Lord Chesterfield to His Son More About Letter Writing
切斯特菲尔德伯爵给他儿子的信——再谈写信
Isleworth, Sep. 19, 1739.
阿尔华斯，1739年9月19日
My Dear Child,-I am very well pleased with your last letter.The writing was very good, and the promise you make exceedingly fine.You must keep it, for an honest man never breaks his word. You engage to retain the instructions which I give you. That issufficient, for though you do not properly comprehend them at present, ageand reflection will, in time, make you understand them.
亲爱的孩子：读了你最近一封来信，我甚感高兴。信写得很好，你的许诺也非常好；但你必须遵守诺言，因为诚实的人是决不食言的，你保证记取我对你的教诲，这就足够了，因为现时你虽然不能确切地领会这些教诲，不过，随着年龄的增长和反复思考，你总有一天会理解的。
With respect to the contents of your letter, I believe youhave had proper assistance; indeed, I do not as yet expect that youcan write a letter without help. You ought, however, to try, fornothing is more requisite than to write a good letter. Nothing in fact ismore easy. Most persons, who write ill, do so because they aim at writingbetter than they can, by which means they acquire a formal and unnaturalstyle. Whereas, to write well, we must write easily andnaturally. For instance, if you want to write a letter to me, you should onlyconsider what you would say if you were with me, and then write it inplain terms, just as if you were conversing. I will suppose, then, thatyou sit down towrite to me unassisted, and I imagine your letter would probablybe much in these words:—
就你来信的内容而言，我看得出，你得到了极好的帮助。诚然，眼下我并不期望你能独立写信；然而，你应该试着自己写，因为在生活中，写得一封好信可算是最为必备的能力。事实上，这也是件最容易的事。有些人写不好信，多半是因为他们刻意求工，超过了自己的能力，因此产生一种拘谨而不自然的风格。然而，我们必须行文流畅自然，才能写出好信来。譬如说，你要给我写封信，你只需考虑如果你和我在一起，你会说些什么，然后再用平易的词语，就象你我在交谈一样，把要说的写下来。由此我设想，你坐下来给我写信，无人帮助，那么，我猜想你这封信多半是会这样写的：
My dear Papa: I have been at Mr. Maittaire's this morning, where I have translated English into Latin and Latin intoEnglish, and, so well that at the end of my exercise he has write optime. Ihave likewise repeated a Greek verb, and pretty well. After this I ranhome, like a little wild boy, and played till dinner-time. This becamea serious task, for I ate like a wolf, and by that you judge that I am invery good health. Adieu.
亲爱的爸爸：今天早展我去梅泰尔先生家，在那里做了英文译拉丁文和拉丁文译英文的练习，译得很好，因此梅泰尔先生在我练习后批道“optime”（最佳）。我还跟他念了一个希腊文动词，也念得相当好。做完这些功课以后，我便象个野孩子一样，奔回家里，一直玩要到吃晚饭。这下我倒是一本正经吃晚饭了，一大口一大口地，活象一只饿狼，从我这副样子你可以断定我的身体可好着呢。再见。
Well, sir, the above is a good letter, and yet very easilywritten, because it is exceedingly natural. Endeavour then sometimes towrite to me of yourself, without minding either the beauty of thewriting or the straightness of the lines. Take as little trouble aspossible. By that means you will by degrees use yourself to write perfectly well,and with ease. Adieu. Come to me tomorrow at twelve, or Fridaymorning at eight o'clock.
瞧，先生，上面这封信就写得不坏，而且轻松自如，因为它写得极其自然。所以有时你得努力独自给我写信，不必过分注意字迹的美观或行款的整齐，尽量信手写来即可。这样你就会逐渐酒脱自如，不费力地写出完美的书信来。再见。明天十二点来我这儿，或星期五早上八点来也可。
by Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
菲利普·多默·斯坦霍普·切斯特菲尔德
