英语名篇诵读 智者的忠告

The Counsel of the Wise

智者的忠告

Thomas Carlyle(托马斯·卡莱尔)

As to the books which you — whom I know so little of — should read, there is hardly

anything definite that can be said. For one thing, you may be strenuously¹ advised to keep

reading. Any good book, any book that is wiser than yourself, will teach you something — a great

many things, indirectly² and directly, if your mind be open to learn. This old counsel of Johnson's

is also good, and universally applicable: “Read the book you do honestly feel a wish and

curiosity to read.” The very wish and curiosity indicates that you, then and there, are the person

likely to get good of it. “Our wishes are presentiments³ of our capabilities;” that is a noble

saying, of deep encouragement to all true men; applicable to our wishes and efforts in regard to

reading as to other things. Among all the objects that look wonderful or beautiful to you, follow

with fresh hope the one which looks wonderfullest, beautifullest. You will gradually find, by

various trials, what is for you the wonderfullest, beautifullest — what is your true element and

province, and be able to profit by that.

Another thing, and only one other, I will say. All books are properly the record of the history

of past men — what thoughts past men had in them — what actions past men did: the summary

of all books whatsoever⁴ lies there. It is on this ground that the class of books specifically named

History can be safely recommended as the basis of all study of books — the preliminary to all

right and full understanding of anything we can expect to find in books. Past history, and

especially the past history of one's own native country, everybody may be advised to begin with

that. Let him study that faithfully; innumerable inquiries⁵ will branch out from it; he has a

broad-beaten highway, from which all the country is more or less visible; there travelling, let him

choose where he will dwell.

Neither let mistakes and wrong directions — of which every man, in his studies and

elsewhere, falls into many — discourage you. There is precious instruction to be got by finding

that we are wrong. Let a man try faithfully, manfully , to be right, he will grow daily more and

more right. It is, at bottom, the condition which all men have to cultivate themselves. Our very

walking is an incessant⁶ falling — a falling and a catching⁷ of ourselves before we come actually

to the pavement!  — it is emblematic⁸ of all things a man does.

In conclusion, I will remind you that it is not by books alone, or by books chiefly, that a man

becomes in all points a man. Study to do faithfully whatsoever thing in your actual situation, there

and now, you find either expressly or tacitly laid to your charge; that is your post; stand in it like

a true soldier. Silently devour⁹ the many chagrins¹⁰ of it, as all human situations have many; and

see your aim, not to quit it without doing all that it, at least, required of you. A man perfects

himself by work much more than by reading. They are a growing kind of men that can wisely

combine the two things — wisely, valiantly¹¹, can do what is laid to their hand in their present

sphere, and prepare themselves withal for doing other wider things, if such lie before them.

至于那些你应该读的书，因为对你知之甚少，我几乎没有什么肯定的话可以说。首

先，建议你坚持不懈地读书。任何好书，任何一本由比你更聪明的人写的书，都会教给你

一些东西——许多东西，或直接，或间接，如果你虚怀若谷的话。约翰逊的这条古老忠告

依然有用，放之四海皆准：“读你确定觉得想读并感到好奇的书。”那强烈的愿望和好奇心

表明，彼时彼地，你可能就是从书中受益的人。“我们的愿望是我们能力的预感。”这是一

句名言，对所有真正的人都是个巨大的鼓励，也适用于我们在读书和其他事情上的愿望和

努力。在那些在你看来奇妙美丽的事物中，满怀希望地去追求看上去最奇妙最美丽的那一

个。经过多次尝试，你会渐渐发现什么对你来说才是最奇妙的、最美好的——你的强项和

领域，从而从中受益。

其次，也是我唯一要说的另一点。所有的书都是过去人类的历史记录——先人的思想

——先人的所作所为：所有书的要义都在那里。正是基于这个原因，称为历史的那类书，

大可以推荐为对书籍进行各种研究的基础——所有正确并充分理解我们期望在书中找到的

任何东西的前提。过往的历史，尤其是本国的历史，建议每个人可以先开始读起来。认真

研读，无数探索将从中展开；读历史的人会有一条康庄大道，在那里，无边景色或多或少

都可收入眼前，在那里漫游，可随意栖居。

不要为误入歧途和迷失方向——在研究中和在其他方面，每个人都会多次犯错——而

灰心丧气。发现我们错了，就能汲取宝贵的教益。一个人如能忠实而勇敢地追求正确，他

就会日益正确起来。实际上，对每一个自修的人来说都是如此。走路就是不断跌倒的过

程，跌倒了却能在身体着地前及时救起自己，这就是人们一切作为的象征。

最后，我要提醒你，不是仅靠书，或者主要靠书，一个人才成为一个完整的人。现实

生活中的任何事情，不管是明确的或是不言明的，同属责有攸归，都应脚踏实地地去做；

那是你的岗位，要像真正的战士那样坚守它。默默地吞下生活中的苦果，因为所有的人都

苦恼多多，在为你的本职尽力之前，万勿心存放弃之念。一个人要完善自己，工作的作用

大于读书。越来越多的人能够明智地把读书和工作结合起来——明智而果敢，能够做好手

头上的事务，而且又为做更加宏伟的事业——如果前面有的话——做好准备。

1 strenuously   

adv.奋发地，费力地

参考例句：

• The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the workforce. 公司竭力为其裁员的决定辩护。
• She denied the accusation with some warmth, ie strenuously, forcefully. 她有些激动，竭力否认这一指责。

2 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

3 presentiments   

n.（对不祥事物的）预感( presentiment的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His presentiments of what the future holds for all are plainly not cheering. 则是应和了很多美国人的种种担心，他对各方未来的预感显然是不令人振奋的。 来自互联网

4 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

5 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 incessant   

adj.不停的，连续的

参考例句：

• We have had incessant snowfall since yesterday afternoon.从昨天下午开始就持续不断地下雪。
• She is tired of his incessant demands for affection.她厌倦了他对感情的不断索取。

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 emblematic   

adj.象征的，可当标志的；象征性

参考例句：

• The violence is emblematic of what is happening in our inner cities. 这种暴力行为正标示了我们市中心贫民区的状况。
• Whiteness is emblematic of purity. 白色是纯洁的象征。 来自辞典例句

9 devour   

v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷

参考例句：

• Larger fish devour the smaller ones.大鱼吃小鱼。
• Beauty is but a flower which wrinkle will devour.美只不过是一朵，终会被皱纹所吞噬。

10 chagrins   

v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

11 valiantly   

adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳

参考例句：

• He faced the enemy valiantly, shuned no difficulties and dangers and would not hesitate to lay down his life if need be. 他英勇对敌，不避艰险，赴汤蹈火在所不计。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Murcertach strove valiantly to meet the new order of things. 面对这个新事态，默克塔克英勇奋斗。 来自辞典例句