01 喬納森·斯威夫特致凱瑟琳·理查森小姐 Jonathan Swift to Miss Katharine Richardson

喬納森·斯威夫特(Jonathan Swift)

名人檔案

喬納森·斯威夫特(1667—1745)，18世紀(jì)愛(ài)爾蘭杰出的政論家、小說(shuō)家，以游記體諷刺小說(shuō)《格列佛游記》聞名于世。中國(guó)翻譯家、英美文學(xué)研究專家王佐良曾經(jīng)高度概括了《格列佛游記》不同側(cè)面的深度，他說(shuō)：“這部書(shū)打動(dòng)了各類讀者，兒童們喜歡頭兩部故事，歷史學(xué)家看出了當(dāng)時(shí)英國(guó)朝政的側(cè)影，思想家據(jù)以研究作者對(duì)文化和科學(xué)的態(tài)度，左派文論家摘取其中反戰(zhàn)反殖民主義的詞句，甚至先鋒派理論家把它看作黑色幽默的前驅(qū)，而廣大的普通讀者則欣賞其情節(jié)的奇幻有趣、其諷刺的廣泛深刻。這部書(shū)是游記、神話、寓言、理想國(guó)的藍(lán)圖，又是試驗(yàn)性的小說(shuō)?！边@番評(píng)價(jià)也是對(duì)斯威夫特文學(xué)創(chuàng)作的精彩解析。

簡(jiǎn)介與鑒賞

在致凱瑟琳·理查森小姐的信中，斯威夫特列舉了理查森小姐及其伯父的種種惡行。有心的讀者在閱讀了幾句之后不難發(fā)現(xiàn)，這滿篇的責(zé)備和抱怨恰恰是斯威夫特用以表達(dá)感激之情的手段。斯威夫特的信明貶實(shí)褒，以這種別致的角度向理查森小姐及其伯父的愛(ài)心致以深深的感謝。

作為諷刺文學(xué)大師，斯威夫特擅用反諷和夸張技巧，這些在這封日常通信中表現(xiàn)得淋漓盡致，絲毫不遜于其在《格列佛游記》中對(duì)英國(guó)現(xiàn)實(shí)的辛辣批判，只不過(guò)在這封信中，反諷和夸張被用來(lái)傳遞人性中彼此取暖的善意。

通過(guò)對(duì)這封信的深入細(xì)讀，語(yǔ)言學(xué)習(xí)者不僅可以欣賞和學(xué)習(xí)斯威夫特那獨(dú)特的寫(xiě)作和修辭技巧，也可以一窺以“尖刻、辛辣”著稱的諷刺大師的溫情一面。

英文正文

Madam,

I must begin my correspondence1by letting you know that your uncle is the most unreasonable person I was ever acquainted2with; and next to him, you are the second, although I think impartially3that you are worse than he. I never had the honor and happiness of seeing you, nor can ever expect it, unless you make the first advance by coming up to town, where I am confined4by want5of health; and my traveling days are over. I find you follow your uncle’s steps, by maliciously6bribing a useless man, who can never have it in his power to serve or divert7you. I have indeed continued a very long friendship with Alderman Barber, who is governor of the London society about your parts, whereupon Mr. Richardson came to the Deanery, although it was writing to the Alderman. However, your uncle came to me several times; and, I believe after several invitations, dined with me once or twice. This was all the provocation8I ever gave him; but he had revenge in his breast, and you shall hear how he gratified it. First, he was told, that my ill stomach, and a giddiness9I was subject to, forced me, in some of those fits, to take a spoonful of usquebaugh10:He discovered where I bought it, and sent me a dozen bottles, which cost him three pounds. He next was told, that as I never drank malt-liquors, so I was not able to drink Dublin claret without mixing it with a little sweet Spanish wine: He found out the merchant with whom I deal, by the treachery11of my butler, and sent me twelve dozen pints of that wine, for which he paid six pounds. But what can I say of a man, who, some years before I ever saw him, was loading me every season with salmons, that surfeited12myself and all my visitors？ Thereby it is plain that his malice13reached to my friends as well as myself. At last, to complete his ill design, he must needs force his niece into the plot; because it can be proved that you are his prime minister, and so ready to encourage him in his bad proceedings14, that you have been his partaker15and second in mischief, by sending me half a dozen of shirts, although I never once gave you the least cause of displeasure. And, what is yet worse, the few ladies that come to the Deanery assure me, they never see so fine linen, or better were not stockings, for then you would have known the length of my foot. Upon the whole, Madam, I must deal so plain as to repeat, that you are more cruel even than your uncle; to such a degree, that if my health and a good summer can put it in my power to travel to Summer-Seat, I must take that journey on purpose to expostulate16with you for all the unprovoked injuries you have done me. I have seen some persons who live in your neighborhood, from whom I have inquired into your character; but I found you had bribed them all, by never sending them any such dangerous presents; for they swore17to me, that you were a lady adorned18with all perfections, such as virtue, prudence19, wit, humor, excellent conversation, and even good housewifery; which last is seldom the talent of ladies in this kingdom. But I take so ill your manner of treating me, that I shall not believe one syllable of what they said, until I have it by letter under your own hand. Our common run of ladies here dare not read before a man, and much less dare to write, for fear (as their expression is ) of being exposed. So that when I see any of your sex, if they be worth mending, I beat them all, call them names, until they leave off their follies20, and ask pardon. And therefore, because princes are said to have long hands, I wish I were a prince with hands long enough to beat you at this distance, for all your faults, particularly your ill treatment of me. However, I will conclude with charity. May you never give me cause to change, in any single article, the opinion and idea I have of your person and qualities. May you very long continue the delight of your uncle and your neighbours round, who deserve your goodwill, and of all who have merit enough to distinguish you.

I am, with great respect and the highest esteem,

Madam, Your most obedient and most obliged humble servant,

Jonathan Swift

經(jīng)典語(yǔ)句

but I found you had bribed them all, by never sending them any such dangerous presents; for they swore to me, that you were a lady adorned with all perfections, such as virtue, prudence, wit, humor, excellent conversation, and even good housewifery; which last is seldom the talent of ladies in this kingdom.

May you very long continue the delight of your uncle and your neighbours round, who deserve your goodwill, and of all who have merit enough to distinguish you.

I am, with great respect and the highest esteem.

單詞/詞組

1 correspondence⁶n. 通信；一致；相當(dāng)

2 acquainted⁴adj. 熟識(shí)的

3 impartially⁶adv. 公平地，公正地，不偏不倚地

4 confine⁶v. 限制

5 want⁶n.需要；缺少

6 maliciously⁸adv.惡意地

7 divert⁶vt.使……轉(zhuǎn)向；娛樂(lè)

8 provocation⁶n. 挑釁；挑撥

9 giddiness⁶n. 頭暈

10 usquebaugh n. 威士忌

11 treachery⁶n. 背叛；變節(jié)

12 surfeit⁸vt. 使飲食過(guò)度；使厭膩；使過(guò)度沉溺于

13 malice⁶n. 惡意；怨恨

14 proceeding⁶n.進(jìn)行；行動(dòng)

15 partaker⁸n. 參與者

16 expostulate⁸vi. 勸誡，告誡

17 swear⁴v. 宣誓

18 adorn⁴vt. 裝飾

19 prudence⁶n.審慎

20 folly⁶n. 愚行

中文譯文

小姐，

我必須在信的開(kāi)頭就讓您知道，在我結(jié)識(shí)的人當(dāng)中您的伯父是最不可理喻的一位；而您是繼他之后第二位這樣的人，雖然公道地說(shuō)，我認(rèn)為您比他有過(guò)之而無(wú)不及。我從未有幸見(jiàn)過(guò)您，也決不存在奢望，除非勞您大駕光顧這座城市，因?yàn)榻】稻壒剩椰F(xiàn)在足不出戶，我的旅行時(shí)代也隨之告終。我發(fā)覺(jué)您在步您伯父的后塵，蓄意賄賂一個(gè)不中用的老人，他再也無(wú)力為您效勞或讓您開(kāi)心。誠(chéng)然我與市政官巴伯長(zhǎng)期保持著友好關(guān)系，他是倫敦會(huì)會(huì)長(zhǎng)，主管您那個(gè)區(qū)；因此理查森先生親臨寒舍，然而我無(wú)法為他幫上一點(diǎn)忙，只能寫(xiě)信給市政官大人?？墒悄牟刚椅覕?shù)次；我相信經(jīng)過(guò)數(shù)次邀請(qǐng)之后他才與我吃過(guò)一兩次飯。這是我曾經(jīng)激怒他的唯一原因；可是他心存報(bào)復(fù)，您將會(huì)聽(tīng)到他是如何付諸實(shí)施的。首先，他聽(tīng)說(shuō)我有胃病及頭暈癥，有時(shí)發(fā)作時(shí)，我不得不喝一勺愛(ài)爾蘭甜酒。他找到我買(mǎi)此酒的地方后，就買(mǎi)了12瓶給我送來(lái)，花去3英鎊。其次，他聽(tīng)說(shuō)我從不喝麥芽酒，所以在喝都柏林紅酒時(shí)總是要兌一些西班牙甜葡萄酒；由于我管家的出賣(mài)，他找到賣(mài)給我此酒的商人，買(mǎi)了一羅品脫給我送來(lái)，為此他支付了6英鎊。而幾年前我還不認(rèn)識(shí)他，他每個(gè)季節(jié)給我送來(lái)的鮭魚(yú)總能讓我和所有的客人吃個(gè)夠，對(duì)這樣一個(gè)人我還能說(shuō)什么？由此可見(jiàn)，他的魔掌不僅伸向了我而且也伸向了我的朋友。最后，為了使他的預(yù)謀得逞，他非要他的侄女參與；送我的那半打襯衫便可證明，您是他的宰相，隨時(shí)都會(huì)慫恿他做壞事，因此在這場(chǎng)惡作劇中您一直是他的同謀和幫兇，雖然我從未做過(guò)讓您不開(kāi)心的事。更有甚者，幾位光臨寒舍的夫人向我宣稱：她們從未看到如此漂亮的亞麻布襯衫，做工如此考究，如此得體合身。所幸的是它們不是襪子，因此那樣的話您就會(huì)知道我的足長(zhǎng)了?？傊〗悖冶仨毷痔孤实刂厣?，您甚至比您的伯父更殘酷，您殘酷到了如此地步，如果我的健康狀況允許我在一個(gè)宜人的夏季旅行到撒摩西特的話，那么我一定要成行，為的是當(dāng)面控訴您對(duì)我的一切無(wú)緣無(wú)故的傷害。您的左鄰右舍我見(jiàn)過(guò)一些，從他們那兒我打聽(tīng)了您的品行，然而我發(fā)現(xiàn)您賄賂了他們每一個(gè)人，您從不把這些危險(xiǎn)禮品送給他們，因?yàn)樗麄兿蛭野l(fā)誓，您是一位盡善盡美的小姐，諸如貞潔、謹(jǐn)慎、機(jī)智、幽默、善談，甚至擅長(zhǎng)于家務(wù)；這最后一點(diǎn)是這個(gè)國(guó)度的女士們難以做到的?？晌覍?duì)您待我的方式十分惱火，故他們所說(shuō)的我只字不信，除非我從您的親筆信中得之。我們這兒的普通女士們不敢在男士面前讀書(shū)，更不敢提筆寫(xiě)信，害怕(按照她們的說(shuō)法)拋頭露面。因此只要我見(jiàn)到你們中的任何一位女士，倘若她們還值得改造，我會(huì)把她們每個(gè)人痛打一頓，謾罵一通，直至她們別再做出傻事，直至她們向我求饒。因此，由于王子的手據(jù)說(shuō)很長(zhǎng)，所以我希望我是一位王子，手伸出去能夠打著遠(yuǎn)方的您，因?yàn)槟羞@么多的過(guò)錯(cuò)，特別是對(duì)我的虐待。不過(guò)我愿意以仁慈為懷來(lái)結(jié)束此信。但愿您千萬(wàn)別再讓我改變(哪怕是任何一條)我對(duì)您的人品業(yè)已形成的觀點(diǎn)和看法。但愿您使您的伯父和左鄰右舍(您的好意他們受之無(wú)愧)快樂(lè)長(zhǎng)久，同時(shí)讓所有抬舉您的好人永遠(yuǎn)快樂(lè)。

小姐，我向您致以最崇高的敬意。

您的最恭順、謙卑的仆人

喬納森·斯威夫特