letter to the right honorable the earl of chesterfield
--Samuel Johnson
背景介紹
塞繆爾?約翰遜(英文：Samuel Johnson，1709年9月7日-1784年12月3日[1])，常稱(chēng)為約翰遜博士(Dr. Johnson)，英國(guó)歷史上最有名的文人之一，集文評(píng)家、詩(shī)人、散文家、傳記家于一身，前半生名不經(jīng)傳，但他花了九年時(shí)間獨(dú)力編出的《約翰遜字典》(A Dictionary of the English Language)，為他贏得了文名及“博士”的頭銜，博斯韋爾(James Boswell)后來(lái)為他寫(xiě)的傳記《約翰遜傳》記錄了他后半生的言行，使他成為家喻戶(hù)曉的人物。
《致切斯特菲爾德大人函》是約翰遜于1755年2月7日寫(xiě)給切斯特菲爾德伯爵菲力浦?多墨?斯坦厚甫(Philip Dormer Stanhope) 的一封信。切斯特菲爾德伯爵開(kāi)始對(duì)約翰遜編辭典一事冷眼相看。約翰遜艱辛奮斗7年，終于獨(dú)立完成辭典編寫(xiě)，出版在即。這時(shí)，切斯特菲爾德伯爵在當(dāng)時(shí)的《世界報(bào)》上連寫(xiě)兩篇文章，對(duì)約翰遜的辭典大加吹捧，希望約翰遜將來(lái)能把英國(guó)的第一部英語(yǔ)辭典獻(xiàn)給他。約翰遜得知此事后，義憤填膺，揮筆寫(xiě)下了這篇名傳千秋的著名信函。信中數(shù)落了伯爵對(duì)他的冷淡，嘲諷了伯爵的傲慢與專(zhuān)橫，對(duì)比了約翰遜自己對(duì)伯爵的熱情與誠(chéng)懇，從而宣布了約翰遜的辭典與伯爵無(wú)關(guān)，是他獨(dú)立完成的，對(duì)伯爵無(wú)恩可感，無(wú)情可載。約翰遜的信是一個(gè)窮作家對(duì)大人物的控訴狀，表現(xiàn)了作家對(duì)權(quán)貴的蔑視，有著我國(guó)著名詩(shī)人李白一樣的“安能摧眉折腰事權(quán)貴”的反叛精神。在實(shí)質(zhì)上，約翰遜的這種精神代表了英國(guó)新興的資產(chǎn)階級(jí)對(duì)封建權(quán)勢(shì)的反抗。人們將約翰遜的這封信比做是“作家的獨(dú)立宣言”。事實(shí)上，此后，英國(guó)文壇上的保護(hù)人制度(Patronage)在英國(guó)，在歐洲大陸逐漸消失了。
約翰遜的信不僅思想性深刻，而且文筆優(yōu)美、語(yǔ)句典雅，不長(zhǎng)的信中，三聯(lián)排比的結(jié)構(gòu)被兩次運(yùn)用。文中的反語(yǔ)、諷刺、幽默含義加強(qiáng)了語(yǔ)句的感染力，而且約翰遜所用的比喻含有高深的典故性和哲理性。為了表達(dá)自己對(duì)伯爵“一往情深”的仰慕，約翰遜引用了古羅馬詩(shī)人維吉爾詩(shī)中的牧童“發(fā)現(xiàn)愛(ài)神只不過(guò)是荒山野嶺中的野蠻人”的故事，用以喻指伯爵的鐵石心腸，是不通情理的人。
這封信中的句子結(jié)構(gòu)上，約翰遜還顯示了他高超的安排技巧，信正文的最后一段是一個(gè)句子，在末尾的一個(gè)定語(yǔ)從句中，作者把書(shū)信中的客套結(jié)尾語(yǔ)和簽名巧妙地變成了這個(gè)句子的組成部分。
To The Right Honourable The Earl Of Chester
7th February, 1755.
My Lord,
I have been lately informed, by the proprietor of The World, that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your lordship. To be so distinguished is an honour which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge.
When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of your address, and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself Le vainqueur du vainqueur de la terre;―that I might obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending; but I found my attendance so little encouraged, that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When I had once addressed your Lordship in public, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can possess. I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little.
Seven years, my lord, have now passed, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance , one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before.
The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.
Is not a patrons my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it: till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron, which providence has enabled me to do for myself.
Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, My Lord,
Your lordship's most humble,
most obedient servant,
SAM. JOHNSON.
辜正坤先生白話(huà)體譯文
伯爵大人：
近日從《世界報(bào)》館主得知，該報(bào)刊載了兩篇文章，對(duì)拙編詞典頗多舉薦濫美之詞，這些文章?lián)ぞ鲎蚤w下您的手筆。承蒙您如此的推崇，本應(yīng)是一種榮耀，只可惜在下自來(lái)無(wú)緣得到王公大人的青睞，所以真不知道該如何來(lái)領(lǐng)受這份榮耀，也不知道該用些什么言辭來(lái)聊表謝意。
回想當(dāng)年，也不知哪來(lái)的勇氣，我竟第一次拜訪了大人閣下。我像所有的人一樣，深為大人的言談豐采所傾倒，不禁玄想他年能口出大言“吾乃天下征服者之征服者也。”――雖知此殊榮是舉世學(xué)人所欲得，仍希望有朝一日能僥幸獲取。然而我很快發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的趨走逢迎根本沒(méi)有得到鼓勵(lì)。不管是出于自尊也好，自矜也好，我反正無(wú)法再周旋下去。我本是一個(gè)與世無(wú)爭(zhēng)、不善逢迎的書(shū)生，但那時(shí)我也曾用盡平生所學(xué)的阿諛?lè)畛械难赞o，當(dāng)眾贊美過(guò)閣下。能做的一切我都做了。如果一個(gè)人在這方面付出的一切努力(不管是多么微不足道)受到完全的忽視，他是絕不會(huì)感到舒服的。
大人閣下，從我第一次候立于貴府門(mén)下，或者說(shuō)被您拒于門(mén)外時(shí)算起，已經(jīng)7年過(guò)去。7年多來(lái)，我一直苦苦地?fù)纬种业木幾ぷ鳌＿@些苦楚，現(xiàn)在再來(lái)傾訴，已經(jīng)沒(méi)有用處。所幸我的勞作而今終于快要出版，在這之前我沒(méi)有獲得過(guò)一個(gè)贊助的行為，一句鼓勵(lì)的話(huà)語(yǔ)，一抹稱(chēng)許的微笑。我固然不曾指望這樣的禮遇，因?yàn)槲覐奈从羞^(guò)一位贊助人。
維吉爾筆下的牧童最后終于和愛(ài)神相識(shí)，這才發(fā)現(xiàn)所謂愛(ài)神只不過(guò)是巖穴土人而已。
大人閣下，有的人眼見(jiàn)落水者在水中拼命掙扎而無(wú)動(dòng)于衷，等他安全抵岸之后，卻才多余地伸出所謂援手，莫非這就叫贊助人么?大人而今忽有雅興來(lái)關(guān)照在下的勞作，這原本是一樁美意，只可惜太遲了一點(diǎn)。遲到我已經(jīng)意懶心灰，再無(wú)法快樂(lè)地消受;遲到我已經(jīng)是孤身一人，無(wú)從與家人分享;遲到我已經(jīng)名聞海內(nèi)，再不需閣下附麗張揚(yáng)。我既然本來(lái)就沒(méi)有得到過(guò)實(shí)惠，自然母需懷感恩之心;既然是上帝助我獨(dú)立完成這樁大業(yè)，我自然不愿讓公眾產(chǎn)生錯(cuò)覺(jué)，似乎我曾受惠于某一贊助人。但愿上面這番話(huà)不致被認(rèn)為太苛刻、太不近人情。
我已經(jīng)在根本沒(méi)有所謂學(xué)術(shù)贊助人贊助的情況下使自己的工作完成到目前這個(gè)地步，那么，盡管我將要在更艱難無(wú)助的情況下―假如還有可能更艱難無(wú)助的話(huà)―完成全稿，我也絕不會(huì)感到沮喪。因?yàn)槲乙呀?jīng)早就從那個(gè)贊助的美夢(mèng)里幡然猛醒;曾幾何時(shí)，我還在那夢(mèng)中得意非凡地自詡是大人。
您門(mén)下最卑微
最馴順的仆人
塞繆爾?約翰遜
1755年2月7日
