約翰·洛克的教育思想(中英對照)-31: 結語

CONCLUSION | Though I am now come to a conclusion of what obvious remarks have suggested to me concerning education, I would not have it thought that I look on it as a just treatise on this subject. There are a thousand other things that may need consideration, especially if one should take in the various tempers, different inclinations, and particular defaults, that are to be found in children, and prescribe proper remedies. The variety is so great, that it would require a volume; nor would that reach it. Each man's mind has some peculiarity, as well as his face, that distinguishes him from all others; and there are possibly scarce two children, who can be conducted by exactly the same method. Besides that, I think a prince, a nobleman, and an ordinary gentleman's son, should have different ways of breeding. But having had here only some general views in reference to the main end and aims in education, and those designed for a gentleman's son, who being then very little, I considered only as white paper, or wax, to be moulded and fashioned as one pleases; I have touched little more than those heads, which I judged necessary for the breeding of a young gentleman of his condition in general; and have now published these my occasional thoughts, with this hope, that though this be far from being a complete treatise on this subject, or such as that every one may find what will just fit his child in it; yet it may give some small light to those, whose concern for their dear little ones makes them so irregularly bold, that they dare venture to consult their own reason, in the education of their children, rather than wholly to rely upon old custom.

結語 | 雖然我關於教育的評論現在到總結的時候，我不想讓人以為我把它作為有關教育議題的一篇恰當的論文。還有成千的其它事情要考慮，特別是考量小孩的各種脾性、不同愛好、各自的缺點，還要給出合適的矯治方法。這種類變化如此之大，需要寫一卷書；也許一卷書還不夠呢。每個人的心理就如同他的麵孔一樣，也是特別的，可以將他與所有其他人區分開來；而且很難找到兩個小孩，可以用完全一樣的方法教導。此外，我覺得一個王子、一個貴族，及一個普通紳士的兒子，應該用不同的方法來養育。但是我在這裏所提到的隻是針對教育的主要結果、目的，提出一些一般的參考意見，這些議論原是為一位紳士的兒子而發的，他當時年齡尚小，我把他看成隻是一張白紙或一塊蠟，可以隨心所欲地鑄就或塑造成時髦的式樣；我所提到的差不多全是這種年輕紳士的教養所必需的項目，我現在將這些偶然的想法公諸於世，同時希望，即使本文談不上是一篇完全的教育論文，不能使每個人都從中找到正好適合於其孩子的方法，但是它可以給那些關懷自己珍愛的小孩的人以啟示，使他們在教育子女問題上，格外勇敢，寧願冒險服從自己的理智，而不是完全地依靠古老的習俗。

 

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