10 查尔斯·兰姆致S.T.柯勒律治 Charles Lamb to S. T. Coleridge

查尔斯·兰姆(Charles Lamb)

名人档案

查尔斯·兰姆(1775—1834)，英国散文家。代表作包括《萝莎蒙德·格雷》、《约翰·伍德维尔》、《伊利亚散文集》和《莎士比亚故事集》等。这其中又以其与姐姐于1807年合写的《莎士比亚故事集》最为著名。兰姆姐弟情深，共同携手度过了生命中最艰难的时刻：1796年，姐姐精神病发作，杀死母亲。兰姆终身未婚，承担起了照顾姐姐和家庭的义务。

简介与鉴赏

在这封写给挚友S.T.柯勒律治的信中，兰姆记录了这场家庭悲剧以及自己当时的心境：姐姐在精神失常中失手杀死了母亲，“不过感谢上帝，我可以泰然处之，为事务尽其所能”。或许就是从这一刻起，兰姆毅然地下定决心，用自己的一生来照顾父亲和姐姐。他颇为平静地向朋友坦言：“对我来说‘前事已成过眼云’，留待我去做的事还有许多，不该为悲伤所累。”

整篇文字不多，却用简练的语言概括了家庭惨剧的来龙去脉，并以相当克制的语言将惨剧背后的极端痛苦压抑起来。这封信的价值虽然更多地体现在文献方面，但我们仍旧能够透过兰姆哀而不伤的表达，体会他肩上的责任，更为其在这样沉重的家庭负担重压下，依旧继续自己热爱的文学创作，而感到深深的敬意！

英文正文

p.m. September 27, 1796

My dearest friend,

White or some of my friends or the public papers by this time may have informed1you of the terrible calamities2that have fallen on our family. I will only give you the outlines. My poor dear dearest sister in a fit3of insanity4has been the death of her own mother. I was at hand only time enough to snatch the knife out of her grasp. She is at present in a mad house, from whence I fear she must be moved to an hospital. God has preserved5to me my senses,—I eat and drink and sleep, and have my judgment I believe very sound. My poor father was slightly wounded, and I am left to take care of him and my aunt. Mr. Norris of the Bluecoat school has been very very kind to us, and we have no other friend, but thank God I am very calm and composed6, and able to do the best that remains to do. Write,—as religious a letter as possible—but no mention of what is gone and done with.—With me “the former things are passed away,” and I have something more to do that [than] to feel—God almighty have us all in his keeping.