蒲柏　《批評(píng)論》

亞歷山大·蒲柏（1688—1744）

亞歷山大·蒲柏是英國(guó)新古典主義詩(shī)人和批評(píng)家，出生在倫敦一個(gè)殷實(shí)的布商家庭，全家信奉天主教。當(dāng)時(shí)英國(guó)天主教徒社會(huì)地位底下，政治上遭歧視，既不允許上大學(xué)，也不能出任公職。蒲柏12歲時(shí)脊柱患結(jié)核病，身體畸形，從此居家讀書(shū)。他師從一位教士，學(xué)會(huì)了古希臘文和拉丁文；經(jīng)過(guò)短期學(xué)習(xí)，又掌握了法文和意大利文，借以博覽群典，追思古人的精神余韻。他少有詩(shī)才，16歲時(shí)即發(fā)表《田園詩(shī)》。經(jīng)過(guò)王政復(fù)辟時(shí)期戲劇名家威廉·威徹利的引薦，進(jìn)入倫敦的文人圈子。

1711年，蒲柏發(fā)表詩(shī)體論著《批評(píng)論》。全詩(shī)共700多行，妙語(yǔ)名句紛呈，有的已成為民諺，流傳至今。例如，“天使懼怕涉足處，笨伯爭(zhēng)先涌入”、“錯(cuò)誤人難免，寬恕最可貴”?！杜u(píng)論》讓蒲柏一舉成名，使他有機(jī)會(huì)結(jié)識(shí)當(dāng)時(shí)的文壇要人艾迪生和斯梯爾，成為他們小圈子中的一員。1712年，在他們主辦的雜志《旁觀者》上，蒲柏發(fā)表了田園詩(shī)《彌賽亞》。同年，他還寫(xiě)出名作、長(zhǎng)篇戲仿史詩(shī)《劫發(fā)記》，描寫(xiě)兩個(gè)大家族之間的爭(zhēng)執(zhí)。事情起因很簡(jiǎn)單，一家的少爺偷剪了另一家小姐的一縷秀發(fā)，令對(duì)方羞惱不已，致使兩家關(guān)系勢(shì)如水火。蒲柏以游戲的筆法、滑稽的腔調(diào)夸張?jiān)靹?shì)，把這一瑣事無(wú)限放大，把兩家的對(duì)立之勢(shì)寫(xiě)得如同希臘諸邦與特洛伊之間那樣劍拔弩張。這首詩(shī)諷刺了上流社會(huì)的空虛和無(wú)聊，也暴露了作者對(duì)這個(gè)珠光寶氣的浮華世界的艷羨。1714年該詩(shī)再版，又增加了4章。

1713年，他發(fā)表《溫莎森林》（Windsor Forest）一詩(shī)，頌揚(yáng)安妮女王，深得托利黨人的賞識(shí)，并因此結(jié)交了喬納森·斯威夫特（屬托利黨）。此后，他與艾狄生（屬輝格黨）一行漸漸疏遠(yuǎn)。他與斯威夫特、諷刺作家約翰·蓋伊（John Gay）等人結(jié)成“涂鴉社”（Scriblerus Club），諷刺世風(fēng)，戲笑時(shí)政，發(fā)泄對(duì)輝格黨政府的不滿。從1715年到1720年，他以英雄雙韻體的詩(shī)格陸續(xù)翻譯出版了《伊利亞特》，聲震文壇，好評(píng)如潮。不過(guò)，就精神氣質(zhì)和選詞設(shè)句而言，這個(gè)譯本與荷馬原文相距甚遠(yuǎn)，帶有更多時(shí)代的特色。后來(lái)，他又與人合作，譯完了《奧德賽》，以求完璧。這套英譯荷馬史詩(shī)銷路極好，蒲柏收益豐厚。從此，蒲柏經(jīng)濟(jì)上得以自立，擺脫了寒素和困窘之境，成為英國(guó)文學(xué)史上第一位職業(yè)作家。他用這筆收入在鄉(xiāng)下置業(yè)筑園，盡享田園之趣。蒲柏的譯作遭到艾狄生等人的嫉視和批評(píng)，他們暗助別人推出另一個(gè)譯本，但新譯本的質(zhì)量、口碑和銷路遠(yuǎn)不及蒲柏譯本。

在此期間，蒲柏還花大力氣，編訂了一套6卷本的《莎士比亞全集》，于1825年出版。蒲柏畢竟不是莎學(xué)專家，難免謬誤，遭致物議。著名莎學(xué)專家劉易斯·蒂博德（Lewis Theobald）寫(xiě)了一本小冊(cè)子《恢復(fù)莎士比亞的本來(lái)面目》（Shakespeare Restored, 1726），對(duì)蒲柏多有指責(zé)。羞惱之下，蒲柏把蒂博德寫(xiě)進(jìn)了他另一部諷刺名作《群愚史詩(shī)》（Dunciad），這首長(zhǎng)詩(shī)嘲諷了倫教的窮酸文人和書(shū)賈，以蒂博德為“群愚之王”。該詩(shī)第1卷于1728年問(wèn)世，未署作者真名，在轉(zhuǎn)年出版的增訂本中，蒲柏又添加了大量腳注和附錄。這樣做一舉雙得，既戲仿了蒂博德瑣碎的學(xué)院派考證作風(fēng)，又透露出諷刺對(duì)象和事情本末。1743年，他又補(bǔ)充了一卷，冠以《新群愚史詩(shī)》之名。第二年，經(jīng)過(guò)增訂和修補(bǔ)，4卷全本《群愚史詩(shī)》問(wèn)世。在新版本中，桂冠詩(shī)人錫伯（C. Cibber）取代蒂博德，成為主角，其諷刺范圍也從文人和書(shū)賈擴(kuò)展到整個(gè)英國(guó)社會(huì)。

蒲柏還著有多部詩(shī)體信札，例如《人論》（1733—1734）,《道德論》（1731—1735），《仿賀拉斯詩(shī)札》等。其中最有影響的是《仿賀拉斯詩(shī)札》中《致阿巴斯諾特醫(yī)生書(shū)》。阿巴斯諾特是“涂鴉社”同道，曾任安妮女王的御醫(yī)。在這封自傳性很強(qiáng)的詩(shī)札中，蒲柏極盡挖苦和諷刺之能事，對(duì)他的許多文壇宿敵，包括上文提到的艾狄生、錫伯、蒂博德等人，進(jìn)行了丑化和抨擊。

蒲柏去世后，詩(shī)名依舊興盛不衰。到了18世紀(jì)末葉，隨著浪漫主義詩(shī)歌興起，他的聲譽(yù)大不如從前。在時(shí)人眼里，他的詩(shī)作是人為的妙手所得，缺少自然的天成。例如，赫茲利特說(shuō)他是講究人工而非自然的詩(shī)人。馬修·阿諾德代表了19世紀(jì)許多批評(píng)家的觀點(diǎn)，他認(rèn)為蒲柏的詩(shī)不是詩(shī)歌的經(jīng)典，而是散文的經(jīng)典。

但是，到了20世紀(jì)20年代，隨著浪漫派詩(shī)風(fēng)的衰落，蒲柏作品的許多優(yōu)點(diǎn)又重新受到人們的重視。

內(nèi)容提要

自18世紀(jì)初至中葉，英國(guó)文學(xué)史上的諸多名家，例如喬納森·斯威夫特、約瑟夫·艾迪生、亞歷山大·蒲柏等人，都篤信新古典主義的核心主張：模仿古希臘和古羅馬的經(jīng)典作家，遵循他們的批評(píng)法則，師法其作品所表現(xiàn)出的批評(píng)戒律。蒲柏的《批評(píng)論》更是英國(guó)新古典主義的理論體現(xiàn)。

《批評(píng)論》殊少新見(jiàn)，主要觀點(diǎn)來(lái)自羅馬時(shí)代的賀拉斯、法國(guó)的布瓦洛以及英國(guó)詩(shī)人約翰·德萊頓。即便是以詩(shī)論詩(shī)這種寫(xiě)作形式，也并非天下獨(dú)步，在賀拉斯、布瓦洛、維達(dá)那里早有前例。只是它文采斐然，音調(diào)鏗鏘，妙語(yǔ)佳句連篇，英雄雙韻體爐火純青，臻于極致，讓習(xí)見(jiàn)之論熠熠生輝，精彩紛呈。這正應(yīng)了詩(shī)中的一句名言，“所思尋常有，妙筆則空前（what oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed）”。其原因有多種：一則蒲柏尚古心思太重，無(wú)意作標(biāo)新立異之論；二則抑揚(yáng)格五音步詩(shī)律甚嚴(yán)，以它作詩(shī)論文無(wú)異于戴鐐銬跳舞，形式嚴(yán)重束縛思想，論證說(shuō)理不能系統(tǒng)深入，考辨事實(shí)無(wú)從自由展開(kāi)；再則，蒲柏作此詩(shī)時(shí)，才20歲左右，對(duì)他不能期待過(guò)高。

《批評(píng)論》發(fā)表于1711年，至于在哪一年完成，說(shuō)法不一；一般鎖定在1709年，因艾迪生在《旁觀者》雜志高度評(píng)價(jià)而聲名遠(yuǎn)揚(yáng)。賀拉斯的《詩(shī)藝》為其最主要范本，當(dāng)然，蒲柏也提到了布瓦洛的《詩(shī)藝》。與前兩者不同之處在于，《批評(píng)論》主要針對(duì)的是批評(píng)家而非作家。其中描述了古往今來(lái)詩(shī)人與批評(píng)家的對(duì)立，批評(píng)家謹(jǐn)守文學(xué)成規(guī)作為作品評(píng)判的準(zhǔn)繩；詩(shī)人不愿受其束縛，隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備破戒。

《批評(píng)論》大致可分為3部分。第1部分（（1—200行）樹(shù)立了古人的首要地位，最明顯地表現(xiàn)在181—200行對(duì)古人的盛贊。第2部分（201—559行）剖析了現(xiàn)代人的種種謬誤。第3部分（560—744行）提出改良的方案，并對(duì)文學(xué)批評(píng)史進(jìn)行了簡(jiǎn)短回顧。

蒲柏告誡批評(píng)家要有自知之明，認(rèn)清自己天賦之高下、鑒賞力的高低以及學(xué)問(wèn)的深淺，謹(jǐn)慎為文，不要過(guò)猶不及，弄巧成拙。因?yàn)槿说哪芰τ芯窒?，只能在某一方面出類拔萃。假如一個(gè)人記憶力過(guò)人，他的理解力必然不濟(jì)；假若他的想象力突出，那他的記憶力必然很弱。一門(mén)學(xué)問(wèn)只適合一種天才，藝術(shù)領(lǐng)域范圍廣大，而人的才智狹隘，只能專事某一局部領(lǐng)域。正確的批評(píng)態(tài)度是：深入了解古代作家的固有特征，熟悉他著作的情節(jié)、主題、目的，對(duì)那個(gè)時(shí)代的宗教、國(guó)情、時(shí)代精神了然于胸，才能放手去批評(píng)。至于作家，他應(yīng)當(dāng)公正地看待古人制定的原則。維吉爾曾發(fā)現(xiàn)，荷馬和自然殊途同歸。蒲柏進(jìn)一步引申，模仿古人就是模仿自然。在古人的規(guī)則不及之處，詩(shī)人僥幸可以偏離常規(guī)；但是，這類破戒行為越少越好，而且，至少要找到先例作為破戒的托詞。在180—200行，蒲柏盛贊古人的精神光焰萬(wàn)丈，永恒存在，澤被后代，為世人所景仰膜拜。

正如評(píng)論者所指出，《批評(píng)論》中的一些關(guān)鍵詞意義繁多，往往讓讀者困惑不已。例如nature一詞，有時(shí)候指客觀世界，有時(shí)指人性，有時(shí)指事物的本質(zhì)。art一詞也是如此，有時(shí)指人為創(chuàng)造的世界，對(duì)立于神造的世界；有時(shí)指技巧和手法，與創(chuàng)造性的本能相對(duì)立；有時(shí)指支配某種技巧的規(guī)則，與技巧本身相對(duì)立。當(dāng)然，它還可以有最常見(jiàn)的意義，即藝術(shù)產(chǎn)品的總稱。wit的詞義更加豐富，它可以表示鑒賞力、才智、妙語(yǔ)、天才、創(chuàng)造力，還可以指具備上述品質(zhì)的個(gè)人——才子。蒲柏在使用這些關(guān)鍵術(shù)語(yǔ)時(shí)，并沒(méi)有明確透露出其具體含義。當(dāng)他說(shuō)，nature是art的來(lái)源、目的和考驗(yàn)的時(shí)候，他同時(shí)使用這兩個(gè)詞的多種含義，增強(qiáng)了文字意義的張力。

Alexander Pope (1688—1744)

An Essay on Criticism

'Tis hard to say, if greater Want of Skill

Appear in Writing or in Judging ill;

But, of the two, less dang'rous is th' Offence,

To tire our Patience, than mis-lead our Sense.

Some few in that, but Numbers err in this,

Ten Censure wrong for one who Writes amiss;

A Fool might once himself alone expose,

Now One in Verse makes many more in Prose.

'Tis with our Judgments as our Watches, none

Go just alike, yet each believes his own.

In Poets as true Genius is but rare,

True Taste as seldom is the Critick's Share;

Both must alike from Heav'n derive their Light,

These born to Judge, as well as those to Write.

Let such teach others who themselves excell,

And censure freely who have written well.

Authors are partial to their Wit, 'tis true,

But are not Criticks to their Judgment too?

Yet if we look more closely, we shall find

Most have the Seeds of Judgment in their Mind;

Nature affords at least a glimm'ring Light;

The Lines, tho' touch'd but faintly, are drawn right.

But as the slightest Sketch, if justly trac'd,

Is by ill Coloring but the more disgrac'd,

So by false Learning is good Sense defac'd;

Some are bewilder'd in the Maze of Schools,

And some made Coxcombs Nature meant but Fools.

In search of Wit these lose their common Sense,

And then turn Criticks in their own Defence.

Each burns alike, who can, or cannot write,

Or with a Rival's, or an Eunuch's spite.

All Fools have still an Itching to deride,

And fain wou'd be upon the Laughing Side;

If Maevius Scribble in Apollo's spight,

There are, who judge still worse than he can write.

Some have at first for Wits, then Poets past,

Turn'd Criticks next, and prov'd plain Fools at last;

Some neither can for Wits nor Criticks pass,

As heavy Mules are neither Horse nor Ass.

Those half-learn'd Witlings, num'rous in our Isle,

As half-form'd Insects on the Banks of Nile,

Unfinish'd Things, one knows not what to call,

Their Generation's so equivocal:

To tell 'em, wou'd a hundred Tongues require,

Or one vain Wit's, that might a hundred tire.

But you who seek to give and merit Fame,

And justly bear a Critick's noble Name,

Be sure your self and your own Reach to know,

How far your Genius, Taste, and Learning go;

Launch not beyond your Depth, but be discreet,

And mark that Point where Sense and Dulness meet.

Nature to all things fix'd the Limits fit,

And wisely curb'd proud Man's pretending Wit:

As on the Land while here the Ocean gains,

In other Parts it leaves wide sandy Plains;

Thus in the Soul while Memory prevails,

The solid Pow'r of Understanding fails;

Where Beams of warm Imagination play,

The Memory's soft Figures melt away.

One Science only will one Genius fit;

So vast is Art, so narrow Human Wit:

Not only bounded to peculiar Arts,

But oft in those, confin'd to single Parts.

Like Kings we lose the Conquests gain'd before,

By vain Ambition still to make them more:

Each might his sev'ral Province well command,

Wou'd all but stoop to what they understand.

First follow NATURE, and your Judgment frame

By her just Standard, which is still the same:

Unerring Nature, still divinely bright,

One clear, unchang'd and Universal Light,

Life, Force, and Beauty, must to all impart,

At once the Source, and End, and Test of Art.

Art from that Fund each just Supply provides,

Works without Show, and without Pomp presides:

In some fair Body thus th' informing Soul

With Spirits feeds, with Vigor fills the whole,

Each Motion guides, and ev'ry Nerve sustains;

It self unseen, but in th'Effects, remains.

Some, to whom Heav'n in Wit has been profuse,

Want as much more, to turn it to its use;

For Wit and Judgment often are at strife,

Tho' meant each other's Aid, like Man and Wife.

'Tis more to guide than spur the Muse's Steed;

Restrain his Fury, than provoke his Speed;

The winged Courser, like a gen'rous Horse,

Shows most true Mettle when you check his Course.

Those RULES of old discover'd, not devis'd,

Are Nature still, but Nature Methodiz'd;

Nature, like Liberty, is but restrain'd

By the same Laws which first herself ordain'd.

Hear how learn'd Greece her useful Rules indites,

When to repress, and when indulge our Flights:

High on Parnassus Top her Sons she show'd,

And pointed out those arduous Paths they trod,

Held from afar, aloft, th' Immortal Prize,

And urg'd the rest by equal Steps to rise;

Just Precepts thus from great Examples giv'n,

She drew from them what they deriv'd from Heav'n.

The gen'rous Critick fann'd the Poet's Fire,

And taught the World, with Reason to Admire.

Then Criticism the Muse's Handmaid prov'd,

To dress her Charms, and make her more belov'd;

But following Wits from that Intention stray'd;

Who cou'd not win the Mistress, woo'd the Maid;

Against the Poets their own Arms they turn'd,

Sure to hate most the Men from whom they learn'd.

So modern Pothecaries, taught the Art

By Doctor's Bills to play the Doctor's Part,

Bold in the Practice of mistaken Rules,

Prescribe, apply, and call their Masters Fools.

Some on the Leaves of ancient Authors prey,

Nor Time nor Moths e'er spoil'd so much as they:

Some dryly plain, without Invention's Aid,

Write dull Receits how Poems may be made:

These leave the Sense, their Learning to display,

And those explain the Meaning quite away.

You then whose Judgment the right Course wou'd steer,

Know well each ANCIENT's proper Character,

His Fable, Subject, Scope in ev'ry Page,

Religion, Country, Genius of his Age:

Without all these at once before your Eyes,

Cavil you may, but never Criticize.

Be Homer's Works your Study, and Delight,

Read them by Day, and meditate by Night,

Thence form your Judgment, thence your Maxims bring,

And trace the Muses upward to their Spring;

Still with It self compar'd, his Text peruse;

And let your Comment be the Mantuan Muse.

When first young Maro in his boundless Mind

A Work t' outlast Immortal Rome design'd,

Perhaps he seem'd above the Critick's Law,

And but from Nature's Fountains scorn'd to draw:

But when t' examine ev'ry Part he came,

Nature and Homer were, he found, the same:

Convinc'd, amaz'd, he checks the bold Design,

And Rules as strict his labor'd Work confine,

As if the Stagyrite o'erlook'd each Line.

Learn hence for Ancient Rules a just Esteem;

To copy Nature is to copy Them.

Some Beauties yet, no Precepts can declare,

For there's a Happiness as well as Care.

Musick resembles Poetry, in each

Are nameless Graces which no Methods teach,

And which, a Master-Hand alone can reach.

If, where the Rules not far enough extend,

(Since Rules were made but to promote their End)

Some Lucky LICENSE answers to the full

Th' Intent propos'd, that License is a Rule.

Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take,

May boldly deviate from the common Track.

Great Wits sometimes may gloriously offend,

And rise to Faults true Criticks dare not mend;

From vulgar Bounds with brave Disorder part,

And snatch a Grace beyond the Reach of Art,

Which, without passing thro' the Judgment, gains

The Heart, and all its End at once attains.

In Prospects, thus, some Objects please our Eyes,

Which out of Nature's common Order rise,

The shapeless Rock, or hanging Precipice.

But tho' the Ancients thus their Rules invade.

(As Kings dispense with Laws Themselves have made)

Moderns, beware! Or if you must offend

Against the Precept, ne'er transgress its End,

Let it be seldom, and compell'd by Need,

And have, at least, Their Precedent to plead.

The Critick else proceeds without Remorse,

Seizes your Fame, and puts his Laws in force.

I know there are, to whose presumptuous Thoughts

Those Freer Beauties, ev'n in Them, seem Faults:

Some Figures monstrous and mis-shap'd appear,

Consider'd singly, or beheld too near,

Which, but proportion'd to their Light, or Place,

Due Distance reconciles to Form and Grace.

A prudent Chief not always must display

His Pow'rs in equal Ranks, and fair Array,

But with th' Occasion and the Place comply,

Conceal his Force, nay seem sometimes to Fly.

Those oft are Stratagems which Errors seem,

Nor is it Homer Nods, but We that Dream.

Still green with Bays each ancient Altar stands,

Above the reach of Sacrilegious Hands,

Secure from Flames, from Envy's fiercer Rage,

Destructive War, and all-involving Age.

See, from each Clime the Learn'd their Incense bring;

Hear, in all Tongues consenting Paeans ring!

In Praise so just, let ev'ry Voice be join'd,

And fill the Gen'ral Chorus of Mankind!

Hail Bards Triumphant! born in happier Days;

Immortal Heirs of Universal Praise!

Whose Honors with Increase of Ages grow,

As Streams roll down, enlarging as they flow!

Nations unborn your mighty Names shall sound,

And Worlds applaud that must not yet be found!

Oh may some Spark of your Coelestial Fire

The last, the meanest of your Sons inspire,

(That on weak Wings, from far, pursues your Flights;

Glows while he reads, but trembles as he writes.)

To teach vain Wits a Science little known,

T' admire Superior Sense, and doubt their own!

want：缺點(diǎn)，不足。
大意為：在二者當(dāng)中，讓讀者誤入歧途比讓他們不忍卒讀更危險(xiǎn)。
大意為：因?yàn)橐粋€(gè)人寫(xiě)錯(cuò)，便有十個(gè)人發(fā)難。
大意為：蠢材可能只有一次機(jī)會(huì)讓自己現(xiàn)形；一首歪詩(shī)卻產(chǎn)生許多拙劣的文章。
大意為：這同我們判斷力的關(guān)系猶如看手表，每塊表上面的鐘點(diǎn)都不相同，然而，大家只相信自己的手表。
light：眼力。
wit：寫(xiě)作的才華。
這是名句，大意為：假學(xué)問(wèn)損害真良知。
school：指某派批評(píng)。
coxbomb：自負(fù)的蠢材。
wit：才智。
大意為：無(wú)論會(huì)不會(huì)寫(xiě)，各個(gè)都狂熱不已。
still：總是。
Maevius：與賀拉斯同時(shí)代的一位拙劣詩(shī)人。
wit：才子。
據(jù)說(shuō)，古人認(rèn)為早期的動(dòng)物和昆蟲(chóng)產(chǎn)生于尼羅河兩岸。
tell：數(shù)。
這兩行大意為：你應(yīng)有自知之明，弄清楚自己的天才、鑒賞力和學(xué)問(wèn)的水平如何。
dulness：即dullness，意為“愚笨”。
大意為：在個(gè)人的心靈中，如果記憶力好，理解力必然差。在以下兩行，作者又列舉了個(gè)人的想象力和記憶力之間的消長(zhǎng)關(guān)系。
one science：一門(mén)學(xué)問(wèn)。
蒲柏在此暗用古希臘著名醫(yī)生希波克拉底的箴言：“生命短暫有限，而藝術(shù)（有時(shí)譯為‘學(xué)問(wèn)’）永恒漫長(zhǎng)，機(jī)會(huì)稍縱即逝，實(shí)驗(yàn)危險(xiǎn)難測(cè)，判斷不易作出?！?/p>
nature一詞含義甚廣。這里兼指自然界、人類經(jīng)驗(yàn)的總和，宇宙中秩序與和諧的原則。
still：總是。
德萊頓曾寫(xiě)道，“因?yàn)樽匀粊児挪蛔?，絕不可能自相矛盾?！?/p>
Life, Force, and Beauty, must to all impart：必定賦予萬(wàn)物以生命、力量和美。
大意為：自然既是藝術(shù)的源泉，又是藝術(shù)的目的，還是衡量藝術(shù)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。
蒲柏在此暗用一句拉丁語(yǔ)名言：藝術(shù)不可炫技。
大意為：有的人才華橫溢，但是，他缺少更多的才華將其付諸使用。
Wit：這個(gè)詞含義眾多，見(jiàn)內(nèi)容提要部分。
Steed：指古希臘神話中生有雙翼的飛馬珀加索斯（Pegasus），它奮蹄踏出泉水，傳說(shuō)詩(shī)人飲此泉水可獲得靈感。
gen'rous：亢奮的。
這句詩(shī)大意為：當(dāng)你控制駿馬的行進(jìn)步伐，它才表現(xiàn)出真正的英雄氣概。
大意為：古人所發(fā)現(xiàn)的（并非人為設(shè)計(jì)的）種種規(guī)則，仍然算是自然的東西，只不過(guò)是經(jīng)過(guò)條理化的自然。
liberty：蒲柏的手稿中寫(xiě)作“monarchy”（王室）。
大意為：在遠(yuǎn)處高舉不朽的獎(jiǎng)賞。
大意為：她從偉大的榜樣那里歸納出正確的戒律，而那些偉大的榜樣則得之于天。
這兩行大意為：如果批評(píng)家讓自己的才智違背了這種意愿（上兩行所說(shuō)的為詩(shī)歌服務(wù)），他就難贏得小姐（即詩(shī)歌）的芳心，只好求助于婢女（批評(píng)）。
pothecary：英語(yǔ)中的方言，意為“藥劑師”。
doctor's bill：醫(yī)生開(kāi)的藥方。
leaves：書(shū)頁(yè)（leaf）的復(fù)數(shù)形式。
在這兩行中，蒲柏諷刺了那些專事名物訓(xùn)詁、瑣碎考證的批評(píng)家，挖苦他們的破壞力超過(guò)蠹蟲(chóng)。
receit：藥方。
大意為：（有的批評(píng)家文字）枯燥無(wú)味，毫無(wú)新意，卻開(kāi)出單調(diào)的方子，教人如何寫(xiě)詩(shī)。
這兩行大意為：前一種批評(píng)家不顧見(jiàn)解，只顧賣(mài)弄學(xué)問(wèn)，后者則曲解意義。
fable：情節(jié)。
scope：目的。
spring：即珀加索斯踏出的赫利孔山上的泉水。
Mantuan Muse：指維吉爾，他出生在Mantua附近。
Maro：指維吉爾。
這幾行大意為：維吉爾年輕的時(shí)候雄心萬(wàn)丈，想以一部作品比羅馬更永垂不朽，他只從自然的源泉中汲取養(yǎng)分，無(wú)視批評(píng)家制定的戒律。
Stagyrite：指亞里士多德，Stagyra是亞里士多德的出生地。
大意為：要正確對(duì)待古人制定的規(guī)則。
declare：解釋。
happiness：好運(yùn)，快樂(lè)。
care：煩惱。
這幾行大意為：在詩(shī)律不及之處（因?yàn)橹贫ㄒ?guī)則就是為了強(qiáng)化規(guī)則的目的），要是破格之舉僥幸滿足了詩(shī)人的意圖，那么這一破格之舉便是規(guī)則。
which：指grace。
大意為：雖說(shuō)古人可以如此破戒（猶如帝王取消欽定的法律），現(xiàn)代人則要小心對(duì)待。
大意為：至少要找到先例作為破戒的借口，否則批評(píng)家就會(huì)毫不留情地施行他的規(guī)則批評(píng)你，使你的聲譽(yù)受損。
I know there are：即I know there are those（我知道有這樣一些人）。
這四行大意為：有的物體當(dāng)你單獨(dú)看或近看時(shí)，顯得猙獰可怕，或者奇形怪狀；如果把它們放到適當(dāng)?shù)谋尘昂偷攸c(diǎn)，適中的距離，就會(huì)顯現(xiàn)出其外形與優(yōu)雅。蒲柏在此借用了賀拉斯《詩(shī)藝》中的一段著名文字。賀拉斯說(shuō)，有些繪畫(huà)只可近觀，而不可遠(yuǎn)看。這里的“l(fā)ight”相當(dāng)于“context”（語(yǔ)境，背景）。
這四行大意為：深謀遠(yuǎn)慮的領(lǐng)袖人物并不總是炫耀他的權(quán)勢(shì)顯赫，服飾華美，而是視場(chǎng)合與地點(diǎn)而定。他的威力藏而不露，有時(shí)似乎根本不存在。
大意為：不是荷馬打盹，而是我們?cè)谧鰤?mèng)。蒲柏在這里再次暗用賀拉斯的話。賀拉斯曾說(shuō)過(guò)，“荷馬也偶有失誤”（I'm aggrieved when sometimes even excellent Homer nods）。
bay：月桂樹(shù)，這里指詩(shī)人的聲譽(yù)。
consenting：一致。Paean：派安贊歌，指古希臘對(duì)神，尤指對(duì)太陽(yáng)神或月神的合唱贊美詩(shī)。
bard：泛指詩(shī)人。
wit：同注釋15。

蒲柏 《批評(píng)論》

蒲柏　《批評(píng)論》