致切斯特菲尔德伯爵书译文.pdf

To Lord Chesterfield 致切斯特菲尔德伯爵书 By Samuel Johnson [英] 约翰逊 February 7, 1755. 1755年 2 月 7 日 My Lord ， 尊敬的阁下： I have been lately informed, by 日前蒙《世界》杂志业主相告， the proprietor of the World, that 两篇向公众推荐我所编纂的词典 two papers, in which my 的文章是出自阁下之手。受此推 Dictionary is recommended to the 崇，甚感荣幸；我素来不太习惯 public, were written by your 贵人之惠，故不知如何承接阁下 Lordship. To be so distinguished, is 之恩，不知以何言辞向阁下致谢。 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 当初，受他人所励，我初次 encouragement, I first visited your 拜访阁下，如芸芸众人所感，为 Lordship, I was overpowered, like 阁下言辞之魅力所折服；不禁自 the rest of mankind, by the 诩为“世界征服者的征服者，虽 enchantment of your address; and 亲眼目睹世人为得见阁下尊容而 could not forbear to wish that I 相争，我也期望能得阁下之关切； might boast myself Le vainqueur du 不料拜谒之际，并为得到丝毫鼓 vainqueur de la terre; —that I 励，自惭自尊之感顿生，断无胆 might obtain that regard for which I 气再睹阁下之容。 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 process. 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 尊敬的阁下， 自当日候于府上 now past, since I waited in your 外室，被拒于阁下门前而不得入， outward rooms, or was repulsed 七年已逝。在此期间，我为事业 from your door; during which time I 颠沛潦倒，艰难竭蹶，困苦之时 have been pushing on my work 仍无牢骚满腹，