01 乔纳森·斯威夫特致凯瑟琳·理查森小姐 Jonathan Swift to Miss Katharine Richardson

乔纳森·斯威夫特(Jonathan Swift)

名人档案

乔纳森·斯威夫特(1667—1745)，18世纪爱尔兰杰出的政论家、小说家，以游记体讽刺小说《格列佛游记》闻名于世。中国翻译家、英美文学研究专家王佐良曾经高度概括了《格列佛游记》不同侧面的深度，他说：“这部书打动了各类读者，儿童们喜欢头两部故事，历史学家看出了当时英国朝政的侧影，思想家据以研究作者对文化和科学的态度，左派文论家摘取其中反战反殖民主义的词句，甚至先锋派理论家把它看作黑色幽默的前驱，而广大的普通读者则欣赏其情节的奇幻有趣、其讽刺的广泛深刻。这部书是游记、神话、寓言、理想国的蓝图，又是试验性的小说。”这番评价也是对斯威夫特文学创作的精彩解析。

简介与鉴赏

在致凯瑟琳·理查森小姐的信中，斯威夫特列举了理查森小姐及其伯父的种种恶行。有心的读者在阅读了几句之后不难发现，这满篇的责备和抱怨恰恰是斯威夫特用以表达感激之情的手段。斯威夫特的信明贬实褒，以这种别致的角度向理查森小姐及其伯父的爱心致以深深的感谢。

作为讽刺文学大师，斯威夫特擅用反讽和夸张技巧，这些在这封日常通信中表现得淋漓尽致，丝毫不逊于其在《格列佛游记》中对英国现实的辛辣批判，只不过在这封信中，反讽和夸张被用来传递人性中彼此取暖的善意。

通过对这封信的深入细读，语言学习者不仅可以欣赏和学习斯威夫特那独特的写作和修辞技巧，也可以一窥以“尖刻、辛辣”著称的讽刺大师的温情一面。

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

经典语句

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.

单词/词组

1 correspondence⁶n. 通信；一致；相当

2 acquainted⁴adj. 熟识的

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.恶意地

7 divert⁶vt.使……转向；娱乐

8 provocation⁶n. 挑衅；挑拨

9 giddiness⁶n. 头晕

10 usquebaugh n. 威士忌

11 treachery⁶n. 背叛；变节

12 surfeit⁸vt. 使饮食过度；使厌腻；使过度沉溺于

13 malice⁶n. 恶意；怨恨

14 proceeding⁶n.进行；行动

15 partaker⁸n. 参与者

16 expostulate⁸vi. 劝诫，告诫

17 swear⁴v. 宣誓

18 adorn⁴vt. 装饰

19 prudence⁶n.审慎

20 folly⁶n. 愚行

中文译文

小姐，

我必须在信的开头就让您知道，在我结识的人当中您的伯父是最不可理喻的一位；而您是继他之后第二位这样的人，虽然公道地说，我认为您比他有过之而无不及。我从未有幸见过您，也决不存在奢望，除非劳您大驾光顾这座城市，因为健康缘故，我现在足不出户，我的旅行时代也随之告终。我发觉您在步您伯父的后尘，蓄意贿赂一个不中用的老人，他再也无力为您效劳或让您开心。诚然我与市政官巴伯长期保持着友好关系，他是伦敦会会长，主管您那个区；因此理查森先生亲临寒舍，然而我无法为他帮上一点忙，只能写信给市政官大人。可是您的伯父找我数次；我相信经过数次邀请之后他才与我吃过一两次饭。这是我曾经激怒他的唯一原因；可是他心存报复，您将会听到他是如何付诸实施的。首先，他听说我有胃病及头晕症，有时发作时，我不得不喝一勺爱尔兰甜酒。他找到我买此酒的地方后，就买了12瓶给我送来，花去3英镑。其次，他听说我从不喝麦芽酒，所以在喝都柏林红酒时总是要兑一些西班牙甜葡萄酒；由于我管家的出卖，他找到卖给我此酒的商人，买了一罗品脱给我送来，为此他支付了6英镑。而几年前我还不认识他，他每个季节给我送来的鲑鱼总能让我和所有的客人吃个够，对这样一个人我还能说什么？由此可见，他的魔掌不仅伸向了我而且也伸向了我的朋友。最后，为了使他的预谋得逞，他非要他的侄女参与；送我的那半打衬衫便可证明，您是他的宰相，随时都会怂恿他做坏事，因此在这场恶作剧中您一直是他的同谋和帮凶，虽然我从未做过让您不开心的事。更有甚者，几位光临寒舍的夫人向我宣称：她们从未看到如此漂亮的亚麻布衬衫，做工如此考究，如此得体合身。所幸的是它们不是袜子，因此那样的话您就会知道我的足长了。总之，小姐，我必须十分坦率地重申，您甚至比您的伯父更残酷，您残酷到了如此地步，如果我的健康状况允许我在一个宜人的夏季旅行到撒摩西特的话，那么我一定要成行，为的是当面控诉您对我的一切无缘无故的伤害。您的左邻右舍我见过一些，从他们那儿我打听了您的品行，然而我发现您贿赂了他们每一个人，您从不把这些危险礼品送给他们，因为他们向我发誓，您是一位尽善尽美的小姐，诸如贞洁、谨慎、机智、幽默、善谈，甚至擅长于家务；这最后一点是这个国度的女士们难以做到的。可我对您待我的方式十分恼火，故他们所说的我只字不信，除非我从您的亲笔信中得之。我们这儿的普通女士们不敢在男士面前读书，更不敢提笔写信，害怕(按照她们的说法)抛头露面。因此只要我见到你们中的任何一位女士，倘若她们还值得改造，我会把她们每个人痛打一顿，谩骂一通，直至她们别再做出傻事，直至她们向我求饶。因此，由于王子的手据说很长，所以我希望我是一位王子，手伸出去能够打着远方的您，因为您有这么多的过错，特别是对我的虐待。不过我愿意以仁慈为怀来结束此信。但愿您千万别再让我改变(哪怕是任何一条)我对您的人品业已形成的观点和看法。但愿您使您的伯父和左邻右舍(您的好意他们受之无愧)快乐长久，同时让所有抬举您的好人永远快乐。

小姐，我向您致以最崇高的敬意。

您的最恭顺、谦卑的仆人

乔纳森·斯威夫特