約翰·洛克的教育思想(中英對照)-28: 學科知識

LATIN | But under whose care soever a child is put to be taught during the tender and flexible years of his life, this is certain, it should be one who thinks Latin and language the least part of education; one, who knowing how much virtue, and a well-tempered soul, is to be preferred to any sort of learning or language, makes it his chief business to form the mind of his scholars and give that a right disposition: which, if once got, though all the rest should be neglected, would, in due time, produce all the rest; and which if it be not got, and settled so as to keep out ill and vicious habits, languages and sciences, and all the other accomplishments of education, will be to no purpose, but to make the worse or more dangerous man. And indeed, whatever stir there is made about getting of Latin, as the great and difficult business; his mother may teach it him herself, if she will but spend two or three hours in a day with him, and make him read the evangelists in Latin to her: for she need but buy a Latin testament, and having got somebody to mark the last syllable but one, where it is long, in words above two syllables, (which is enough to regulate her pronunciation, and accenting the words,) read daily in the gospels, and then let her avoid understanding them in Latin, if she can. And when she understands the evangelists in Latin, let her, in the same manner, read "Aesop's fables", and so proceed on to Eutropius, Justin, and other such books. I do not mention this as an imagination of what I fancy may do, but as of a thing I have known done, and the Latin tongue with ease got this way.

拉丁語 |  但是在小孩柔弱可塑的年紀，無論由誰來管教他，這一點使肯定的，就是管教者應該覺得拉丁文和語言是教育中最不重要的部分，應該知道美德與善良的心靈比任何學問和語言都更值得推崇，應該把他的主要工作放在塑造學生的心理上，使它具有一種正確的性格：如果有了這一點，一切別的東西即使被疏忽了，也會在適當的時候產生出來；如果沒有這一點，不能排除不良與邪惡的習慣，語言與科學以及教育上其它所有的成就都沒有用處，隻會使人變得更壞、更危險。實際上，無論怎樣忙碌學習拉丁語，當作是一件重要而困難的工作；其實小孩的媽媽自己就可以教他，隻要她肯每天花兩三個小時和他在一起，讓他讀拉丁語的傳道書給她聽：她隻需要買一本拉丁文的聖經，找人把有兩個以上音節的拉丁詞的倒數第二個音節標記下來，那是長音(這樣就能校準她的發音及單詞的重音)，讓她天天讀福音書，可能的話避免從拉丁語去理解它們。當她讀懂了拉丁語的傳道書之後，同樣她可以閱讀"伊索寓言"，然後進到讀"遊措皮亞司"、"賈斯廷"及其它這類的書。我這裏提到這一點，不是出於我想象該做的，我是知道有人這樣做，很容易地學會說拉丁語。

But to return to what I was saying: he that takes on him the charge of bringing up young men, especially young gentlemen, should have something more in him than Latin, more than even a knowledge in the liberal sciences; he should be a person of eminent virtue and prudence, and with good sense have good humour, and the skill to carry himself with gravity, ease and kindness, in a constant conversation with his pupils. But of this I have spoken at large in another place.

但是回到我所說的事情來：那負責培養年輕人的人，特別是負責培養年輕紳士的人，應該具有比拉丁文多、比人文科學多的知識；他應該是一個具有卓越的德行和深謀遠慮的人，一個明智和幽默的人，一個能夠常常與他的學生進行嚴肅、輕鬆與友好的談話的人。而這一點我在別處已經講了很多。

GEOGRAPHY | At the same time that he is learning French and Latin, a child, as has been said, may also be entered in arithmetic, geography, chronology, history, and geometry too. For if these be taught him in French or Latin, when he begins once to understand either of these tongues, he will get a knowledge in these sciences, and the language to boot.

地理 | 前麵說過，一個小孩學習法語和拉丁語的同時，他還可以學習算術、地理、年代學、曆史和幾何。假如用法語或拉丁語教他這些學問，當他一旦懂得了法語或拉丁語之後，他就在語言之外獲得這些科學的知識。

Geography, I think, should be begun with; for the learning of the figure of the globe, the situation and boundaries of the four parts of the world, and that of particular kingdoms and countries, being only an exercise of the eyes and memory, a child with pleasure will learn and retain them: and this is so certain, that I now live in the house with a child, whom his mother has so well instructed this way in geography, that he knew the limits of the four parts of the world, could readily point, being asked, to any country upon the globe, or any county in the map of England; knew all the great rivers, promontories, straits, and bays in the world, and could find the longitude and latitude of any place before he was six years old. These things, that he will thus learn by sight, and have by rote in his memory, are not all, I confess, that he is to learn upon the globes. But yet it is a good step and preparation to it, and will make the remainder much easier, when his judgment is grown ripe enough for it: besides that, it gets so much time now, and by the pleasure of knowing things, leads him on insensibly to the gaining of languages.

我覺得應該從地理開始學；因為學習地球的形狀，世界四大部分的位置與疆界，以及某些王國與國家的位置與國界，隻是視覺與記憶的練習，小孩會樂意學習和記住它們的：這是很肯定的，我現在住的房子裏就有一個小孩，他媽媽用這樣的方法很好地教他地理，他在不到六歲，就知道世界四大部分的界限，如果問他，他可以在地球儀上指出任何一個國家，在英國地圖上指出任何一個郡縣；他還知道世界上所有的大河、海角、海峽和海灣，能夠找到任何地方的經緯度。我承認，他應該在地球儀上學習的，還不隻是他看見與死記的這些東西。但是這是良好的一步與預備，當他的判斷力足夠成熟了，餘下的就更容易學了；而且他現在有很多時間，知道事情的快樂會引導他不知不覺地學會語言。

ARITHMETIC | When he has the natural parts of the globe well fixed in his memory, it may then be time to begin arithmetic. By the natural parts of the globe, I mean several positions of the parts of the earth and sea, under different names and distinctions of countries; not coming yet to those artificial and imaginary lines, which have been invented, and are only supposed, for the better improvement of that science.

算術 |  當他記住了地球的各個自然部分，他就該開始學習算術。我所說的地球的自然部分，是指陸地與海洋的各個部分的位置，在各個國家的不同名字和區分；還沒有講到那些人工與想象的劃線，那是隻為了改進地理科學而發明的。

Arithmetic is the easiest, and consequently the first sort of abstract reasoning, which the mind commonly bears, or accustoms itself to: and is of so general use in all parts of life and business, that scarce any thing is to be done without it. This is certain, a man cannot have too much of it, nor too perfectly; he should therefore begin to be exercised in counting, as soon, and as far, as he is capable of it; and do something in it every day till he is master of the art of numbers. When he understands addition and subtraction, he may then be advanced farther in geography, and after he is acquainted with the poles, zones, parallel circles, and meridians, be taught longitude and latitude, and by them be made to understand the use of maps, and by the numbers placed on their sides, to know the respective situation of countries, and how to find them out on the terrestrial globe. Which when he can readily do, he may then be entered in the celestial; and there going over all the circles again, with a more particular observation of the ecliptic or zodiac, to fix them all very clearly and distinctly in his mind, he may be taught the figure and position of the several constellations, which may be showed him first upon the globe, and then in the heavens.

算術是最容易的，因此也是第一種抽象的推理，是心理通常具有或習慣的：在生活與工作的各個部分中它有如此普遍的用途，離了它幾乎不能完成任何事情。這是肯定的，一個人不怕懂得太多的算術，不怕理解得太完全；所以當他能力允許時，他應該盡早、盡可能地開始練習計數；他要每天做一些計數地事情直到他掌握數的技巧。當他懂得加減法，他就可以進一步學習地理，在他明白兩極、氣候帶、平行圈和子午線後，可以教他經緯度，使他由經緯度學會使用地圖，通過地圖兩側的數字去找到國家的相對位置，知道怎樣從地球儀上找到它們。當他能夠做到這些，他就可以去研究天球儀；再次複習那些環圈，特別注意黃道或黃道十二宮，要在心裏弄得清楚明白，然後可以教給他一些星座的形狀與位置，先在天球儀上教，然後從夜空上教。

ASTRONOMY | When that is done, and he knows pretty well the constellations of this our hemisphere, it may be time to give him some notions of this our planetary world, and to that purpose it may not be amiss to make him a draught of the Copernican system; and therein explain to him the situation of the planets, their respective distances from the sun, the centre of their revolutions. This will prepare him to understand the motion and theory of the planets the most easy and natural way. For, since astronomers no longer doubt of the motion of the planets about the sun, it is fit he should proceed upon that hypothesis, which is not only the simplest and least perplexed for a learner, but also the likeliest to be true in itself. But in this, as in all other parts of instruction, great care must be taken with children, to begin with that which is plain and simple, and to teach them as little as can be at once, and settle that well in their heads, before you proceed to the next, or any thing new in that science. Give them first one simple idea, and see that they take it right, and perfectly comprehend it, before you go any farther; and then add some other simple idea, which lies next in your way to what you aim at; and so proceeding by gentle and insensible steps, children, without confusion and amazement, will have their understandings opened, and their thoughts extended, farther than could have been expected. And when any one has learned any thing himself, there is no such way to fix it in his memory, and to encourage him to go on, as to set him to teach it others.

天文 | 當這已經完成，他對我們這個半球的星座知道很清楚，就該教他一些關於我們這個行星世界的觀念，為此不妨讓他了解一點哥白尼的學說；並且據此向他講解行星的位置，它們距太陽－它們的公轉中心的遠近。這可以預備他用最容易、最自然的方式去理解行星的運動與學說。因為天文學家不再懷疑行星繞著太陽轉，他就該從這個設想出發，它不僅是最簡單、最不會使學生困惑的，它本身也最可能是真實的。但是在這一點，就如同其它一切教育一樣，必須非常注意地對待小孩，要從淺顯簡單的東西開始，一次教他們的也要越少越好，等到他們把這些都吸收到他們的頭腦中，再進展到下麵的或新的科學知識。先教給他們一個簡單的慨念，看他們正確地掌握它、完全地理解它，再往下麵進行；然後再加上一些別的、與你的目標相近的簡單觀念；這樣通過平緩、不知不覺的步驟，使小孩不致困惑驚訝，可以超出預想地開啟他們的悟性，擴展他們的思維。而且當任何人自己學會任何東西，沒有比讓他去教別人更能使他記住，更能鼓勵他繼續下去的。

GEOMETRY | When he has once got such an acquaintance with the globes, as is above mentioned, he may be fit to be tried a little in geometry; wherein I think the six first books of Euclid enough for him to be taught. For I am in some doubt whether more to a man of business be necessary or useful; at least if he have a genius or inclination to it, being entered so far by his tutor, he will be able to go on of himself without a teacher.

幾何 | 當他一旦熟悉了上述的這些天體儀與地球儀後，他就可以試著學一點幾何；我覺得他隻要學歐幾裏德的前六本書就足夠了。因為我懷疑一個商人學更多是否必要或有用；至少，如果他有學習幾何的天才或愛好，在老師教了他這麽多以後，他就可以不要老師，而自己學習了。

The globes therefore must be studied, and that diligently; and I think may be begun betimes, if the tutor will but be careful to distinguish what the child is capable of knowing, and what not; for which this may be a rule, that perhaps will go a pretty way, (viz.) that children may be taught any thing that falls under their senses, especially their sight, as far as their memories only are exercised; and thus a child very young may learn, which is the equator, which the meridian, etc. which Europe, and which England, upon the globes, as soon almost as he knows the rooms of the house he lives in; if care be taken not to teach him too much at once, nor to set him upon a new part, till that, which he is upon, be perfectly learned and fixed in his memory.

所以這些天體儀與地球儀必須要學，而且要勤勉地學；我覺得假如導師能夠仔細地分辨什麽是小孩能夠明白的，什麽是他不能明白的，學習還應該及早開始；這裏有一條可能廣泛運用的規則，(就是)可以教小孩任何感官能感受到的東西，特別是他們眼睛能看見的東西，他們記憶隻是經受鍛煉；這樣孩子很小的時候就可以學習，當他知道所住的房子中房間的位置，他就可以在地球儀上找到哪裏是赤道，哪裏是子午線，哪裏是歐洲，和哪裏是英國；隻要注意一次不要教他太多，在他沒有完全學會和記住他正在學的東西之前，不要教他新的知識。

CHRONOLOGY | With geography, chronology ought to go hand in hand. I mean the general part of it, so that he may have in his mind a view of the whole current of time, and the several considerable epochs that are made use of in history. Without these two, history, which is the great mistress of prudence and civil knowledge; and ought to be the proper study of a gentleman or man of business in the world: without geography and chronology, I say, history will be very ill retained, and very little useful; but be only a jumble of matters of fact, confusedly heaped together without order or instruction. It is by these two that the actions of mankind are ranked into their proper places of times and countries; under which circumstances, they are not only much easier kept in the memory, but, in that natural order, are only capable to afford those observations, which make a man the better and the abler for reading them.

年代學 |  年代學應該與地理一起學習。我的意思是年代學的大致部分，這樣他可以心裏明白時間的整個趨勢，以及曆史中幾個引人注目的時代。曆史可以教人謹慎持重與公民知識，是紳士與實業家應該適當研究的；但是沒有地理與年代學，我認為曆史是很難記住的，也沒有什麽用處；它就隻是一堆雜亂的事實，混亂不堪地堆砌在一起，沒有任何次序或指引。通過地理與年代學，人類的行為才能按時間與國家放入合適的位置；這樣一來，這些行為不僅更容易記住，而且在這自然的次序中，才能夠便於觀察，讓人更好地、更能幹地閱讀它們。

When I speak of chronology as a science he should be perfect in, I do not mean the little controversies that are in it. These are endless, and most of them of so little importance to a gentleman, as not to deserve to be inquired into, were they capable of an easy decision. And therefore all that learned noise and dust of the chronologist is wholly to be avoided. The most useful book I have seen in that part of learning, is a small treatise of Strauchius, which is printed in twelves, under the title of  "Breviarium Chronologicum," out of which may be selected all that is necessary to be taught a young gentleman concerning chronology; for all that is in that treatise a learner need not be cumbered with. He has in him the most remarkable or usual epochs reduced all to that of the Julian period, which is the easiest, and plainest, and surest method, that can be made use of in chronology. To this treatise of Strauchius, Helvicus's tables may be added, as a book to be turned to on all occasions.

當我說他應當精通年代學這門科學，我不是指 (懂得)其中細微的爭議。這些爭議是沒有盡頭的，它們大多數對一個紳士很不重要，即使它們能很容易被確定，也不值得去探究。因此所有那些年代學家的學術性爭吵可以完全避免。在這方麵學問中，我見到最有用的書是斯特勞裘司 (Strauchius)的一本小專著，現在是第十二次印本，書名叫"年代學綜述 (Breviarium Chronologicum)"，從中可以選取一個年輕紳士對於年代學所應具備的知識；因為學生不必為書中的所有材料所拖累。他將一切最著名或常見的時期都轉化成儒略曆 (Julian Period)，這是一個年代學上所能利用的最方便、最簡明、最可靠的方法。除了斯特勞裘司這本書外，還可以加上愛爾威格斯 (Helvicus)的年代表，這是一本任何場合都用得著的書。

HISTORY | As nothing teaches, so nothing delights, more than history. The first of these recommends it to the study of grown men; the latter makes me think it the fittest for a young lad, who, as soon as he is instructed in chronology, and acquainted with the several epochs in use in this part of the world, and can reduce them to the Julian period, should then have some Latin history put into his hand. The choice should be directed by the easiness of the style; for wherever he begins, chronology will keep it from confusion; and the pleasantness of the subject inviting him to read, the language will insensibly be got, without that terrible vexation and uneasiness which children suffer where they are put into books beyond their capacity, such as are the Roman orators and poets, only to learn the Roman language. When he has by reading mastered the easier, such perhaps as Justin, Eutropius, Quintus Curtius, etc. the next degree to these will give him no great trouble: and thus, by a gradual progress from the plainest and easiest historians, he may at last come to read the most difficult and sublime of the Latin authors, such as are Tully, Virgil, and Horace.

曆史 |  沒有任何事情能比曆史給人更多的教益，沒有任何事情比曆史更能使人愉快。這前者使曆史成為成人研究的課題，後者讓我覺得它最適合年輕人學習，一旦他學過了年代學，知道了本地所經曆的幾個時代，而又能將其變成儒略曆以後，他就應該去學一點拉丁語的曆史。選擇的時候要以文體容易程度為準，無論他從什麽地方讀起，借助於年代學可以避免學習的困惑；而題材有樂趣，就會吸引他去讀，並在不知不覺之中就將語言學會，不致於像一般小孩一樣，隻是為了學習羅馬語言，就被要求去閱讀他們的力所不及的書籍，諸如羅馬演說家和詩人的作品等，結果隻是著急煩惱和局促不安。當他閱讀掌握了較容易的作家作品，例如可能包括賈斯廷 (Justin)、遊措皮亞司 (Eutropius)、昆塔斯$cdot$庫提斯 (Quintus Curtius)等等的作品，再去閱讀稍難理解的作家作品就沒有大的麻煩；這樣從最淺顯、最容易的曆史學家漸漸讀去，他最後就能閱讀最困難、最精練的拉丁語作家的作品，諸如杜理 (Tully)、維吉爾 (Virgil)和賀瑞斯 (Horace)等人的作品。

ETHICS | The knowledge of virtue, all along from the beginning, in all the instances he is capable of, being taught him, more by practice than rules; and the love of reputation, instead of satisfying his appetite, being made habitual in him; I know not whether he should read any other discourses of morality, but what he finds in the bible; or have any system of ethics put into his hand, till he can read Tully's "Offices", not as a school-boy to learn Latin, but as one that would be informed in the principles and precepts of virtue, for the conduct of his life.

倫理 |  有關德行的知識，應該從一開始，在一切可能的情況下，通過實踐而不是規則來教育小孩；如果他養成愛好名譽，而不是愛滿足自己欲望的習慣，我不知道他除了聖經之外，是否還需要讀別的有關道德的論述，是否他需要學習任何倫理體係，直到他能夠學習杜理(Tully)的《責任論》("Offices"是指西塞羅的一篇關於責任的拉丁散文"De officiis")，這不是象學生那樣當拉丁文學習，而是想要知曉德行的原則與戒律。

CIVIL LAW | When he has pretty well digested Tully’s Offices, and added to it Puffendorf "de officio hominis & civis," it may be seasonable to set him upon Grotius "de jure belli & pacis," or, which perhaps is the better of the two, Puffendorf "de jure naturali & gentium," wherein he will be instructed in the natural rights of men, and the original and foundations of society, and the duties resulting from thence. This general part of civil law and history are studies which a gentleman should not barely touch at, but constantly dwell upon, and never have done with. A virtuous and well-behaved young man, that is well versed in the general part of the civil law, (which concerns not the chicane of private cases, but the affairs and intercourse of civilized nations in general, grounded upon principles of reason,) understands Latin well, and can write a good hand, one may turn loose into the world, with great assurance that he will find employment and esteem every-where.

民法 | 當他充分消化了杜理的《責任論》，並且也學過了蒲芬多夫 (Puffendorf)的《論人及公民的責任》，就可以及時讓他學習格若修斯 (Grotius)的《論戰爭及和平的法律》，或者可以讀蒲芬多夫另一本更好的書《論國家的自然法則》；因此他學到人的自然權利，社會的起源和基礎，以及由此而衍生的責任。這些有關民法與曆史的主要部分，一個紳士不能隻是稍微接觸，還應經常全神貫注地投入其中，沒有大功告成而收手的時候。一個德行及舉止良好的青年，精通民法概要(它所涉及的不是個人事件中的詐騙，而是根據理性原則，討論文明國家的一般事務及交往)，通曉拉丁文，還寫得一手好字，這樣他就可以脫穎而出，有充分把握找到職業，並到處受到重視。

LAW | It would be strange to suppose an English gentleman should be ignorant of the law of his country. This, whatever station he is in, is so requisite, that, from a justice of the peace to a minister of state, I know no place he can well fill without it. I do not mean the chicane or wrangling and captious part of the law; a gentleman whose business is to seek the true measures of right and wrong, and not the arts how to avoid doing the one, and secure himself in doing the other, ought to be as far from such a study of the law, as he is concerned diligently to apply himself to that wherein he may be serviceable to his country. And to that purpose I think the right way for a gentleman to study our law, which he does not design for his calling, is to take a view of our English constitution and government, in the ancient books of the common law, and some more modern writers, who out of them have given an account of this government. And having got a true idea of that, then to read our history, and with it join in every king's reign the laws then made. This will give an insight into the reason of our statutes, and show the true ground upon which they came to be made, and what weight they ought to have.

法律 |  認為一個英國紳士不必懂得他本國的法律，這是奇怪的想法。不管他處於什麽地位，懂法都是必不可少的，從治安法官到政府部長，我不知道沒有它他怎能夠勝任。我並不是指法律中欺詐、爭吵以及吹毛求疵的部分；一個紳士的職責是尋求是非的真實尺度，而不是掌握回避幹一件事，而確保自己可以幹另一事的技巧，當他非常用心地考慮自己應該如何服務於國家的時候，他絕不應該這樣去研究法律。為了這個目的，我認為一個不以法律為職業的紳士學習我們法律的正確方法是：從有關普通法的古書中，以及一些較現代作家關於現政府的說法中，找到有關我們英國憲法和政府的觀點看法。對此有了正確的觀念，然後他可以去讀我們的曆史，並且加上了解在每一個國王的治下法律是如何製定的。這樣可以揭示我們各種法令的理由，製定法律的真實基礎，以及這些法律應有的重要性。

RHETORIC, LOGIC | Rhetoric and logic being the arts that in the ordinary method usually follow immediately after grammar, it may perhaps be wondered, that I have said so little of them. The reason is, because of the little advantage young people receive by them; for I have seldom or never observed any one to get the skill of reasoning well, or speaking handsomely, by studying those rules which pretend to teach it: and therefore I would have a young gentleman take a view of them in the shortest systems could be found, without dwelling long on the contemplation and study of those formalities. Right reasoning is founded on something else than the predicaments and predicables, and does not consist in talking in mode and figure itself. But it is besides my present business to enlarge upon this speculation. To come therefore to what we have in hand; if you would have your son reason well, let him read Chillingworth; and if you would have him speak well, let him be conversant in Tully, to give him the true idea of eloquence; and let him read those things that are well written in English, to perfect his style in the purity of our language.

修辭，邏輯 |  修辭與邏輯作為藝術，按照慣例通常緊接在語法之後學習，大家或許會奇怪我以前對此很少提及。原因是年輕人從中獲益甚少；因為我很少或從來沒有看見任何人，通過學習那些聲稱的規則而掌握推理嚴密、談吐文雅的技巧；所以我寧可一個年輕的紳士在最基本的體係中認識它們，而不是過久地沉迷於冥想與研究那些形式。正確的推理不是源於範疇與預測，也不包含在談吐時髦與形象生動之中。但是我現在的任務不是思考這個問題。所以回到我們現時的問題來；如果你想使你的兒子擅長推理，就讓他讀契林沃斯 (Chillingworth)的作品；如果你想使他談吐自如，就讓他精通杜理 (Tully)，明白雄辯術的真實觀念；並且讓他閱讀那些用英語寫作的作品，以使他的文體在我們的語言中達到純正完美的程度。

If the use and end of right reasoning be to have right notions, and a right judgment of things; to distinguish betwixt truth and falsehood, right and wrong, and to act accordingly; be sure not to let your son be bred up in the art and formality of disputing, either practising it himself, or admiring it in others; unless, instead of an able man, you desire to have him an insignificant wrangler, opiniator in discourse, and priding himself in contradicting others; or, which is worse, questioning every thing, and thinking there is no such thing as truth to be sought, but only victory, in disputing. There cannot be any thing so disingenuous, so misbecoming a gentleman, or any one who pretends to be a rational creature, as not to yield to plain reason, and the conviction of clear arguments. Is there any thing more inconsistent with civil conversation, and the end of all debate, than not to take an answer, though ever so full and satisfactory; but still to go on with the dispute, as long as equivocal sounds can furnish [a "medius terminus"] a term to wrangle with on the one side, or a distinction on the other? Whether pertinent or impertinent, sense or nonsense, agreeing with, or contrary to, what he had said before, it matters not. For this, in short, is the way and perfection of logical disputes, that the opponent never takes any answer, nor the respondent ever yields to any argument. This neither of them must do, whatever becomes of truth or knowledge, unless he will pass for a poor baffled wretch, and lie under the disgrace of not being able to maintain whatever he has once affirmed, which is the great aim and glory in disputing. Truth is to be found and supported by a mature and due consideration of things themselves, and not by artificial terms and ways of arguing: these lead not men so much into the discovery of truth, as into a captious and fallacious use of doubtful words, which is the most useless and most offensive way of talking, and such as least suits a gentleman or a lover of truth of any thing in the world.

如果正確推理的用途和目的是獲得對於事物的正確觀念與判斷，是在於分辨真和假、分清正確和錯誤，並且按照這種鑒別去行動；那麽切記不要讓令郎在關於爭辯的技巧與形式中教育長大，他既不可自己這樣去實踐，也不應崇拜別人這樣做；除非你不希望他成為一個能幹的人，而成為一個毫無意義的爭執者，在交談中固執己見，以與別人抵觸而自鳴得意；更糟的情況是懷疑一切，以為爭辯中絕無諸如真理之類的事物可以追求，唯一能找到的東西就是勝利。世上最不誠實、最有悖於一個紳士或者任何一個自命為理性動物的事情，莫過於不承認顯而易見的道理，以及清晰論證的說服力。還有什麽事情比這更不符合文明的談話以及一切辯論目的，就是無論對方的回答如何圓滿、如何令人滿意，他都要堅持爭論，隻要能用模棱兩可的詞匯修飾自己的論點(一種不明是非的辯論方法)，去與別人爭論，或是顯示自己的與眾不同？也不管所說的話中肯或不中肯，有意義或無意義，與自己過去的說法相符或相反，都毫不在意。因為簡而言之，這就是邏輯辯論的方法與目的，也就是在辯論中的正方決不會認可反方的任何回答，而反方也決不會屈從正方的論證。任何一方都決不會完全依據真理及知識行事，否則他就會被視為一個可憐的失敗者，受到不能堅持自己信念的羞辱，這就是辯論的主要目的和榮譽所在。真理是要通過對於事物本身進行成熟與合適的思考，才能夠被發現，並獲得支持，而不是通過杜撰的詞語與辯論的方式得到的；這種辦法強詞奪理地、錯誤地運用含糊的字眼，決不會使人發現真理，這是一種最無用、最令人厭惡的談話方式，對於一個紳士或對於一個熱愛世上任何事物的真理的人來說，它是尤為不適宜的。

There can scarce be a greater defect in a gentleman than not to express himself well, either in writing or speaking. But yet, I think, I may ask my reader, Whether he doth not know a great many, who live upon their estates, and so, with the name, should have the qualities of gentlemen, who cannot so much as tell a story as they should, much less speak clearly and persuasively in any business? This I think not to be so much their fault, as the fault of their education; for I must, without partiality, do my countrymen this right, that where they apply themselves, I see none of their neighbours outgo them. They have been taught rhetoric, but yet never taught how to express themselves handsomely with their tongues, or pens, in the language they are always to use; as if the names of the figures that embellished the discourses of those who understood the art of speaking, were the very art and skill of speaking well. This, as all other things of practice, is to be learned not by a few or a great many rules given, but by exercise and application, according to good rules, or rather patterns, till habits are got, and a facility of doing it well.

一個紳士如果不能通過寫作或講述來很好地表達自己，沒有比這更大的缺陷了。不過，我想還是不妨問問我的讀者，他是否不知道許許多多有豐厚家產的人，名義上應該有紳士的品質，卻連一個故事都不能講好，更不用說把任何事情說得清楚明白，令人信服了？我認為這不是他們的錯，而是他們所受的教育的錯；因此我必須公平地為我的同胞說，隻要他們努力的事情，我不認為他們的鄰居能夠勝過他們。他們學過修辭，卻從沒有學過怎樣用他們一直使用的語言，在書麵或口頭上完美地表達自己；就如那些好像懂得說話藝術的人，用各種辭藻來潤飾談話，把那些辭藻作為出色談吐的藝術與技巧。這就和一切其它需要練習的事情一樣，不可能通過一些或很多規則學會，而是要根據良好的規則或榜樣，不斷地練習與實踐，直到形成習慣，有能力將其做好。

STYLE | Agreeable hereunto, perhaps it might not be amiss to make children, as soon as they are capable of it, often to tell a story of any thing they know; and to correct at first the most remarkable fault they are guilty of, in their way of putting it together. When that fault is cured, then to show them the next, and so on, till, one after another, all, at least the gross ones, are mended. When they can tell tales pretty well, then it may be time to make them write them. The fables of Aesop, the only book almost that I know fit for children, may afford them matter for this exercise of writing English, as well as for reading and translating, to enter them in the Latin tongue. When they are got past the faults of grammar, and can join in a continued coherent discourse the several parts of a story, without bald and unhandsome forms of transition (as is usual) often repeated; he that desires to perfect them yet farther in this, which is the first step to speaking well, and needs no invention, may have recourse to Tully; and by putting in practice those rules, which that master of eloquence gives in his first book "De Inventione," section 20, make them know wherein the skill and graces of an handsome narrative, according to the several subjects and designs of it, lie. Of each of which rules fit examples may be found out, and therein they may be shown how others have practised them. The ancient classic authors afford plenty of such examples, which they should be made not only to translate, but have set before them as patterns for their daily imitation.

文體 |  迄今我們達成的共識是，一旦小孩有能力的時候，也許應不失時機地讓他們經常講述他們知道的故事；開始時隻在故事情節聯結的方式上，幫助他們糾正其中最明顯的錯誤。當這個錯誤改正了，就可以向他們指出下一個錯誤，這樣一個接一個，直到所有的錯誤，至少那些重大的錯誤都得到改正。當他們能夠相當不錯地講述故事，就該讓他們把故事寫下來。《伊索寓言》差不多是我所知道的唯一一本適合小孩的書，可以提供他們練習英語寫作的材料，就如同為他們學習拉丁語提供閱讀和翻譯的材料一樣。當他們不再犯語法錯誤，能夠將一個故事的若幹情節組合成一篇連續一致的文章，而不在過渡之處顯得突兀、不自然 (這種情況是經常發生的)；這隻是能夠勿需構想就能很好講述的第一步，那時如果有人希望他們更進一步，他可以向杜理 (Tully)求助，杜理這位雄辯大師在他的第一部書《論創造》 ("De Inventione")的第二十節給出了一些規則，通過對這些規則的實踐，他們可以明白，一個完美的敘事，按照幾個主題與構思，其技巧及優雅究竟何在。這些規則的每一條都可以找到恰當的例子，向他們顯示別人是如何實踐的。古代的經典作家提供了許多這樣的範例，這些範例不僅可用於翻譯，而且應放在他們麵前作為日常效法的榜樣。

LETTERS | When they understand how to write English with due connexion, propriety, and order, and are pretty well masters of a tolerable narrative style, they may be advanced to writing of letters; wherein they should not be put upon any strains of wit or compliment, but taught to express their own plain easy sense, without any incoherence, confusion, or roughness. And when they are perfect in this, they may, to raise their thoughts, have set before them the example of Voiture's, for the entertainment of their friends at a distance, with letters of compliment, mirth, raillery, or diversion; and Tully's epistles, as the best pattern, whether for business or conversation. The writing of letters has so much to do in all the occurrences of human life, that no gentleman can avoid showing himself in this kind of writing: occasions will daily force him to make this use of his pen, which, besides the consequences, that, in his affairs, his well or ill managing of it often draws after it, always lays him open to a severer examination of his breeding, sense, and abilities, than oral discourses; whose transient faults, dying for the most part with the sound that gives them life, and so not subject to a strict review, more easily escape observation and censure.

書信 |  當他們懂得怎樣將英語寫得前後連貫、恰如其分、有條不紊，很熟練地掌握了一種過得去的敘事文體之後，他們可以進到寫書信；他們寫信時不要受限於機敏或客套的表述，隻要教他們表達他們自己樸素自如的感受，避免有任何的不連貫、混亂或粗俗。一旦他們在這方麵已經完善了，他們以瓦蒂爾 (Voiture)為榜樣，激發他們的思想，寫下問候的、歡樂的、逗趣的或消遣的書信，以慰籍遠方的朋友；或者參照杜理 (Tully)的書信，作為事務或交往信件的最佳範例。寫信在人生的各個場合都有很多用處，沒有一個紳士能夠避免在這種寫作中表現出自己來：他每天都會遇到一些機會，迫使他不得不動筆，結果他的書信表述得體與否，除了常常影響到他的事務外，而且還總是使他的教養、觀念與能力暴露無遺，受到比在交談中更為嚴格的檢驗；因為交談中一時的差錯，大多數剛剛說完就消逝了，故不至於受到嚴格的評論，更容易脫逃人們的注意和指責。

Had the methods of education been directed to their right end, one would have thought this, so necessary a part, could not have been neglected, whilst themes and verses in Latin, of no use at all, were, so constantly every-where, pressed, to the racking of children's inventions beyond their strength, and hindering their cheerful progress in learning the tongues, by unnatural difficulties. But custom has so ordained it, and who dares disobey? And would it not be very unreasonable to require of a learned country school-master (who has all the tropes and figures in Farnaby's rhetoric at his fingers ends) to teach his scholar to express himself handsomely in English, when it appears to be so little his business or thought, that the boy's mother (despised, it is like, a illiterate, for not having read a system of logic and rhetoric) outdoes him in it?

假如教育方法指向正確的目標，那麽人們會認為寫信這樣必要的事情不可能被忽略，因為用拉丁語作文寫詩這樣無用的事情，尚且到處強加給小孩，讓他們在力所不逮的情況下傷神費力去創作，使其被不自然的困難阻礙了他們學習語言的愉快進程。但是習俗確定如此，而誰又敢違背呢？而且你叫一個飽學的鄉村教師 (他精通法內比(Farnaby)的《修辭學》上的所有比喻和詞藻)去教他的學生用英語恰當地表達自己，他卻不認為那是他的工作，甚至想也不想一下，結果學生的母親 (即使她對邏輯和修辭學體係一無所知)比他教得更好，那你的要求豈不是很不合理？

To write and speak correctly, gives a grace, and gains a favourable attention to what one has to say: and since it is English that an English gentleman will have constant use of, that is the language he should chiefly cultivate, and wherein most care should be taken to polish and perfect his style. To speak or write better Latin than English, may make a man be talked of; but he would find it more to his purpose to express himself well in his own tongue, that he uses every moment, than to have the vain commendation of others for a very insignificant quality. This I find universally neglected, and no care taken any-where to improve young men in their own language, that they may thoroughly understand and be masters of it. If any one among us have a facility or purity more than ordinary in his mother tongue, it is owing to chance, or his genius, or any thing, rather than to his education, or any care of his teacher. To mind what English his pupil speaks or writes, is below the dignity of one bred up amongst Greek and Latin, though he have but little of them himself. These are the learned languages, fit only for learned men to meddle with and teach; English is the language of the illiterate vulgar; though yet we see the policy of some of our neighbours hath not thought it beneath the public care to promote and reward the improvement of their own language. Polishing and enriching their tongue, is no small business amongst them; it hath colleges and stipends appointed it, and there is raised amongst them a great ambition and emulation of writing correctly; and we see what they are come to by it, and how far they have spread one of the worst languages possibly in this part of the world, if we look upon it as it was in some few reigns backwards, whatever it be now. The great men among the Romans were daily exercising themselves in their own language; and we find yet upon record the names of orators, who taught some of their emperors Latin, though it were their mother tongue.

正確地寫和說，使人顯得優雅，讓別人樂於關注他要說的話：而且因為一個英國紳士常用的是英語，那麽他應該主要培養的，最該注意去修飾和完善他的文體的，也應該是英語。一個人拉丁語說得或寫得比英語好，也許會使他成為大家的談資；但是他會發現用自己時刻運用的母語流利地表達自己，相對於因為一個微不足道的品質得到別人空洞的讚揚，更能達到自己的目的。我發現這一點被普遍地忽略了，無論何處沒有人注意增進年輕人的母語能力，以便他們能對母語充分理解並掌握。假如我們中間有誰說母語比平常人更熟練、更純正，那應該歸功於機會、或他的天才、或者別的事情，而不是由於他的教育，或者他的老師的關照。去關注他的學生說或寫什麽樣的英語，對一個在希臘語和拉丁語中教養長大的(老師)來說是有損尊嚴的，即使他自己也隻掌握了一點點希臘語和拉丁語。這些是學究性的語言，隻適合有學究們去鼓搗、去教授；而英語被認為是目不識丁的平民百姓的語言；雖然我們知道我們一些鄰邦的政策，他們並不認為公眾不該關注以促進與獎勵來提高他們母語。改善與豐富他們的語言，在他們之中並不是一件小事；他們為此設立大學與提供助學金，並且在他們當中激發正確寫作的意願與競賽；如果我們不管現在如何，隻是回顧過去幾個朝代的情況，我們可以看到他們怎樣把一個最糟糕的語言傳播到世界的這部分，我們也就能知道他們會由此獲得什麽樣的結果；羅馬的偉人天天練習他們的母語；我們也在記錄中發現一些雄辯家的名字，他們教給他們的帝王拉丁語，隻是拉丁語是他們的母語。

It is plain the Greeks were yet more nice in theirs; all other speech was barbarous to them but their own, and no foreign language appears to have been studied or valued amongst that learned and acute people; though it be past doubt, that they borrowed their learning and philosophy from abroad.

很明顯希臘人更精通他們自己的語言，他們認為，除了他們本身的語言，所有別的語言都是蠻族的，沒有一門外語為這個聰明有學問的民族所看重和研究；雖然無疑他們的學問和哲學也借鑒了國外的東西。

I am not here speaking against Greek and Latin; I think they ought to be studied, and the Latin, at least, understood well, by every gentleman. But whatever foreign languages a young man meddles with, (and the more he knows, the better,) that which he should critically study, and labour to get a facility, clearness, and elegancy to express himself in, should be his own, and to this purpose he should daily be exercised in it.

我這裏不是反對希臘語和拉丁語；我認為它們值得研究，至少拉丁語值得每一個紳士很好地理解。但是一個年輕人無論學習什麽外語 (他知道得越多越好)，他應該審慎研究，努力去嫻熟、清楚和優雅地表達自己的，還是他的母語，為此目的他應該天天練習母語。

NATURAL PHILOSOPHY | Natural philosophy, as a speculative science, I imagine we have none; and perhaps I may think I have reason to say, we never shall be able to make a science of it. The works of nature are contrived by a wisdom, and operate by ways, too far surpassing our faculties to discover, or capacities to conceive, for us ever to be able to reduce them into a science. Natural philosophy being the knowledge of the principles, properties, and operations of things, as they are in themselves, I imagine there are two parts of it, one comprehending spirits, with their nature and qualities; and the other bodies. The first of these is usually referred to metaphysics: but under what title soever the consideration of spirits comes, I think it ought to go before the study of matter and body, not as a science that can be methodized into a system, and treated of, upon principles of knowledge; but as an enlargement of our minds towards a truer and fuller comprehension of the intellectual world, to which we are led both by reason and revelation. And since the clearest and largest discoveries we have of other spirits, besides God and our own souls, is imparted to us from heaven by revelation, I think the information, that at least young people should have of them, should be taken from that revelation. To this purpose, I conclude, it would be well, if there were made a good history of the Bible for young people to read; wherein if every thing that is fit to be put into it, were laid down in its due order of time, and several things omitted, which are suited only to riper age; that confusion, which is usually produced by promiscuous reading of the scripture, as it lies now bound up in our Bibles, would be avoided; and also this other good obtained, that by reading of it constantly, there would be instilled into the minds of children a notion and belief of spirits, they having so much to do, in all the transactions of that history, which will be a good preparation to the study of bodies. For, without the notion and allowance of spirit, our philosophy will be lame and defective in one main part of it, when it leaves out the contemplation of the most excellent and powerful part of the creation.

自然哲學 |  自然哲學作為一門思辨的科學，我認為我們是沒有的；而且我覺得我有理由說，我們永遠也不可能將其變成一門科學。自然的運作是一種智慧的設計，它的運行方式遠遠超出我們的能力所能發現或想像的，我們永遠不可能將其簡化為一種科學。自然哲學是關於事物的原理、特性和運作的知識，我認為它本身有兩部分，一部分關於精神及其本性和品質；另一部分是關於物體的。這前一部分通常是指形而上學；但是無論這對精神的思考叫什麽名目，我覺得它都應該放在對研究物質和物體之前，不可將其作為自成係統、可以根據知識原則而對待的一門科學；而是把它作為我們心靈的擴展，借著理性與啟示的引導，使我們對智力世界有更真切、更充分的理解。除了上帝與我們自己的靈魂外，我們對於其它精神的最清晰、最重大的發現都是上天以啟示的方法給予我們的，所以我覺得這些知識，至少年輕人應具有的知識，應該從這種啟示而來。為此目的，我的結論是，如果有一本寫得很好的關於聖經的史書供年輕人閱讀，那將是很好的事情；其中每一件適合記入的事情都按時間順序編排下來，而一些隻適合成人的事情就省略掉；這樣，就可以避免與聖經關聯在一起的濫讀經文所引起的迷惑；同時還可以得到別的好處，通過持續不斷地閱讀聖經，可以在小孩心裏逐漸灌輸關於聖靈的觀念與信仰，他們在讀這史書時經常會牽涉到精神方麵，這是研究物體的一種良好準備。因為沒有精神的觀念與認可，我們的哲學的很大部分就是殘缺不全的，它把有關創造最美好與最強大的部分摒棄在思慮之外。

Of this history of the Bible, I think too it would be well, if there were a short and plain epitome made, containing the chief and most material heads for children to be conversant in, as soon as they can read. This, though it will lead them early into some notion of spirits, yet is not contrary to what I said above, that I would not have children troubled, whilst young, with notions of spirits; whereby my meaning was, that I think it inconvenient, that their yet tender minds should receive early impressions of goblins, spectres, and apparitions, wherewith their maids, and those about them, are apt to fright them into a compliance of their orders, which often proves a great inconvenience to them all their lives after, by subjecting their minds to frights, fearful apprehensions, weakness, and superstition; which, when coming abroad into the world and conversation, they grow weary and ashamed of; it not seldom happens, that to make, as they think, a thorough cure, and ease themselves of a load, which has sat so heavy on them, they throw away the thoughts of all spirits together, and so run into the other, but worse extreme.

關於聖經的曆史，我覺得最好有一個簡短的摘要，包含著小孩子到能閱讀的時候就需要熟悉了解的主要和最本質的條目。雖然這會把他們早早地引向關於某些精神相關的觀念，但是這並不與我以前說的，孩子年幼時不該被精靈的觀念所困擾的說法衝突；我那裏所說的意思是，他們的女仆及周圍的人，喜歡以恐嚇來讓小孩對自己言聽計從，使他們幼稚的心靈很早就具有關於妖魔、鬼怪及精靈的印象，我認為這是很不妥的，這會使他們的心靈處於恐懼、害怕、軟弱和迷信的境地，對他們以後的整個一生都極其不利；以後當他們出而麵世，與人交談時，他們會為此感到厭倦與可恥；為了得到他們所想的完全矯治，使他們自己減輕如此的重負，常常發生的情形是，他們拋棄所有關於精神的思想，從一個極端跑到了另一個更壞的極端。

The reason why I would have this premised to the study of bodies, and the doctrine of the scriptures well imbibed, before young men be entered in natural philosophy, is, because matter being a thing that all our senses are constantly conversant with, it is so apt to possess the mind, and exclude all other beings but matter, that prejudice, grounded on such principles, often leaves no room for the admittance of spirits, or the allowing any such things as immaterial beings, "in rerum naturâ (Latin "in rerum natura": in the nature of things.)" when yet it is evident, that by mere matter and motion, none of the great phoenomena of nature can be resolved: to instance but in that common one of gravity, which I think impossible to be explained by any natural operation of matter, or any other law of motion, but the positive will of a superior Being so ordering it. And therefore since the deluge cannot be well explained, without admitting something out of the ordinary course of nature, I propose it to be considered, whether God's altering the centre of gravity in the earth for a time (a thing as intelligible as gravity itself, which perhaps a little variation of causes, unknown to us, would produce) will not more easily account for Noah's flood, than any hypothesis yet made use of, to solve it. I hear the great objection to this is, that it would produce but a partial deluge. But the alteration of the centre of gravity once allowed, it is no hard matter to conceive, that the divine power might make the centre of gravity, placed at a due distance from the centre of the earth, move round it in a convenient space of time, whereby the flood would become universal, and, as I think, answer all the phaenomena of the deluge as delivered by Moses, at an easier rate than those many hard suppositions that are made use of to explain it. But this is not a place for that argument, which is here only mentioned by the by, to show the necessity of having recourse to something beyond bare matter and its motion in the explication of nature; to which the notions of spirits and their power, as delivered in the Bible, where so much is attributed to their operation, may be a fit preparative, reserving to a fitter opportunity a fuller explication of this hypothesis, and the application of it to all the parts of the deluge, and any difficulties can be supposed in the history of the flood, as recorded in the scripture.

我主張把這種有關精神的研究放在研究物體之前，主張年輕人在學習自然哲學之前很好地領會經文的教義，是因為物質是我們一切感官不斷接觸的東西，極容易控製心靈，使其排斥除物質以外的所有別的事物，因而建立在這種原則上的偏見，常常不為精神的存在留下空間了，或是不承認在大自然 ("in rerum natura")裏麵還有非物質的東西存在；而很顯然，如果隻有物質與運動，是不能解釋任何重大的自然現象的；譬如通常的引力問題，我認為很難用物質的自然作用或者任何其它運動規律去解釋，隻可能是一種更高存在的絕對意誌所決定的。所以，既然不承認一些超越自然的事情就不能很好地解釋大洪荒，我提議我們可以考慮那是不是上帝暫時改變了地球引力的中心 (這是和引力本身一樣可以理解的事情，也許是由未知的一種原因變化引起的)，這比任何可資利用的假設更容易解釋挪亞 (Noah)時期的大洪水。對此我知道一種重要的反對意見，就是認為這隻會產生局部的洪水。不過一旦承認引力中心的改變，那麽不難想象神力可能把地球引力的中心放在離地心有適當距離的地方，使其在一定時間內圍繞地心轉動，這樣一來，洪水就遍布全球了，而且我認為去解釋摩西(Moses)所說的洪水中的一切現象，比起許多用來解釋它的困難假設更容易理解。但是這裏不是辯論這個問題的地方，這隻是順便提到，以表明在解釋自然現象時，除了純粹物質及其運動之外，還有必要借助其它東西；對此，聖經所提到的有關聖靈及其力量的觀念，很大程度解釋了它們的運作，可能是作為一種合適的準備，到更合適的時機更全麵地說明這個假設，並且運用它解釋經書上記載的大洪水的所有階段，以及洪水曆史上的任何困難。

But to return to the study of natural philosophy. Though the world be full of systems of it, yet I cannot say, I know any one which can be taught a young man as a science wherein he may be sure to find truth and certainty, which is what all sciences give an expectation of. I do not hence conclude, that none of them are to be read. It is necessary for a gentleman in this learned age to look into some of them to fit himself for conversation: but whether that of Descartes be put into his hands, as that which is most in fashion, or it be thought fit to give him a short view of that and several others also, I think the systems of natural philosophy that have obtained in this part of the world, are to be read more to know the hypotheses, and to understand the terms and ways of talking of the several sects, than with hopes to gain thereby a comprehensive, scientifical and satisfactory knowledge of the works of nature. Only this may be said, that the modern Corpuscularians talk in most things more intelligibly than the Peripateticks, who possessed the schools immediately before them. He that would look further back, and acquaint himself with the several opinions of the antients, may consult Dr. Cudworth's "Intellectual System", wherein that very learned author hath with such accurateness and judgment collected and explained the opinions of the Greek philosophers, that what principles they built on, and what were the chief hypotheses that divided them, is better to be seen in him than any where else that I know. But I would not deter any one from the study of nature because all the knowledge we have or possibly can have of it cannot be brought into a science. There are very many things in it that are convenient and necessary to be known to a gentleman; and a great many other that will abundantly reward the pains of the curious with delight and advantage. But these, I think, are rather to be found amongst such writers as have employed themselves in making rational experiments and observations than in starting barely speculative systems. Such writings therefore, as many of Mr. Boyle's are, with others that have written of husbandry, planting, gardening, and the like, may be fit for a gentleman, when he has a little acquainted himself with some of the systems of the natural philosophy in fashion.

不過我們還是回到研究自然哲學來。雖然世上充滿了自然哲學的各種體係，我卻不能說我知道其中哪一派能夠當作一種科學去教給年輕人，使他能夠肯定地發現真理與確定性，而這二者是一切科學都預期給出的東西。我並不是因此總結說，任何一門自然哲學都不該學習。在這個注重學問的時代，一個紳士有必要對此懂得一些以使他能與人交談；但是不管是教他掌握現在最流行的笛卡爾(Descartes)學說，還是隻教他笛卡爾學說及其它幾個學說的簡介，我認為閱讀這裏的自然哲學體係的目的是了解各種假設，明白各學派所用的術語及論說方式，而不是求得對於自然現象廣泛的、科學的和滿意的知識。能說的就是，現代微粒論 (Corpuscularian)對大多數事物的解釋比亞裏士多德學派(Peripateticks)更容易理解，而後者在被前者取代之前一直是占主導地位的學派。若想進一步回顧，了解古人的各種意見，可以參考卡德沃斯博士 (Dr. Cudworth)的著作《智慧體係》 ("Intellectual System")，其中這位博學的作者以如此的精確性與判斷力來收錄並解釋希臘哲學家的觀點，他對他們所依據的原則以及他們之間不同的主要假設，闡述得比我所知的任何別的地方都清楚。但是我不會因為我們關於自然的所有知識或者可能有的知識不能都歸到一門科學而阻止任何人去研究自然。自然之中有許多事情是一個紳士容易知道和應該知道的；而且還有許多別的事情能夠以快樂與益處來回報好奇者的努力。但是，我認為這些應該是從那種自己做過合理的實驗與觀察的作者那裏來的，而不是從純粹推測性的體係那裏得來。所以，這樣的著作，譬如波義耳先生 (Mr. Boyle)的許多作品，還有其它關於耕作、種植、園藝等等的作品，在一個紳士熟悉了時興的一些自然哲學係統之後，都適合他閱讀的。

Though the systems of physics that I have met with, afford little encouragement to look for certainty or science in any treatise which shall pretend to give us a body of natural philosophy from the first principles of bodies in general, yet the incomparable Mr. Newton has shown, how far mathematics applied to some parts of nature may, upon principles that matter of fact justify, carry us in the knowledge of some, as I may so call them, particular provinces of the incomprehensible universe. And if others could give us so good and clear an account of other parts of nature, as he has of this our planetary world, and the most considerable phaenomena observable in it, in his admirable book, Philosophiae naturalis Principia Mathematica, we might in time hope to be furnished with more true and certain knowledge in several parts of this stupendous machine, than hitherto we could have expected. And though there are very few that have mathematicks enough to understand his demonstrations, yet the most accurate mathematicians who have examined them allowing them to be such, his book will deserve to be read, and give no small light and pleasure to those, who, willing to understand the motions, properties, and operations of the great masses of matter, in this our solar system, will but carefully mind his conclusions, which may be depended on as propositions well proved.

雖然我所遇到的各種物理學派，都很難激勵我從那些號稱能夠大體上根據物質的基本原則給予我們一種自然哲學體係的各種論文中，去獲得確切的知識或科學，但是無與倫比的牛頓(Newton)先生卻向人揭示，根據以事實來證明的原則，將數學應用於自然界某些領域的研究，能使我們獲得多少關於深奧莫測的宇宙的某些特定領域的知識。假如其他人對於自然界的另外一些領域也能為我們作出精彩與清晰的說明，就如同牛頓在其令人讚歎的著作《自然哲學的數學原理》 ("Philosophiae naturalis Principia Mathematica") 一書中，對於我們這個行星世界及其可觀察到的最發人深思的現象所作的說明，那麽，對於自然這個龐大機器的若幹部分，我們最終可能希望得到比迄今為止我們可以期盼的更真實、更確切的知識。雖然世上隻有很少的幾個人具備足夠的數學知識，可以理解牛頓的論證，可是既然最縝密的數學家對其論證已進行檢查並予以認可，可見他的書確實值得一讀，那些欲了解我們所在太陽係中巨大天體的運動、性質和運行的人，一定會從中得到不少啟示和快樂，他們隻要小心注意他的結論，這些結論可視為已經證明的命題而予以信靠。

GREEK | This is, in short, what I have thought concerning a young gentleman's studies; wherein it will possibly be wondered that I should omit Greek, since amongst the Grecians is to be found the original as it were, and foundation of all that learning which we have in this part of the world. I grant it so; and will add, that no man can pass for a scholar that is ignorant of the Greek tongue. But I am not here considering the education of a professed scholar, but of a gentleman, to whom Latin and French, as the world now goes, is by every one acknowledged to be necessary. When he comes to be a man, if he has a mind to carry his studies farther, and look into the Greek learning, he will then easily get that tongue himself; and if he has not that inclination, his learning of it under a tutor will be but lost labour, and much of his time and pains spent in that which will be neglected and thrown away as soon as he is at liberty. For how many are there of an hundred, ever amongst scholars themselves, who retain the Greek they carried from school; or ever improve it to a familiar reading and perfect understanding of Greek authors?

希臘語 |  簡而言之，這就是我對於一個年輕紳士的學業所持的一些想法；也許有人會奇怪我竟會忽略希臘語，因為我們這裏的所有學問都可以在希臘人那裏找到源頭和基礎。我承認確是如此，而且我還要補充一點，一個人不懂希臘語是不能算作一個學者。但是我這裏要考慮的不是一個專業學者的教育，而是一個紳士的教育，照世上的看法，每個人都承認他需要學習拉丁語和法語。當他成人後，如果他有心做進一步的研究，並且探究希臘學術，他自己就能很容易學會希臘語；如果他沒有這個傾向，那他在導師教導下的學習隻是白費勁，他花時間和精力所學的東西，在他自主之後都會忽視和丟棄。因為就學者本身而言，他們在學校學習了希臘語，但是一百人中間，有幾個能記住不忘，又有幾個甚至提高到可以熟練閱讀和完全理解希臘作家呢？

To conclude this part, which concerns a young gentleman's studies, his tutor should remember, that his business is not so much to teach him all that is knowable, as to raise in him a love and esteem of knowledge; and to put him in the right way of knowing and improving himself when he has a mind to it.

總結這一部分關於年輕紳士的學習問題，他的導師應該記住，他的任務並不是把所有已知的知識教給學生，而是培養學生對知識的熱愛和尊重；並且當學生有心求知的時候，使學生能夠正確地了解與提高自己。

The thoughts of a judicious author on the subject of languages, I shall here give the reader, as near as I can, in his own way of expressing them: he says, "One can scarce burden children too much with the knowledge of languages. They are useful to men of all conditions, and they equally open them the entrance, either to the most profound, or the more easy and entertaining parts of learning. If this irksome study be put off to a little more advanced age, young men either have not resolution enough to apply it out of choice or steadiness to carry it on. And if any one has the gift of perseverance, it is not without the inconvenience of spending that time upon languages, which is destined to other uses: and he confines to the study of words that age of his life that is above it, and requires things; at least it is the losing the best and beautifullest season of one's life. This large foundation of languages cannot be well laid but when every thing makes an easy and deep impression on the mind; when the memory is fresh, ready, and tenacious; when the head and heart are as yet free from cares, passions, and designs; and those on whom the child depends have authority enough to keep him close to a long continued application. I am persuaded that the small number of truly learned, and the multitude of superficial pretenders, is owing to the neglect of this."

這裏我願意把一位睿智的作家關於語言學習的意見，盡我所能地以忠於他的原意的方式轉述給讀者；他說："小孩很少會因為過多的語言知識而不堪重負。語言知識對各種身份的人都有用處，它們平等地為他們開辟通道，使其達到學問最深奧的部分，或是學問較容易有趣的部分。如果這種煩難的學習略微推遲到較大的年齡，年輕人不是沒有足夠決心全部投入，就是缺乏毅力堅持下去。即使有人具備鍥而不舍的精神，他要花時間在別的事情上，就不便於把時間花在語言上麵；而且他在超過了學習語言的年齡仍局限於學習字詞及相關的事情；那至少是浪費了一個人一生的最美好的時光。語言的大部分基礎是在一切事情都容易在心裏留下深刻印象的時候奠定的；是在記憶很新鮮、有準備和持久的時候，當頭腦與心胸沒有牽掛、沒有激情、沒有企圖的時候；而且那些小孩所依賴的人有足夠權威使他長時間持續地用功。我相信世上隻有少數真正有學問的人，更多的是徒有虛名的人，原因就在於忽視了這個道理。"

I think every body will agree with this observing gentleman, that languages are the proper study of our first years. But it is to be considered by the parents and tutors, what tongues it is fit the child should learn. For it must be confessed, that it is fruitless pains and loss of time, to learn a language which in the course of life that he is designed to, he is never like to make use of, or which one may guess by his temper he will wholly neglect and lose again, as soon as an approach to manhood, setting him free from a governor, shall put him into the hands of his own inclination, which is not likely to allot any of his time to the cultivating the learned tongues, or dispose him to mind any other language but what daily use or some particular necessity shall force upon him.

我認為每個人都會同意這位觀察細致的紳士所說的，即語言適宜於在我們的人生早期去學習。至於什麽語言適合小孩去學習，應該是父母與導師考慮的。因為我們必須承認，如果一門語言在小孩命定的一生中，他決不會可能用到，或者從他的脾性猜測，一旦他長大成人、脫離了監護人的管束，他就會完全忽略或遺忘，那麽讓他學習這門語言，隻會使他作無謂的努力和浪費時間；而且當他可以聽憑自己的意誌行事時，他不太可能安排時間去培養學者的語言，除了日常使用或某些特別需要迫使他學習的，他不會分心注意任何別的語言。

ut yet, for the sake of those who are designed to be scholars, I will add, what the same author subjoins, to make good his foregoing remark. It will deserve to be considered by all who desire to be truly learned, and therefore may be a fit rule for tutors to inculcate, and leave with their pupils, to guide their future studies.

不過，為了那些有意成為學者的人，我願加上同一個作者的補白，以使他前述的評論更完善。這值得所有希望成為真正學者的人考慮，因此導師們可以將其作為合適的規則來諄諄教誨他們的學生，傳給學生以指導其將來的學習。

"The study," says he, "of the original text can never be sufficiently recommended. It is the shortest, surest, and most agreeable way to all sorts of learning. Draw from the spring-head, and take not things at second hand. Let the writings of the great masters be never laid aside, dwell upon them, settle them in your mind, and cite them upon occasion; make it your business throughly to understand them in their full extent and all their circumstances: acquaint yourself fully with the principles of original authors; bring them to a consistency, and then do you yourself make your deductions. In this state were the first commentators, and do not you rest till you bring yourself to the same. Content not yourself with those borrowed lights, nor guide yourself by their views but where your own fails you and leaves you in the dark. Their explications are not your's, and will give you the slip. On the contrary, your own observations are the product of your own mind, where they will abide and be ready at hand upon all occasions in converse, consultation, and dispute. Lose not the pleasure it is to see that you are not stopped in your reading but by difficulties that are invincible; where the commentators and scholiasts themselves are at a stand and have nothing to say. Those copious expositors of other places, who with a vain and pompous overflow of learning poured out on passages plain and easy in themselves, are very free of their words and pains, where there is no need. Convince yourself full by this ordering your studies, that it is nothing but men's laziness which hath encouraged pedantry to cram rather than enrich libraries, and to bury good authors under heaps of notes and commentaries, and you will perceive that sloth herein has acted against itself and its own interest by multiplying reading and enquiries, and increasing the pains it endeavoured to avoid."

他說："研究原著怎麽推崇也不會過分。那是研究任何學問的一條最便捷的、最穩妥的、最適合的途徑。凡事要從源頭獲得，不要間接取得。絕不要把偉大作家的作品擱置一旁，要沉湎於其中，將其銘記在心，有機會就加以引用；把在其全部範圍內及各種情形下徹底地理解它們作為你的任務：你要充分熟悉原作者遵循的原則，並將那些原則連貫起來，然後作出你自己的推斷。第一流的評注家就是這樣作的，你在達到同樣的境界之前不得懈怠。你自己不要以借來的光亮而滿足，也不要用別人的見解作為自己的指南，除非你自己的見解讓你失望，並且使你在黑暗中徘徊。他們的闡釋不是你的，它們會使你滑倒。相反你自己的見解是你自己心思意念的產物，它們總會在你心裏駐留，隨時準備在各種交談、商討和辯論的場合有所發揮。不可丟棄不斷閱讀的樂趣，除非遇到難以克服的困難；那時評論家與注解者他們自己也停步不前、無話可說。而那些在別處顯得學識淵博的評注者，總愛在原文淺顯容易的段落顯示過多空洞與華而不實的學問，在不必要的地方不吝言詞，不辭辛勞。如果你自己完全采用這種方法做學問，那沒有別的原因，隻能是人的惰性，惰性鼓勵書呆子去塞滿而不是豐富他們的書庫，並將優秀的作家埋沒在大堆的注釋及評論下麵；你會意識到，懶惰在這裏是自己與自己作對，自己傷害自己的利益，它本來竭力避免讀書與詢問，現在卻更辛苦，要多讀多問。"

This, though it may seem to concern none but direct scholars, is of so great moment for the right ordering of their education and studies, that I hope I shall not be blamed for inserting of it here, especially if it be considered, that it may be of use to gentlemen too, when at any time they have a mind to go deeper than the surface, and get to themselves a solid, satisfactory, and masterly insight in any part of learning.

這節話雖然看起來好像隻與學者有關，卻對合理安排他們的教育和研究至關重要，所以我希望沒人責怪我把它插在此處；特別是如果大家考慮一下，它對於紳士們也不無稗益；無論何時當他們有心要在任何學問上突破淺表、深入下去，使自己具備一種堅實、令人滿意的及高明的見解，這都是有用的。

METHOD | Order and constancy are said to make the great difference between one man and another; this I am sure, nothing so much clears a learner's way, helps him so much on in it, and makes him go so easy and so far in any enquiry, as a good method. His governor should take pains to make him sensible of this, accustom him to order, and teach him method in all the applications of his thoughts; show him wherein it lies, and the advantages of it; acquaint him with the several sorts of it, either from general to particulars, or from particulars to what is more general; exercise him in both of them; and make him see, in what cases each different method is most proper, and to what ends it best serves.

方法 |  次序與恒心據說是使兩個人有巨大差別的原因；我確信這一點，沒有任何事情比一個良好的方法更能為一個學生掃清道路，幫助他前進，使他在任何求知的道路上行進得更輕鬆、更深入。他的老師應努力使他明白這個道理，讓他習慣遵守次序，並且教他在各種場合運用思想的方法；向他揭示方法在哪裏，與什麽樣的優點；使他熟悉若幹種方法，或是從一般到特殊的方法，或是從特殊到更一般的方法；讓他在這兩種方法上都得到練習；並且使他明白，各種不同方法在什麽情形下最合適，對什麽目的最有用。

In history the order of time should govern; in philosophical inquiries, that of nature, which in all progression is to go from the place one is then in, to that which joins and lies next to it; and so it is in the mind, from the knowledge it stands possessed of already, to that which lies next, and is coherent to it; and so on to what it aims at, by the simplest and most uncompounded parts it can divide the matter into. To this purpose, it will be of great use to his pupil to accustom him to distinguish well, that is, to have distinct notions, whereever the mind can find any real difference; but as carefully to avoid distinctions in terms, where he has not distinct and different clear ideas.

在曆史中，時間的順序應該占主導地位；在哲學探討中，自然的次序應該占主導地位，在一切進展中，自然次序總是從現在所處的地方向鄰近及周圍推進；在心理上也是如此，從已經掌握的知識向相鄰和相一致的知識探尋；這樣，可以從物質可分割成的最簡單、最純正的部分達到目標。為此目的，應該使學生善於區分，也就是無論心理在哪裏找出事物真正的區別，都能有清楚的觀念；但是如果他沒有確切與不同的清晰概念，應該注意避免隻從術語上去區分。

 

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