《四季随笔》节选 - 秋 07

《四季随笔》是吉辛的散文代表作。其中对隐士赖克罗夫特醉心于书籍、自然景色与回忆过去生活的描述，其实是吉辛的自述，作者以此来抒发自己的情感，因而本书是一部富有自传色彩的小品文集。

吉辛穷困的一生，对文学名著的爱好与追求，以及对大自然恬静生活的向往，在书中均有充分的反映。本书分为春、夏、秋、冬四个部分，文笔优美，行文流畅，是英国文学中小品文的珍品之一。

以下是由网友分享的《四季随笔》节选 - 秋 07的内容，让我们一起来感受吉辛的四季吧!

This morning's sunshine faded amid slow-gathering clouds, but something of its light seems still to linger in the air, and to touch the rain which is falling softly. I hear a pattering upon the still leafage of the garden; it is a sound which lulls, and tunes the mind to calm thoughtfulness.

今天早晨，太阳逐渐消逝在慢慢聚集的乌云后面，但它的光芒似乎还逗留在空气中，爱抚着轻轻落下的雨滴。我听到雨点啪啪地打在花园中静静的枝叶上；这声音让人感到安慰，引人进入一种宁静沉思的心境。

I have a letter to-day from my old friend in Germany, E. B.15 For many and many a year these letters have made a pleasant incident in my life; more than that, they have often brought me help and comfort. It must be a rare thing for friendly correspondence to go on during the greater part of a lifetime between men of different nationalities who see each other not twice in two decades. We were young men when we first met in London, poor, struggling, full of hopes and ideals; now we look back upon those far memories from the autumn of life. B. writes to-day in a vein of quiet contentment, which does me good. He quotes Goethe: "Was man in der Jugend begehrt hat man im Alter die Fulle."

今天我收到一封信，是德国的老朋友E.B.寄来的。许多年来，这些信是我生命中的乐事；它们不只让我愉快，还给我带来帮助和慰藉。两个不同国籍的人，二十年来不曾见过第二面，却保持友好通信大半辈子，这种事肯定很少见。我们第一次在伦敦见面的时候，两个人都还年轻，贫穷，在艰难奋斗中，充满了希望和理想；现在我们都处在生命的秋天了，回首之下，那已经是遥远的记忆了。今天B的来信传递出宁静满足的情调，让我心情愉快。他还引用歌德的话：“人在青年之时希望的事，在老年成就”。

These words of Goethe's were once a hope to me; later, they made me shake my head incredulously; now I smile to think how true they have proved in my own case. But what, exactly, do they mean? Are they merely an expression of the optimistic spirit? If so, optimism has to content itself with rather doubtful generalities. Can it truly be said that most men find the wishes of their youth satisfied in later life? Ten years ago, I should have utterly denied it, and could have brought what seemed to me abundant evidence in its disproof. And as regards myself, is it not by mere happy accident that I pass my latter years in such enjoyment of all I most desired? Accident—but there is no such thing. I might just as well have called it an accident had I succeeded in earning the money on which now I live.

歌德的这句话曾经给予我希望，后来我对它摇头表示怀疑；如今我微笑地想到，就我个人的境遇而言，这句话是多么正确啊。但是它究竟是什么意思呢？只是一种乐观精神的表达吗？如果确实如此，乐观主义恐怕不是放之四海而皆准的。对大多数人来说，他们年轻时的愿望在以后的日子都会实现，真的可以这样说吗？十年前，我会对它全盘否定，也许还会拿出看似充足的证据予以反驳。就我自己来说，还不是因为幸运的偶然事件，如今才过上自己一直渴望的安乐生活。偶然事件——但它根本是不存在的。假使我挣到了得以维持现在生活的钱，我也一定会称之为偶然事件。

From the beginning of my manhood, it is true, I longed for bookish leisure; that, assuredly, is seldom even one of the desires in a young man's heart, but perhaps it is one of those which may most reasonably look for gratification later on. What, however, of the multitudes who aim only at wealth, for the power and the pride and the material pleasures which it represents? We know very well that few indeed are successful in that aim; and, missing it, do they not miss everything? For them, are not Goethe's words mere mockery?

从我成年伊始，在探求学问中撷取闲情逸致，就一直是我的愿望；这种愿望很少存在于年轻人的心中，但也许是最有理由期望在日后得到满足的一个愿望。但是，那些一心追逐财富并渴望获得它所代表的权利、骄傲和物质享受的芸芸众生呢？我们非常清楚在这条道路上成功的人不多；如果达不到这个目标，他们岂不是失去了一切？对于他们来说，歌德的话不就只是嘲讽吗？

Apply them to mankind at large, and perhaps, after all, they are true. The fact of national prosperity and contentment implies, necessarily, the prosperity and contentment of the greater number of the individuals of which the nation consists. In other words, the average man who is past middle life has obtained what he strove for—success in his calling. As a young man, he would not, perhaps, have set forth his aspirations so moderately, but do they not, as a fact, amount to this? In defence of the optimistic view, one may urge how rare it is to meet with an elderly man who harbours a repining spirit. True; but I have always regarded as a fact of infinite pathos the ability men have to subdue themselves to the conditions of life. Contentment so often means resignation, abandonment of the hope seen to be forbidden.

把歌德的话放在全体人类身上，它也许终究还是事实。国家的繁荣富足，也必然意味着组成这个国家的大多数人的富裕满足。换句话说，过了中年的普通人实现了他的奋斗目标——他期望的“成功”。年轻时，他或许不会把抱负定位得这么庸俗，但最终不就等于是这样了吗？为这个乐观的观点辩护一句，你可以指出我们很少看见一个老人壮志未酬心怀悔恨。不错，但是一直以来，我都为人们屈服于生活现实的这种能力感到无限悲哀。满足通常都意味着屈从，也就是放弃了被人视为妄想的希望。

I cannot resolve this doubt.

这个疑惑我无法消除。