約翰·洛克的教育思想(中英對照)-26: 學問

LEARNING | You will wonder, perhaps, that I put learning last, especially if I tell you I think it the least part. This may seem strange in the mouth of a bookish man; and this making usually the chief, if not only bustle and stir about children, this being almost that alone which is thought on, when people talk of education, makes it the greater paradox. When I consider, what ado is made about a little Latin and Greek, how many years are spent in it, and what a noise and business it makes to no purpose, I can hardly forbear thinking that the parents of children still live in fear of the school-master's rod, which they look on as the only instrument of education; as a language or two to be its whole business. How else is it possible that a child should be chained to the oar seven, eight, or ten of the best years of his life, to get a language or two, which, I think, might be had at a great deal cheaper rate of pains and time, and be learned almost in playing?

學問 |  我把學問放在最後，特別是我如果告訴你我認為學問最不重要，你也許會很奇怪。這出自於一個書呆子之口看起來很奇怪；大家為小孩奔忙主要是為了學問，人們談到教育時想到的幾乎也隻有學問，所以這就顯得更不可思議。每當我想到多少無謂的功夫用在拉丁語和希臘語上，多少年的時間花在這上麵，隻是喧囂和忙碌卻沒有任何結果，我不禁想到孩子的父母還生活在校長教鞭的恐懼中，認為教鞭是教育的唯一工具，認為一兩門語言就是教育的全部事務。我認為可以用更少的力氣與時間，用玩耍的方法來學習這一兩門語言，怎麽可以讓一個小孩用他一生中最好的七、八年或十年的時光去學呢？

Forgive me, therefore, if I say, I cannot with patience think, that a young gentleman should be put into the herd, and be driven with a whip and scourge, as if he were to run the gauntlet through the several classes, "ad capiendum ingenii cultum. (Latin "In order to acquire an education of his natural ability")" "What then," say you, "would you not have him write and read? Shall he be more ignorant than the clerk of our parish, who takes Hopkins and Sternhold for the best poets in the world, whom yet he makes worse than they are, by his ill reading?" Not so, not so fast, I beseech you. Reading, and writing, and learning, I allow to be necessary, but yet not the chief business. I imagine you would think him a very foolish fellow, that should not value a virtuous, or a wise man, infinitely before a great scholar. Not but that I think learning a great help to both, in well-disposed minds; but yet it must be confessed also, that in others not so disposed, it helps them only to be the more foolish, or worse men. I say this, that, when you consider of the breeding of your son, and are looking out for a school-master, or a tutor, you would not have (as is usual) Latin and logic only in your thoughts. Learning must be had, but in the second place, as subservient only to greater qualities. Seek out somebody, that may know how discreetly to frame his manners: place him in hands, where you may, as much as possible, secure his innocence, cherish and nurse up the good, and gently correct and weed out any bad inclinations, and settle in him good habits. This is the main point, and this being provided for, learning may be had into the bargain, and that as I think, at a very easy rate, by methods that may be thought on.

所以請你原諒，如果我說我難以想象一個年輕的紳士好像被放進牛群中，要被鞭打驅策，又像是讓他受"列隊鞭刑"似的學過幾門課程，是"為獲得與他天生能力相稱的教育" (ad capiendum ingenii cultum)。"然後呢，" 你會說，"難道你不想讓他讀書寫字嗎？我們教區的教士把霍普金斯 (Hopkins)與斯滕霍德 (Sternhold) 當作世上最好的詩人，但是他的不善讀書卻把他們弄得更糟，難道你想讓他比這個教士更無知嗎？" 不是這樣，不要著急，我懇求你。讀書、寫作和學問，我認為是必要的，但卻不是主要任務。我想，如果有人不把一個有德行或有智慧的人看得比一個有學問的人更無限寶貴，你一定會認為他是一個愚蠢的人。因為我覺得學問不僅對於心地善良的人在德行與智慧上都有很大的幫助；而且我們必須承認，對於那些心地不是那麽善良的人，它卻使他們變成更愚蠢、更糟糕的人。我這樣說的意思是，當你考慮令郎的教養，並且為他尋找一個老師或家教的時候，你不該象通常做法一樣隻想著拉丁語與邏輯了。學問是必須要有的，但是它應該在第二位，隻是對更重要品質的輔助。要找一個知道怎樣小心去塑造他禮數的人；把他托付給這樣的人，你就可以盡可能地保持他的純真，維護與培養他的優點，並且溫和地糾正和消除他的任何不良傾向。這是主要之點，這一點具備了，我認為學問可以用能想到的方法很容易地獲得。

READING | When he can talk, it is time he should begin to learn to read. But as to this, give me leave here to inculcate again, what is very apt to be forgotten, viz. That great care is to be taken, that it be never made as a business to him, nor he look on it as a task. We naturally, as I said, even from our cradles, love liberty, and have therefore an aversion to many things for no other reason but because they are enjoined us. I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children: and that they might be brought to desire to be taught, if it were proposed to them as a thing of honour, credit, delight, and recreation, or as a reward for doing something else, and if they were never chid or corrected for the neglect of it. That which confirms me in this opinion is, that amongst the Portuguese, it is so much a fashion and emulation amongst their children, to learn to read and write, that they cannot hinder them from it: they will learn it one from another, and are as intent on it as if it were forbidden them. I remember that being at a friend's house, whose younger son, a child in coats, was not easily brought to his book (being taught to read at home by his mother), I advised to try another way than requiring it of him as his duty. We therefore, in a discourse on purpose amongst our selves in his hearing, but without taking any notice of him, declared, that it was the privilege and advantage of heirs and elder brothers to be scholars; that this made them fine gentlemen and beloved by every body: and that for younger brothers, it was a favour to admit them to breeding; to be taught to read and write, was more than came to their share; they might be ignorant bumpkins and clowns, if they pleased. This so wrought upon the child, that afterwards he desired to be taught; would come himself to his mother to learn, and would not let his maid be quiet till she heard him his lesson. I doubt not but some way like this might be taken with other children; and when their tempers are found, some thoughts be instilled into them, that might set them upon desiring of learning themselves, and make them seek it as another sort of play or recreation. But then, as I said before, it must never be imposed as a task, nor made a trouble to them. There may be dice and play-things, with the letters on them to teach children the alphabet by playing; and twenty other ways may be found, suitable to their particular tempers, to make this kind of learning a sport to them.

閱讀 |  當他會說話的時候，就應該開始教他閱讀。但是對於這一點，我要再次強調一件很容易遺忘的事情，就是要極力注意不要把讀書當作工作派給他，也不要讓他把讀書看作一個任務。我曾經說過，我們甚至還在搖籃的時候就開始天然地熱愛自由，因此我們憎惡許多事情不為別的隻是因為那些事情是強加於我們的。我總是希望學習能夠成為小孩的一種遊戲或消遣；假如我們把學習當作榮譽、成就、快樂和消遣的事情，或者當作完成別的事情之後的獎勵，如果他們從來沒有因為忽視學習而受責備與懲戒，那他們就會渴望受教的。有一件事更證實了我的看法，就是在葡萄牙人那裏，他們的小孩把學習讀書和寫字當作一種如此時髦與競爭的事情，簡直不能阻止他們去學習：他們互相學習，一心向學就好像有人禁止他們學習似的。我記得在一個朋友家裏，他的小兒子還穿著童裝，不愛讀書(那時他媽媽在家教他讀書)，我建議他們換一種方法，不要把它當作他的責任。所以我們自己交談，有意讓他聽見，但卻不注意他，我們聲稱成為學者是嗣子和長兄的特權與優勢；這樣他們可以成為高尚的紳士並且得到每個人的喜愛；至於弟弟們，教養他們是一種恩惠，教他們讀書寫字更是超出他們應得的本分；如果他們願意，他們成為無知的鄉巴佬和蠢貨也沒有關係。這談話對他有如此大的影響，他後來就渴求學習；他自己到他媽媽麵前要求學習，而且要他的女仆聽他讀書，否則不讓她安寧。我毫不懷疑也可以用類似的方法對待別的孩子；當我們摸透他們的脾氣，把有的想法灌輸給他們，也許可以使他們自己渴望學習，讓他們把學習當作遊戲或消遣來追求。但是，就如我前麵說過的，學習決不能當作他們的一項任務，也不能使其成為他們的煩惱。也許可以用骰子和玩具粘上字母來教小孩在遊戲中學習字母表；還有許多適合他們特別脾性的方法，可以讓他們把這種學習當作遊戲。

Thus children may be cozened into a knowledge of the letters; be taught to read, without perceiving it to be any thing but a sport, and play themselves into that which others are whipped for. Children should not have any thing like work, or serious, laid on them; neither their minds nor bodies will bear it. It injures their healths; and their being forced and tied down to their books, in an age at enmity with all such restraint, has, I doubt not, been the reason why a great many have hated books and learning all their lives after: it is like a surfeit, that leaves an aversion behind, not to be removed.

小孩可以這樣被誘導去學習字母的；可以這樣教他們去閱讀，讓他們隻覺得是一種嬉戲，他們自己就會在遊戲中學會別人要被鞭打才肯學的東西。不應該把任何工作或嚴肅的事情放在小孩身上，這是他們身體或精神都承受不了的。它會傷害他們的健康；我相信，他們在這厭惡一切束縛的年紀，被強迫與被綁架去讀書，是為什麽非常多的人以後一生憎恨讀書學習的原因；這就象飲食過度後引起的反感，是難以去除的。

I have therefore thought, that if play-things were fitted to this purpose, as they are usually to none, contrivances might be made to teach children to read, whilst they thought they were only playing. For example, what if an ivory-ball were made like that of the Royal-Oak lottery, with thirty two sides, or one rather of twenty four or twenty five sides; and upon several of those sides pasted on an A, upon several others B, on others C, and on others D? I would have you begin with but these four letters, or perhaps only two at first; and when he is perfect in them, then add another; and so on till each side having one letter, there be on it the whole alphabet. This I would have others play with before him, it being as good a sort of play to lay a stake who shall first throw an A or B, as who upon dice shall throw six or seven. This being a play amongst you, tempt him not to it, lest you make it business; for I would not have him understand it is any thing but a play of older people, and I doubt not but he will take to it of himself. And that he may have the more reason to think it is a play, that he is sometimes in favour admitted to; when the play is done the ball should be laid up safe out of his reach, that so it may not, by his having it in his keeping at any time, grow stale to him.

所以我覺得，假如一般沒有這種用處的玩具可以被改做這種用途，那麽我們就可以讓他們在自以為是玩耍的時候學會閱讀。例如，如果我們能夠做一個象皇家橡樹 (Royal-Oak)彩票搖獎用的象牙球，有三十二麵，或者寧願二十四或二十麵；在某些麵貼一個A，在別的幾麵貼個B，在另外幾麵貼C，在餘下的幾麵貼D如何？我想你最初隻貼這四個字母，抑或隻貼兩個字母；待他學會以後，再加另外一個字母；一直加到每一麵都有一個字母，球上有了所有的字母。這我主張要別人在他麵前玩，並且打賭看誰先擲出A或B，就好像擲骰子擲出六或七一樣好玩。這是你們成人的遊戲，不要誘使他加入，免得你讓遊戲成為他的工作；因為我希望他認為這隻有年長的人的遊戲，我相信他自己會被這遊戲吸引的。而且他會更有理由認為這是一種遊戲，他有時會被恩準去玩；當遊戲完了之後，要把球收拾到他拿不到的地方，這樣的話，他就不能隨時保有這個球，讓他漸生厭倦之情。

To keep up his eagerness to it, let him think it a game belonging to those above him: and when, by this means, he knows the letters, by changing them into syllables, he may learn to read, without knowing how he did so, and never have any chiding or trouble about it, nor fall out with books because of the hard usage and vexation they have caused him. Children, if you observe them, take abundance of pains to learn several games, which, if they should be enjoined them, they would abhor as a task and business. I know a person of great quality (more yet to be honoured for his learning and virtue than for his rank and high place) who by pasting on the six vowels (for in our language Y is one) on the six sides of a die, and the remaining eighteen consonants on the sides of three other dice, has made this a play for his children, that he shall win who, at one cast, throws most words on these four dice; whereby his eldest son, yet in coats, has played himself into spelling, with great eagerness, and without once having been chid for it or forced to it.

為了保持他對此的熱忱，你要讓他認為那是屬於長輩的一種遊戲：當用通過這種方法他認識了字母，你就可以把它們換成音節，他就可以不知不覺地學會閱讀，一點也不需要嗬斥或麻煩，也不會因為讀書引起的用功過度或苦惱而厭棄書本。如果你觀察小孩，你會發現他們費很大的勁去學幾個遊戲，假如那些遊戲是命令他們去玩的，他們痛恨它們就象痛恨任務與工作一樣。我認識一個很有身份的人(他的學問與美德比他的階級和地位更令人可敬)，他把六個元音(在我們的語言中Y也算一個元音)貼在一個骰子的六麵，把餘下的十八個輔音貼在另外三個骰子的上麵，將其作為他的孩子們的一種遊戲，看誰一次用這四個骰子擲出單詞最多，誰就獲勝；這樣他的長子還穿著童裝，就很急切地自己學會了拚寫，從來不需要嗬斥或強迫他去學。

I have seen little girls exercise whole hours together and take abundance of pains to be expert at dibstones as they call it. Whilst I have been looking on, I have thought it wanted only some good contrivance to make them employ all that industry about something that might be more useful to them; and methinks it is only the fault and negligence of elder people that it is not so. Children are much less apt to be idle than men; and men are to be blamed if some part of that busy humour be not turned to useful things; which might be made usually as delightful to them as those they are employed in, if men would be but half so forward to lead the way, as these little apes would be to follow. I imagine some wise Portuguese heretofore began this fashion amongst the children of his country, where I have been told, as I said, it is impossible to hinder the children from learning to read and write; and in some parts of France they teach one another to sing and dance from the cradle.

我曾經看見小女孩連著幾個小時在一起，費盡力氣想成為擲石子的專家。我在一旁看著，我想它隻是缺少一點好的設計讓她們利用那努力去做一些對她們更有益的事情；我認為這完全是大人的錯誤與疏忽才導致的。小孩不象成人那樣懶散；如果他們忙忙碌碌的性情不能部分用在有益的事情上，那成人是該受責備的；假如成人能有一半踴躍去領引，而這些小猴子肯去追隨，有益的事情通常也會變得與他們玩的遊戲一樣令人愉快的。我猜想在此以前有一些英明的葡萄牙人開始在他國家的孩子們中養成這樣的風氣，就如我說過的，聽說不可能阻止他們的小孩去學習讀書和寫字；而在法國的某些地方，他們很小就開始互相學習唱歌跳舞。

The letters pasted upon the sides of the dice, or polygon, were best to be of the size of those of the folio Bible, to begin with, and none of them capital letters; when once he can read what is printed in such letters, he will not long be ignorant of the great ones: and in the beginning he should not be perplexed with variety. With this die also, you might have a play just like the Royal Oak, which would be another variety, and play for cherries or apples, etc.

貼在骰子或多麵體上的字母最好是對折的聖經的字體大小，而且起初不要用大寫字母。一旦他能夠閱讀這些字體所印的東西，他就不會再對大寫字母一無所知了；而開始的時候他不該為變化所困擾。用這種骰子，你還可以象皇家橡樹一樣地玩，這又是另一種玩法，象用來賭櫻桃或蘋果之類的。

Besides these, twenty other plays might be invented depending on letters, which those who like this way, may easily contrive and get made to this use if they will. But the four dice above-mentioned I think so easy and useful, that it will be hard to find any better, and there will be scarce need of any other.

除了這些，還可以發明許多別的以字母為基礎的遊戲，喜歡這種方法的人，如果他們願意，可以很容易地設法用這些遊戲學習字母。但是我覺得前麵提到地四個骰子是極其容易和有用的，很難找到比它更好的方法，而且也沒有必要去找。

Thus much for learning to read, which let him never be driven to, nor chid for; cheat him into it if you can, but make it not a business for him. It is better it be a year later before he can read, than that he should this way get an aversion to learning. If you have any contest with him, let it be in matters of moment, of truth, and good nature; but lay no task on him about A B C. Use your skill to make his will supple and pliant to reason: teach him to love credit and commendation; to abhor being thought ill or meanly of, especially by you and his mother, and then the rest will come all easily. But I think if you will do that, you must not shackle and tie him up with rules about indifferent matters, nor rebuke him for every little fault, or perhaps some that to others would seem great ones; but of this I have said enough already.

關於學習閱讀就說這麽多了，就是不要驅使他去學，不要為此責罵他；如果可能的話要誘使他去讀，但是不要把它當作他的一種任務。寧願他晚一年學會閱讀，也不要他由此對學習產生反感。假如你與他有什麽爭鬥，應該是爭關係重大的、有關真理和善良的事情，而不是有關把學ABC當作他的任務。用你的技巧使他的意誌柔順，能夠依從理性的指引；教他熱愛榮譽和讚揚；使他不願被人看輕或鄙視，尤其是不願被你和他母親看不起，而其餘的一切都很容易達到。但是我覺得你如果打算那樣做的話，你絕不要在無關緊要的事情上限製束縛他，也不要為每一個微小過失責備他，即或一些別人認為是重大過錯的；但是關於這一點我已經說得夠多了。

When by these gentle ways he begins to read, some easy pleasant book, suited to his capacity, should be put into his hands, wherein the entertainment that he finds might draw him on, and reward his pains in reading, and yet not such as should fill his head with perfectly useless trumpery, or lay the principles of vice and folly. To this purpose, I think "Aesop's Fables" the best, which being stories apt to delight and entertain a child, may yet afford useful reflections to a grown man; and if his memory retain them all his life after, he will not repent to find them there, amongst his manly thoughts and serious business. If his Aesop has pictures in it, it will entertain him much the better, and encourage him to read, when it carries the increase of knowledge with it: for such visible objects children hear talked of in vain and without any satisfaction whilst they have no ideas of them; those ideas being not to be had from sounds, but from the things themselves or their pictures. And therefore I think as soon as he begins to spell, as many pictures of animals should be got him as can be found, with the printed names to them, which at the same time will invite him to read, and afford him matter of enquiry and knowledge. "Reynard the Fox" is another book I think may be made use of to the same purpose. And if those about him will talk to him often about the stories he has read, and hear him tell them, it will, besides other advantages, add encouragement and delight to his reading, when he finds there is some use and pleasure in it. These baits seem wholly neglected in the ordinary method; and it is usually long before learners find any use or pleasure in reading, which may tempt them to it, and so take books only for fashionable amusements, or impertinent troubles, good for nothing.

當他通過這種溫和的方法學會閱讀，應該給他找一些容易、有趣而又適合他能力的書，他從書中得到的樂趣可以推動他前行，並且回報他讀書的辛苦，卻不會在他頭腦中充滿純粹無用、華而不實的東西，或打下邪惡與愚蠢的行為準則。我覺得《伊索寓言》 (Aesop's Fables)是最適合這個目的，它裏麵的故事讓小孩感到愉快和有趣，但又給成人提供有用的反思；假如他以後一生都能記住這些故事，他不會懊悔它們與他陽剛的思想和嚴肅的事務共存。如果他的《伊索寓言》有插圖，它會帶來更多的知識，那就更讓他有興趣，鼓勵他多讀書；因為對於視覺的東西，小孩隻是聽人說是沒有用處，他們對此也沒有概念，不會讓他們滿意的；這些概念不能從聲音得到，隻有從事物本身或它們的圖像獲得。所以我認為當他開始能拚寫，就應該立即給他找盡量多的動物圖片，上麵印著它們的名字，這樣在吸引他閱讀的同時，提供他詢問與求知的材料。《列那狐的故事》 (Reynard the Fox)是另外一本我認為適合同樣目的的書。如果他周圍的人能常常與他交談他讀過的故事，聽他講述那些故事，那麽除了別的好處，這方法可以增加他閱讀的興趣，更加鼓勵他讀書，因為他發現閱讀是有用和愉快的。通常的方法完全忽視這些誘導作用，常常讀書的人要過很久才會發現能吸引他們去閱讀的用處或樂趣，在此之前，他們隻把書本當作時髦的消遣，或者無關的麻煩，沒有一點用處。

The Lord's Prayer, the Creeds, and Ten Commandments, it is necessary he should learn perfectly by heart; but, I think, not by reading them himself in his primer, but by somebody's repeating them to him, even before he can read. But learning by heart, and learning to read, should not I think be mixed, and so one made to clog the other. But his learning to read should be made as little trouble or business to him as might be.

主禱文、信條和十誡他應該完全記住；但是我認為不該作為啟蒙讀本讓他自己去讀，應該在他能閱讀之前，讓人反複讀給他聽。但是不要把熟記與閱讀混為一談，以免彼此互相妨礙。當他學習閱讀的時候，要盡量減少麻煩，或盡可能不作為他的任務。

What other books there are in English of the kind of those above-mentioned, fit to engage the liking of children, and tempt them to read, I do not know: but am apt to think, that children being generally delivered over to the method of schools, where the fear of the rod is to inforce, and not any pleasure of the employment to invite them to learn, this sort of useful books, amongst the number of silly ones that are of all sorts, have yet had the fate to be neglected; and nothing that I know has been considered of this kind out of the ordinary road of the hornbook, primer, psalter, Testament, and Bible.

至於是不是還有別的類似上麵所說的英文書，可以激發小孩的興趣，吸引他們去閱讀，我不是很知道；但是我傾向認為，小孩普遍地交由學校的方法來管教，隻是被用對教鞭的懼怕來強迫，不是用學習的快樂來吸引他們學習，這類有用的書，與其它種種糊塗的書一樣，命定會為人所忽視；除了角帖書、入門書、詩篇、聖約書和聖經，我不知道任何別的書籍被認為能擺脫這種宿命。

As for the Bible, which children are usually employed in, to exercise and improve their talent in reading, I think the promiscuous reading of it, though by chapters as they lie in order, is so far from being of any advantage to children, either for the perfecting their reading, or principling their religion, that perhaps a worse could not be found. For what pleasure or encouragement can it be to a child, to exercise himself in reading those parts of a book where he understands nothing? And how little are the law of Moses, the "Song of Solomon", the prophecies in the Old, and the epistles and apocalypse in the "New Testament", suited to a child's capacity? And though the history of the evangelists, and the "Acts", have something easier; yet, taken all together, it is very disproportional to the understanding of childhood. I grant, that the principles of religion are to be drawn from thence, and in the words of the scripture; yet none should be proposed to a child, but such as are suited to a child's capacity and notions. But it is far from this to read through the whole Bible, and that for reading's sake. And what an odd jumble of thoughts must a child have in his head, if he have any at all, such as he should have concerning religion, who in his tender age reads all the parts of the Bible indifferently, as the word of God, without any other distinction! I am apt to think, that this, in some men, has been the very reason why they never had clear and distinct thoughts of it all their lifetime.

至於小孩通常用來練習和提高他們閱讀能力的聖經，我覺得逐章亂讀對小孩是沒有任何益處的，不管是完善他們的閱讀，還是建立他們宗教信仰的原則，都沒有比這更壞的方法了。因為一個孩子怎麽能從閱讀一本他完全不懂的書中的章節來得到快樂與鼓舞呢？"摩西律" (Law of Moses)，"所羅門雅歌" (Song of Solomon )，"舊約" (Old Testament)裏的預言，"新約" (New Testament)裏的使徒書信和末日啟示，哪一點是適合小孩的能力的呢？雖然福音傳道者的曆史，以及"使徒行傳"，有一些東西相對容易，但是整體來說還是與小孩的理解力很不相稱。我承認宗教原則應該從那裏獲得，應該根據聖經的話語；但是隻有適合小孩能力與觀念的部分才可建議他去讀。但是這與通讀整本聖經、隻為閱讀的緣故是差別很遠的。一個小孩在幼小的年紀漫不經心地閱讀全部的聖經，隻是當作上帝的話，沒有任何別的區分，即使他頭腦中能記住一點有關宗教的思想，他那思想也隻會是一團亂麻！我認為這就是為什麽有些人對宗教一生都沒有清楚而明確的思想的根本原因。

And now I am by chance fallen on this subject, give me leave to say, that there are some parts of the Scripture which may be proper to be put into the hands of a child to engage him to read; such as are the story of Joseph and his brethren, of David and Goliath, of David and Jonathan, etc. and others that he should be made to read for his instruction, as that, "What you would have others do unto you, do you the same unto them"; and such other easy and plain moral rules, which being fitly chosen, might often be made use of, both for reading and instruction together; and so often read till they are throughly fixed in the memory; and then afterwards, as he grows ripe for them, may in their turns on fit occasions be inculcated as the standing and sacred rules of his life and actions. But the reading of the whole Scripture indifferently, is what I think very inconvenient for children, till after having been made acquainted with the plainest fundamental parts of it, they have got some kind of general view of what they ought principally to believe and practise; which yet, I think, they ought to receive in the very words of the scripture, and not in such as men prepossessed by systems and analogies are apt in this case to make use of and force upon them. Dr. Worthington, to avoid this, has made a catechism, which has all its answers in the precise words of the Scripture; a thing of good example, and such a sound form of words as no Christian can except against as not fit for his child to learn. Of this, as soon as he can say the Lord's Prayer, Creed, the Ten Commandments, by heart, it may be fit for him to learn a question every day, or every week, as his understanding is able to receive and his memory to retain them. And when he has this catechism perfectly by heart, so as readily and roundly to answer to any question in the whole book, it may be convenient to lodge in his mind the remaining moral rules scattered up and down in the Bible, as the best exercise of his memory, and that which may be always a rule to him, ready at hand, in the whole conduct of his life.

我現在有機會談到這個話題，我想說，聖經中有的部分是適合小孩去讀的：例如約瑟 (Joseph)和他的兄弟們，大衛 (David)和歌利亞 (Goliath)，大衛 (David)和約拿單(Jonathan)等等，以及其它可以讀來作教訓的部分，譬如"你願意別人怎樣待你，你當怎樣待別人"這類簡單明了的道德規則，如果選擇得當，常常可以學會閱讀，同時得到教訓；所以應該經常閱讀直到完全記住；進而當他以後長大成熟，在適當的時機，諄諄教導他，把這些作為他生活和行為的標準與神聖規則。但是心不在焉地閱讀整本聖經，我認為對小孩是很不相宜的，應該等他們熟悉聖經中最淺顯最基本的部分，他們對自己原則上應當信仰和實行的東西有了一些總體的認識以後才行；而且這部分我覺得他們應該學習聖經的原文，而不是學習別人利用係統與類比預先處理後強加給他們的東西。沃辛頓(Worthington)博士為避免這種情況，寫了一本"教義問答"，裏麵的回答用的完全是聖經的原文；這是一個好的範例，這種合理的言辭沒有一個基督徒能夠反對，認為不適合他的小孩去學習的。一旦小孩能夠背誦主禱文、信條和十誡，就應該讓他根據自己的理解力能接受的和記憶力能記住的，每天或每周學習一個問題。當他完全記住這本"教義問答"，能夠迅速圓滿地回答整本書中的任何問題的時候，他就可以把他的心思放在分散聖經中的其它道德規則，作為鍛煉他的記憶力的最好練習，並且可以成為他一生行為的隨身準則。

WRITING | When he can read English well, it will be seasonable to enter him in writing: and here the first thing should be taught him is to hold his pen right; and this he should be perfect in before he should be suffered to put it to paper. For not only children but any body else that would do any thing well, should never be put upon too much of it at once, or be set to perfect themselves in two parts of an action at the same time, if they can possibly be separated. I think the Italian way of holding the pen between the thumb and the forefinger alone, may be best; but in this you may consult some good writing-master, or any other person who writes well and quick. When he has learned to hold his pen right, in the next place he should learn how to lay his paper, and place his arm and body to it. These practices being got over, the way to teach him to write without much trouble, is to get a plate graved with the characters of such a hand as you like best: but you must remember to have them a pretty deal bigger than he should ordinarily write; for every one naturally comes by degrees to write a less hand than he at first was taught, but never a bigger. Such a plate being graved, let several sheets of good writing-paper be printed off with red ink, which he has nothing to do but go over with a good pen filled with black ink, which will quickly bring his hand to the formation of those characters, being at first shewed where to begin, and how to form every letter. And when he can do that well, he must then exercise on fair paper; and so may easily be brought to write the hand you desire.

寫字 |  當他能夠很好地讀英文，就該及時教他寫字：這裏首先要教他正確的握筆；這應該在他在紙上寫字之前就完全學好。因為不僅小孩而且別的任何人要想做好任何事情，都不能一次學得太多，如果一個動作能夠分成兩個部分，他們也不可能同時學好這兩部分的。我認為意大利人隻用拇指與食指握筆的方式是最好的；但是這你也許該請教一些好的書法老師，或者別的任何寫字又快又好的人。當他學會正確握筆後，下一步他該學紙怎樣放，手臂怎樣擱和身體怎樣坐。這些練習都做過之後，有一個教他寫字的不太麻煩的方法，就是找一塊板刻上你最喜歡的字體；但是你要記住，板上的字應該比他平常寫的字要大；因為每個人寫字都會比他初學的時候小一些，而決不會更大一些。刻好這樣一個板後，你可以用紅墨水將它印在幾張好的寫字紙上，告訴他從哪裏起筆和怎樣寫每一個字母，他隻要用一支裝黑墨水的筆照著描畫，這樣他就會很快學會寫那些字了。當他能做好這些以後，他一定要在一般的紙上練習；這樣他就會很容易學會你希望他寫的字體。

DRAWING | When he can write well, and quick, I think it may be convenient, not only to continue the exercise of his hand in writing, but also to improve the use of it farther in drawing, a thing very useful to a gentleman on several occasions, but especially if he travel, as that which helps a man often to express, in a few lines well put together, what a whole sheet of paper in writing would not be able to represent and make intelligible. How many buildings may a man see, how many machines and habits meet with, the ideas whereof would be easily retained and communicated by a little skill in drawing; which, being committed to words, are in danger to be lost, or at best but ill retained in the most exact descriptions? I do not mean that I would have your son a perfect painter; to be that to any tolerable degree, will require more time than a young gentleman can spare from his other improvements of greater moment; but so much insight into perspective, and skill in drawing, as will enable him to represent tolerably on paper any thing he sees, except faces, may, I think, be got in a little time, especially if he have a genius to it: but where that is wanting, unless it be in the things absolutely necessary, it is better to let him pass them by quietly, than to vex him about them to no purpose: and therefore in this, as in all other things not absolutely necessary, the rule holds, "Nihil invitâ Minervâ (Latin phrase, in English it means "Nothing contrary to inborn capacity".)."

繪畫 |  當他能夠寫得又好又快，我覺得不僅應該讓他繼續寫字來練手，而且要讓他繪畫來提高；而繪畫在一些場合對一個紳士非常有用，特別是他旅行的時候，隻要畫寥寥的幾條線，就可以幫助他表達出寫滿一整頁紙也難以描繪和讓人理解的景象。一個人無論看見多少建築，遇到多少車輛和服裝，他隻要用一點繪畫技巧就很容易把這些觀念保留下來並且與人交流，如果訴諸文字則有失去的危險，即使最確切的描寫也至多記錄不全。我的意思不是希望你的兒子成為一個優秀的畫家；要達到一個象樣的程度，需要的時間是遠多於一個紳士從其它更重要的、需要完善提高的事項上所能抽出的時間；但是對透視畫法有一定的了解，繪畫有一定技巧，除了人像外能把看見的任何東西在紙上象樣地畫出，我認為這花不了多少時間，特別是如果他有天賦的話，那就更快了；但是如果他缺乏天份，除非那是絕對必要的事情，最好悄悄地放過他，不要讓他無故受到煩擾：因此在繪畫上，就象其它所有不是絕對必要的事情一樣，規則就是，"絕不要違反天性" (拉丁語"Nihil invitâ Minervâ")。

SHORT-HAND | Short-hand, an art, as I have been told, known only in England, may perhaps be thought worth the learning, both for dispatch in what men write for their own memory, and concealment of what they would not have lie open to every eye. For he that has once learned any sort of character, may easily vary it to his own private use or fancy, and with more contraction suit it to the business he would employ it in. Mr. Rich's, the best contrived of any I have seen, may, as I think, by one who knows and considers grammar well, be made much easier and shorter. But for the learning this compendious way of writing, there will be no need hastily to look out a master; it will be early enough when any convenient opportunity offers itself at any time, after his hand is well settled in fair and quick writing. For boys have but little use of short hand, and should by no means practise it till they write perfectly well, and have throughly fixed the habit of doing so.

速記 |  我聽說速記這種藝術隻在英國為人知曉，它也許值得學習，因為它既可以迅速地記下要記憶的東西，又能隱藏人們不願意公開的事情。因為他一旦學會任何一種文字，他都可以改變它以適合他自己私下的用途或愛好，再多縮略一下還可以適合他工作的需要。裏奇速記法是我見到過的最好的速記法，我認為一個很了解語法、對語法有很全麵思考的人，還可以將它變得更容易、更簡短。但是為學習這種簡潔的記錄方式，並不需要著急去找老師；在他的手練好而寫字又快又好之後，還足夠早，有合適的機會去學。因為孩子很少會用到速記，在他們寫字很完美，完全養成寫好字的習慣之前，沒有任何必要練習速記。

 

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