好奇，有的人淡漠，有的人迅捷，有的人緩慢。人的麵相與外部體形上的區別，是比不上心理性格與氣質上的差別；不同的隻有這一點，麵相與體形的明顯特征，會隨著時間與年齡的增長愈來愈明顯，愈來愈引人注目，但是心理上的特殊形象在孩子身上最容易識別，以後由於機巧與詭計教會他們掩蓋缺陷，把他們的不良傾向隱藏在虛假的外表之下。

Begin therefore betimes nicely to observe your son's temper; and that, when he is under least restraint, in his play, and, as he thinks, out of your sight. See what are his predominant passions, and prevailing inclinations; whether he be fierce or mild, bold or bashful, compassionate or cruel, open or reserved, etc. For as these are different in him, so are your methods to be different, and your authority must hence take measures to apply itself different ways to him. These native propensities, these prevalencies of constitution, are not to be cured by rules, or a direct contest; especially those of them that are the humbler and meaner sort which proceed from fear and lowness of spirit; though with art they may be much mended, and turned to good purpose. But this be sure of, after all is done, the bias will always hang on that side where nature first placed it: and if you carefully observe the characters of his mind now in the first scenes of his life, you will ever after be able to judge which way his thoughts lean, and what he aims at even hereafter, when, as he grows up, the plot thickens, and he puts on several shapes to act it.

所以應該及早開始仔細觀察你兒子的脾性，而且要在他束縛最少時候，當他玩耍，還有他自以為在你的視線之外時。看看他主要的熱情和主要的傾向是什麽；他是暴躁還是溫和，大膽還是靦腆，有同情心還是殘忍，開朗還是內向等等。因為他的這些方麵不同，你的方法也不同，你運用權威對待他的方式也不一樣。這些天生的習性，這些體質上的傾向，是不可能用規則或直接的鬥爭來矯正的；特別是那些由於恐懼和情緒低沉所引起的自卑和刻薄；雖然運用技巧可以大大改進它們，使其轉向好的用途。但是可以肯定，在用盡所有的方法之後，人的性情總是偏向``自然''最初安排的那一邊：而且如果你從他人生初始就仔細地觀察他的心理特征，以後即使他長大後，玩弄複雜的計謀，披上種種偽裝去行動，你也一直能判斷他的心思傾向哪裏，他的目的是什麽。

 

摘自Some Thoughts Concerning Education (English-Chinese Edition)(ISBN-10: 1537479857)