FRENCH | As soon as he can speak English, it is time for him to learn some other language: this nobody doubts of, when French is proposed. And the reason is, because people are accustomed to the right way of teaching that language, which is by talking it into children in constant conversation, and not by grammatical rules. The Latin tongue would easily be taught the same way, if his tutor, being constantly with him, would talk nothing else to him, and make him answer still in the same language. But because French is a living language, and to be used more in speaking, that should be first learned, that the yet pliant organs of speech might be accustomed to a due formation of those sounds, and he get the habit of pronouncing French well, which is the harder to be done, the longer it is delayed.

法语 |  当他一能够说英语，就是他该学习一些别的语言的时候了：如果提议学法语，没有人会质疑这主张。理由是，因为人们习惯用正确的方法教法语，就是通过不断地与小孩说法语，而不是通过语法规则。拉丁语也应当用同样的方法轻易教好，只要他的导师一直坚持只用拉丁语和他交谈，并且让他用拉丁语回答。不过因为法语是一种活的语言，在说话时用得多一些，应该先学，那时说话的器官还易可塑，能适应发出正确的发音，他也能习惯讲好法语的发音，这是耽搁愈久就愈难做到的。

LATIN | When he can speak and read French well, which in this method is usually in a year or two, he should proceed to Latin, which it is a wonder parents, when they have had the experiment in French, should not think ought to be learned the same way, by talking and reading. Only care is to be taken, whilst he is learning those foreign languages, by speaking and reading nothing else with his tutor, that he do not forget to read English, which may be preserved by his mother or some body else, hearing him read some chosen parts of the scripture or other English book every day.

拉丁语 |  用这种方法，通常在一两年内他就能很好地说与读法文，这时他应该着手学拉丁文，可是奇怪的是父母在法文上有经验，却不认为应该同样通过说和读来学拉丁语。当他学习那些外国语言，与他的导师只说外语和只读外语时，唯一要注意的是让他不要忘记读英文，这可以通过他妈妈或别人听他每天读挑选的经文或其它英文书来保持。

Latin I look upon as absolutely necessary to a gentleman; and indeed custom, which prevails over every thing, has made it so much a part of education, that even those children are whipped to it, and made spend many hours of their precious time uneasily in Latin, who after they are once gone from school, are never to have more to do with it as long as they live. Can there be any thing more ridiculous, than that a father should waste his own money and his son's time in setting him to learn the Roman language, when at the same time he designs him for a trade, wherein he having no use of Latin, fails not to forget that little which he brought from school, and which it is ten to one he abhors for the ill usage it procured him? Could it be believed, unless we had every where amongst us examples of it, that a child should be forced to learn the rudiments of a language which he is never to use in the course of life that he is designed to, and neglect all the while the writing a good hand and casting accounts, which are of great advantage in all conditions of life, and to most trades indispensably necessary? But though these qualifications, requisite to trade and commerce and the business of the world, are seldom or never to be had at grammar-schools, yet thither not only gentlemen send their younger sons, intended for trades, but even tradesmen and farmers fail not to send their children, though they have neither intention nor ability to make them scholars. If you ask them why they do this, they think it as strange a question as if you should ask them, why they go to church. Custom serves for reason, and has, to those who take it for reason, so consecrated this method, that it is almost religiously observed by them, and they stick to it, as if their children had scarce an orthodox education unless they learned Lilly's grammar.

我认为拉丁文对一个绅士是绝对必要的；实际上习俗支配一切，它使得拉丁文成为教育的一个重要部分，以致那些一旦离开学校，一生就与拉丁文再没有关联的小孩，也被鞭笞着去学习，并且把他们许多宝贵的时间不自在地花费在拉丁文上。还有什么更荒谬的的事情，比得过一个父亲浪费自己的金钱和他儿子的时间去学习罗马人的语言，而又同时打算让儿子从事根本用不上拉丁文的行业，最后小孩几乎忘记他在学校里所得的一点点拉丁文，只记得他为此所受的虐待，十有八九会厌恶拉丁文？如果不是我们中间到处都有这样的事例，我们怎能相信一个小孩竟被强迫去学习他一生从不会用到的一门语言的肤浅知识，同时却忽视写一手好字和算账，这些是在各种生活中都极其有益的，对绝大多数商业更是不可缺少的需要？但是即便这些世上贸易交换和商业所必需的资质，在文法学校中很少或从不教授，然而不仅绅士把他们打算学商业的幼子送到文法学校，就连商人和农民也把他们的小孩送到文法学校，虽然他们并没有打算也没有能力让他们的小孩成为学者。假如你问他们为什么这样做，他们会认为这是一个奇怪的问题，就像你问他们为什么去教堂一样。对那些把习俗当作理智的人来说，习俗代替理智，并且使这种方法成为神圣的，他们对它犹如宗教般地遵行，他们坚持这种方法，就好像他们的小孩不学习黎利(Lilly)的语法就没有受到正统教育似的。

But how necessary soever Latin be to some, and is thought to be to others to whom it is of no manner of use and service; yet the ordinary way of learning it in a grammar-school is that which having had thoughts about I cannot be forward to encourage. The reasons against it are so evident and cogent, that they have prevailed with some intelligent persons to quit the ordinary road, not without success, though the method made use of was not exactly what I imagine the easiest, and in short is this: to trouble the child with no grammar at all, but to have Latin, as English has been, without the perplexity of rules, talked into him; for if you will consider it, Latin is no more unknown to a child, when he comes into the world, than English: and yet he learns English without master, rule, or grammar; and so might he Latin too, as Tully did, if he had some body always to talk to him in this language. And when we so often see a French woman teach an English girl to speak and read French perfectly in a year or two, without any rule of grammar, or any thing else but prattling to her, I cannot but wonder how gentlemen have overseen this way for their sons, and thought them more dull or incapable than their daughters.

尽管拉丁语对一些人非常必要，对另一些人则没有一点用处，也被认为是必要的；但是文法学校所用的一般教法，我思考后却认为不能加以鼓励。反对它的理由是如此明显和令人信服，以至于一些聪明的人已经放弃通常的做法并取得一些成效，虽然他们所用的方法不完全与我认为最容易的方法一致，简单说这方法就是：不要用语法来麻烦小孩，要象说英语一样和他说拉丁语，不要受规则困扰；因为假如你想一想，小孩刚到世上的时候，他对拉丁语并不比英语更陌生；但是他却学会英语，不用老师、规则或语法；所以如果一直有人和他说拉丁语，他可以象杜理(Tully)一样学好拉丁语。而且我们常常看到一个法国妇人教一个英国女孩在一两年内会读会说完美的法语，不需要任何语法规则，也不用任何别的东西，只和她闲聊，我不禁奇怪绅士会在儿子身上忽略这种方法，会觉得儿子比女儿愚钝无能。

If therefore a man could be got, who himself speaking good Latin, would always be about your son, talk constantly to him, and suffer him to speak or read nothing else, this would be the true and genuine way, and that which I would propose, not only as the easiest and best, wherein a child might, without pains or chiding, get a language, which others are wont to be whipt for at school six or seven years together; but also as that, wherein at the same time he might have his mind and manners formed, and he be instructed to boot in several sciences, such as are a good part of geography, astronomy, chronology, anatomy, besides some parts of history, and all other parts of knowledge of things that fall under the senses and require little more than memory. For there, if we would take the true way, our knowledge should begin, and in those things be laid the foundation, and not in the abstract notions of logic and metaphysics, which are fitter to amuse than inform the understanding in its first setting out towards knowledge. When young men have had their heads employed a while in those abstract speculations without finding the success and improvement, or that use of them, which they expected, they are apt to have mean thoughts either of learning or themselves; they are tempted to quit their studies, and throw away their books as containing nothing but hard words and empty sounds; or else, to conclude, that if there be any real knowledge in them, they themselves have not understandings capable of it. That this is so, perhaps I could assure you upon my own experience. Amongst other things to be learned by a young gentleman in this method, whilst others of his age are wholly taken up with Latin and languages, I may also set down geometry for one; having known a young gentleman, bred something after this way, able to demonstrate several propositions in Euclid before he was thirteen.

所以假如你能找到一个自己能说很好拉丁语的人，一直在你儿子的身旁，不断地与他说拉丁语，不让他说或读别的语言，这就是真正学习拉丁语的方法，我提倡这方法，不仅在于这是最容易和最好的方法，小孩可以不用辛苦、不受责骂来学会一门语言，这是别人习惯于在学校里受鞭笞并且花六七年才学会的；而且同时小孩可以由此形成他的心理与礼仪，并且可以在另外几种科学上得到指导，譬如地理、天文、年代学、解剖的大部分，一部分历史，以及其它种种感性的、只需要记忆的知识。如果我们采取这种真正的方法，我们的知识可由此开始，并且在这些事上奠定基础，而不是奠定在逻辑与玄学的抽象概念上，因为在悟性开始获取知识时，抽象概念不能提供信息，反而使其迷惑。年轻人把他们的头脑用在抽象的思考，过一些时候还没有成功与进步，或者没有找到他们期望的用处，他们往往容易看轻学习或看轻自己；他们会试图放弃学习，扔掉书本就好像书里只有困难的词句与空洞的声音；不然他们会下结论说，如果书中有真正的知识，那就是他们自己没有能力去理解它。这真是如此，我也许可以用自己的亲身经历向你保证。当别的年纪相同的人全力学习拉丁语与其它语言时，一个年轻绅士应该用这种方法学习的事项中，我觉得还可以加上几何学；我知道一个用这种方法教养的年轻绅士，在他还不到十三岁时，就能够证明欧几里德 (Euclid)几何学的几个定理。

But if such a man cannot be got, who speaks good Latin, and being able to instruct your son in all these parts of knowledge, will undertake it by this method; the next best is to have him taught as near this way as may be, which is by taking some easy and pleasant book, such as "Aesop's Fables", and writing the English translation (made as literal as it can be) in one line, and the Latin words which answer each of them, just over it in another. These let him read every day over and over again, till he perfectly understands the Latin; and then go on to another fable, till he be also perfect in that, not omitting what he is already perfect in, but sometimes reviewing that, to keep it in his memory. And when he comes to write, let these be set him for copies, which with the exercise of his hand will also advance him to Latin. This being a more imperfect way than by talking Latin unto him; the formation of the verbs first, and afterwards the declensions of the nouns and pronouns perfectly learned by heart, may facilitate his acquaintance with the genius and manner of the Latin tongue, which varies the signification of verbs and nouns, not as the modern languages do by particles prefixed, but by changing the last syllables. More than this of grammar, it think he need not have, till he can read himself Sanctii Minerva, with Scioppius and Perizonius' notes.

但是如果你找不到这样一个人，既能说很好的拉丁语，又能用这种方式向你儿子传授这种种的知识；那其次最好是用尽量接近这种方式的方法来教他，就是找一本容易又有趣的书，譬如"伊索寓言 (Aesop's Fables)"，把英文翻译(尽量直译)写在一行，把对应的拉丁词写在正上面的一行。让他每天反复诵读，直到他完全明白拉丁文的意思；然后再读另一个寓言，直到他也完全掌握，不要省略他已经全懂的部分，而且不时要复习一下，免得他忘记。当他开始写字的时候，把这些作为他的范本，这样既练习他的手又促成他在拉丁语上的进步。这种方法没有用拉丁语和他说话的法子好；应该先让他熟记动词的构造，然后再熟记名词与代词的位格变化，这样能帮助他掌握拉丁语言的精髓和习惯，因为拉丁语的动词与名词的字意变化，不象现代语言是通过加上前缀，而是通过改变最后的音节。超过这一部分的语法，我认为他还不需要，直到他能够自己用修皮斯 (Scioppius)和比利荣涅斯 (Perizonius)注释来读"Sanctii Minerva"这本书。

In teaching of children this too, I think, is to be observed, that in most cases where they stick, they are not to be farther puzzled by putting them upon finding it out themselves; as by asking such questions as these, (viz.) which is the nominative case, in the sentence they are to construe? or demanding what "aufero" signifies, to lead them to the knowledge what "abstulere" signifies, etc., when they cannot readily tell. This wastes time only in disturbing them; for whilst they are learning, and apply themselves with attention, they are to be kept in good humour, and every thing made easy to them, and as pleasant as possible. Therefore, wherever they are at a stand, and are willing to go forwards, help them presently over the difficulty, without any rebuke or chiding; remembering that, where harsher ways are taken, they are the effect only of pride and peevishness in the teacher, who expects children should instantly be masters of as much as he knows; whereas he should rather consider, that his business is to settle in them habits, not angrily to inculcate rules, which serve for little in the conduct of our lives; at least are of no use to children, who forget them as soon as given. In sciences where their reason is to be exercised, I will not deny but this method may sometimes be varied, and difficulties proposed on purpose to excite industry, and accustom the mind to employ its own strength and sagacity in reasoning. But yet, I guess, this is not to be done to children, whilst very young, nor at their entrance upon any sort of knowledge: then every thing of itself is difficult, and the great use and skill of a teacher is to make all as easy as he can, but particularly in learning of languages there is least occasion for posing of children. For languages being to be learned by rote, custom, and memory, are then spoken in greatest perfection, when all rules of grammar are utterly forgotten. I grant the grammar of a language is sometimes very carefully to be studied, but it is not to be studied but by a grown man, when he applies himself to the understanding of any language critically, which is seldom the business of any but professed scholars. This I think will be agreed to, that if a gentleman be to study any language, it ought to be that of his own country, that he may understand the language which he has constant use of, with the utmost accuracy.

在教育小孩上，我觉得还有一点要注意，就是当他们遇到阻碍，不要让他们自己去解决，免得他们更受困扰；就如问他们这些问题，譬如他们要诠释的句子的主格是什么？或者当他们不能立即回答，为让他们明白"拿走 (用于第二人称单数)" (abstulere)的意思，就去问他们"拿走 (用于第三人称多数)" (aufero)的含义。这只是浪费时间来干扰他们；因为当他们专心学习的时候，应该使他们保持愉快的心情，一切事情都要使他们觉得容易，让他们尽量感到快乐。所以，无论他们在什么地方遇到困难，并且愿意前行的时候，你应该立即帮助他们克服困难，而不要有任何训斥责骂；记住，如果老师用比较严苛的方法，那只是老师骄傲和脾气暴躁的缘故，他期望孩子们马上能掌握他知道的所有东西；然而他真该想一想，老师的职责是培养他们的习惯，而不是怒气冲冲地向他们灌输规矩，规矩对我们的生活行为没有什么用处；至少对小孩是没有用处的，他们学到规矩立刻就忘记了。至于需要运用理性的科学方面，我承认这个方法有时要有改变，可以故意提出一些困难来激发他们的努力，让他们能习惯运用心智的能力与聪敏来推理思考。但是我觉得当孩子很小的时候这是不合适的，在他们刚接触任何一种知识也不适用；那时每一件事情本身都是困难的，一个老师的重要作用与技巧是尽量使一切变得容易，特别是学习语言最不该让孩子困窘。因为语言是靠背诵、习惯和记忆来学习的，然后当所有的语法规则都最终忘记后，才能说得最完美。我承认一门语言的语法有时需要非常仔细地研究，但是那只能是由自己想做批判性理解的成人来研究，这只能是专业学者的工作。我想这是大家同意的，如果一个绅士要研究任何一门语言，他应该研究他自己国家的语言，这样他可以对自己常用的语言有最准确的理解。

There is yet a farther reason, why masters and teachers should raise no difficulties to their scholars; but, on the contrary, should smooth their way, and readily help them forwards, where they find them stop. Children's minds are narrow and weak, and usually susceptible but of one thought at once. Whatever is in a child's head, fills it for the time, especially if set on with any passion. It should therefore be the skill and art of the teacher to clear their heads of all other thoughts whilst they are learning of any thing, the better to make room for what he would instill into them, that it may be received with attention and application, without which it leaves no impression. The natural temper of children disposes their minds to wander. Novelty alone takes them; whatever that presents, they are presently eager to have a taste of, and are as soon satiated with it. They quickly grow weary of the same thing, and so have almost their whole delight in change and variety. It is a contradiction to the natural state of childhood for them to fix their fleeting thoughts. Whether this be owing to the temper of their brains, or the quickness or instability of their animal spirits, over which the mind has not yet got a full command; this is visible, that it is a pain to children to keep their thoughts steady to any thing. A lasting continued attention is one of the hardest tasks can be imposed on them; and therefore, he that requires their application, should endeavour to make what he proposes as grateful and agreeable as possible; at least he ought to take care not to join any displeasing or frightful idea with it. If they come not to their books with some kind of liking and relish, it is no wonder their thoughts should be perpetually shifting from what disgusts them, and seek better entertainment in more pleasing objects, after which they will unavoidably be gadding.

还有另外一个原因为什么导师不应该向他们的学生增加难度；恰恰相反，当他们发现学生遇阻不前，他们应当为其铺平道路，随时帮助他们前进。小孩的心思是狭小和软弱的，通常一次只能允许一个想法。无论小孩的头脑中有什么，它就充斥他的头脑，特别是同时伴有任何情感时更是如此。所以当小孩学习任何东西的时候，老师应该用他的技巧去清除他们头脑中的杂念，更好地腾出空间来装下他要向他们灌输的东西，小孩也能专心努力地接受，否则那不会留下任何印象。小孩的天性使他们思绪游走不定。只要新奇的就能吸引他们；无论什么新颖的东西他们都急于去尝试，也很快就腻烦了。他们会很快厌倦同一件事情，他们的所有快乐差不多都建立在变化与多样上。要让小孩固定他们稍纵即逝的思想，那是与他们的童年天性相抵触的。这也许是由于他们大脑的特质，或是由于他们勃勃朝气的迅捷或不定，他们的心理还不能取得完全的指挥权；显而易见，让小孩把思绪持续保持在一件事情上是很困难的。保持长久不断的注意力对小孩是最困难的任务；所以，那要求小孩勤勉用功的人，应该竭力使他提议的事情尽可能的令人愉快和讨人喜欢；至少他应该注意不把不愉快或可怕的念头掺入其中。如果他们读书不是有某种喜好与兴趣，那难怪他们的思想会永远从他们反感的事情上转移开来，并且在更令人愉快的事情上寻找更好的娱乐，也不可避免地随后闲荡作乐。

It is, I know, the usual method of tutors, to endeavour to procure attention in their scholars, and to fix their minds to the business in hand, by rebukes and corrections, if they find them ever so little wandering. But such treatment is sure to produce the quite contrary effect. Passionate words or blows from the tutor fill the child's mind with terror and affrightment, which immediately takes it wholly up, and leaves no room for other impressions. I believe there is nobody that reads this, but may recollect what disorder hasty or imperious words from his parents or teachers have caused in his thoughts; how for the time it has turned his brains, so that he scarce knew what was said by or to him. He presently lost the sight of what he was upon, his mind was filled with disorder and confusion, and in that state was no longer capable of attention to any thing else.

我知道，导师们通常的做法是尽力吸引他们的学生的注意力，如果他们发现学生有一点点分心，他们就用斥责惩罚使他们把心思放在正从事的事情上。但是这种做法一定会产生完全相反的效果。导师冲动的话语或鞭打使小孩心中充满了恐惧害怕，恐惧害怕立刻就占据整个心理，没有留下空间来容纳别的印象。我相信读到这里的人，也许会回忆起父母或老师轻率专横的话语在他的思想中引起什么样的错乱，当时它又怎样改变了他的脑筋，以致他对自己说出的或听到的话都茫然无知。他立即就丧失了对自己所做事情的鉴察，他的心理充斥着混乱与困惑，在那种状态下再也不能注意到任何别的事情了。

It is true, parents and governors ought to settle and establish their authority by an awe over the minds of those under their tuition, and to rule them by that; but when they have got an ascendant over them, they should use it with great moderation, and not make themselves such scare-crows that their scholars should always tremble in their sight. Such an austerity may make their government easy to themselves, but of very little use to their pupils. It is impossible children should learn any thing whilst their thoughts are possessed and disturbed with any passion, especially fear, which makes the strongest impression on their yet tender and weak spirits. Keep the mind in an easy calm temper, when you would have it receive your instructions or any increase of knowledge. It is as impossible to draw fair and regular characters on a trembling mind as on a shaking paper.

确实，父母和监护人应当通过使受他们教导的小孩畏惧来建立威信，并且用威信来管束他们；但是当他们渐渐能够支配小孩，他们应该非常有节制地使用它，不要把他们自己弄成田里吓鸟的稻草人，让学生一看见他们就战栗发抖。这样严厉的方法也许让他们自己容易管束学生，但却对他们的学生没有什么用处。当小孩的思想被任何情感所支配与困扰，特别是恐惧在他们柔弱的精神上留下最强烈的印象，他们是不可能学到任何东西的。当你想让他的心理接受你的教导或增加知识，你应该使它保持从容镇定的性情。你不可能在一个战抖的心理上刻画合理与正常的品质，就如同你不能在一张晃动的纸上写平整的字符一样。

The great skill of a teacher is to get and keep the attention of his scholar; whilst he has that, he is sure to advance as fast as the learner's abilities will carry him; and without that, all his bustle and pother will be to little or no purpose. To attain this, he should make the child comprehend (as much as may be) the usefulness of what he teaches him, and let him see, by what he has learnt, that he can do something which he could not do before, something which gives him some power and real advantage above others who are ignorant of it. To this he should add sweetness in all his instructions, and by a certain tenderness in his whole carriage, make the child sensible that he loves him and designs nothing but his good, the only way to beget love in the child, which will make him hearken to his lessons, and relish what he teaches him.

老师的重要技巧是抓住与保持学生的注意力；当他有了这个基础，他就一定能学生能力范围内得到尽快的进展；没有这一点，他的一切奔忙喧扰都很少或没有意义。为了达到这一点，他应该尽量让小孩明白他所教授东西的用途，并且使小孩知道，利用他所学习的东西，他能够做他以前不能够做的事情，这些事情会给他力量与真正的益处，这是那些忽略这些事情的人不可能得到的。为此他应当在他所有的教导加上友好的成分，并且以他整个举止的温柔慈爱，使小孩感到他是爱他的，只是为了他的好处，这是唯一的方法让小孩产生爱好，由此使他肯去听课并且喜欢他所学的东西。

Nothing but obstinacy should meet with any imperiousness or rough usage. All other faults should be corrected with a gentle hand; and kind, encouraging words will work better and more effectually upon a willing mind, and even prevent a good deal of that perverseness which rough and imperious usage often produces in well-disposed and generous minds. It is true, obstinacy and wilful neglects must be mastered, even though it cost blows to do it: but I am apt to think perverseness in the pupils is often the effect of frowardness in the tutor; and that most children would seldom have deserved blows, if needless and misapplied roughness had not taught them ill-nature, and given them an aversion to their teacher, and all that comes from him.

除了执拗，任何事情都不该用专横粗暴的方法来对待。所有其它的毛病都应该用温和的手法来矫正；友善、鼓励的言词在一个顺服的心上能更好和更有效地起作用，而且甚至可以防止粗暴专横的方法在良善慷慨的心理上常常产生的顽固性情的一大部分。不错，执拗与故意疏忽一定要克服，即使鞭打也在所不惜；但是我认为学生的固执己见通常是导师乖僻的结果；而且如果小孩不是因为受到不必要的和滥用的粗暴待遇而造成他们坏的个性，使他们反感他们的老师，以及从老师那里来的一切，那么大多数小孩是很少该受到鞭笞的。

Inadvertency, forgetfulness, unsteadiness, and wandering of thought, are the natural faults of childhood: and therefore, when they are not observed to be wilful, are to be mentioned softly, and gained upon by time. If every slip of this kind produces anger and rating, the occasions of rebuke and corrections will return so often, that the tutor will be a constant terror and uneasiness to his pupils; which one thing is enough to hinder their profiting by his lessons, and to defeat all his methods of instruction.

疏忽大意、丢三落四、摇摆不定和见异思迁，都是儿童时期自然的毛病；所以，只要他们不是故意的，都应该温和地提醒，并且渐渐地加以改进。如果每一个这种失误都引起(导师的)愤怒与斥责，责骂与惩罚的需要必然经常再现，那么导师就会成为学生心目中的一个永远可怕和令人不安的对象；仅此一点就足以阻碍他们从他的教学上受益，也使他所有的教导方法失败无效。

Let the awe he has got upon their minds be so tempered with the constant marks of tenderness and good will, that affection may spur them to their duty, and make them find a pleasure in complying with his dictates. This will bring them with satisfaction to their tutor; make them hearken to him, as to one who is their friend, that cherishes them, and takes pains for their good: this will keep their thoughts easy and free whilst they are with him, the only temper wherein the mind is capable of receiving new informations, and of admitting into itself those impressions, which, if not taken and retained, all that they and their teachers do together is lost labour; there is much uneasiness and little learning.

他应该用不断的温柔与善意来缓和小孩心理上对他的畏惧，这样的情感会鞭策他们尽自己的责任，使他们愉快地服从他的吩咐。这也会使他们得到导师的满意，使他们倾听他的话，就好像倾听一个珍爱他们，愿为他们的好处吃苦的朋友一样；这样会使他们与导师相处的时候思想上轻松自由，这样的心理才使他们能接受新信息，并且接纳那些印象，而那些印象如果不被接受并保持，那他们与导师共同做的东西就成为徒劳；因为那多是不安，少有学习。

When, by this way of interlining Latin and English one with another, he has got a moderate knowledge of the Latin tongue, he may then be advanced a little farther to the reading of some other easy Latin book, such as Justin, or Eutropius; and to make the reading and understanding of it the less tedious, and difficult to him, let him help himself, if he please, with the English translation. Nor let the objection, that he will then know it only by rote, fright any one. This, when well considered, is not of any moment against, but plainly for, this way of learning a language; for languages are only to be learned by rote; and a man, who does not speak English or Latin perfectly by rote, so that having thought of the thing he would speak of, his tongue of course, without thought of rule or grammar, falls into the proper expression and idiom of that language, does not speak it well, nor is master of it. And I would fain have any one name to me that tongue, that any one can learn or speak as he should do, by the rules of grammar. Languages were made not by rules or art, but by accident, and the common use of the people. And he that will speak them well, has no other rule but that: nor any thing to trust to but his memory, and the habit of speaking after the fashion learned from those that are allowed to speak properly, which, in other words, is only to speak by rote.

通过学习相间排列的拉丁文和英文，他对拉丁语具备了一定程度的知识，他就可以进一步阅读一些别的容易的拉丁书，例如贾斯廷 (Justin)或者游措皮亚斯 (Eutropius)；为了使他在阅读和理解方面不感到枯燥和困难，假如他愿意，让他用英语译文帮助他自己。有一种反对的说法，认为这样他只能靠死记硬背来学习，不要让这说法吓坏了任何人。这种方法，仔细想一想，是一点都不与学习语言的方法相冲突的，反而明显就是学语言的方法；因为语言就只能通过死记硬背来学习；而且一个人不能靠死记硬背来完美地说英语或拉丁语，那他既不可能说得很好，也不可能精通它；而靠死记硬背学语言，他只要考虑他想说的事情，不必考虑规则或语法，他的舌头自然就能说出那种语言的恰当表述和习语。我倒是乐意有人能够找出一种任何人都可以靠语法规则就能学好或说好的语言。语言不是靠规则或人为造成的，而是靠偶然和人们的共同用法而形成的。他如果想说好语言，只有一条规则：他不能凭藉别的任何东西，只能靠他的记忆，以及遵从准确讲说这些语言的人的方法来说的一种习惯，换句话说，就是只有靠死记硬背来说。

GRAMMAR | It will possibly be asked here, Is grammar then of no use? And have those who have taken so much pains in reducing several languages to rules and observations, who have written so much about declensions and conjugations, about concords and syntaxis, lost their labour, and been learned to no purpose? I say not so; grammar has its place too. But this I think I may say, there is more stir a great deal made with it than there needs, and those are tormented about it, to whom it does not at all belong; I mean children, at the age wherein they are usually perplexed with it in grammar-schools.

语法 |  这里也许有人会问，难道语法就没有任何用处吗？那些人如此辛苦地把几种语言精简成规则和观察发现，写了如此多关于名词、代词的词尾变化和动词的词形变化，关于语句(数、性等的)一致性和句法规则的，难道他们的劳力都白费了，学了也没有一点用处吗？我说不是这样，语法也有它的地位。但是我觉得我可以说，语法引起很多不必要的困扰，而那些为此备受折磨的人，他们一点都不需要语法；我指的是孩子们，他们这个年纪他们通常在文法学校中为语法所困扰。

There is nothing more evident, than that languages learned by rote serve well enough for the common affairs of life and ordinary commerce. Nay, persons of quality of the softer sex, and such of them as have spent their time in well-bred company, show us, that this plain natural way, without the least study or knowledge of grammar, can carry them to a great degree of elegancy and politeness in their language: and there are ladies who, without knowing what tenses and participles, adverbs and prepositions are, speak as properly, and as correctly, (they might take it for an ill compliment, if I said as any country school-master,) as most gentlemen who have been bred up in the ordinary methods of grammar-schools. Grammar therefore we see may be spared in some cases. The question then will be, To whom should it be taught, and when? To this I answer,

通过死记硬背学会的语言，在一般的生活与平常的商业中都是够用的，这是再明显不过的事情。而且那些有身份的女士，她们与有良好教养的伴侣相处的情形，向我们表明，这种平易自然的，不用学习语法或了解语法，也能使她们在语言上达到非常优雅、很有礼貌的程度；也有一些女士，从来不知道什么是动词的时态与分词，什么是副词与介词，其说话得体与正确，就如同文法学校中用普通方法教养出来的大多数绅士一样(如果我说她们说得与乡村老师一样好，她们还觉得是不好的恭维)。所以我们说某些情况下可以不学语法。那么有人会问，究竟什么人该学，什么时候该学呢？我对此的答复是：

1. Men learn languages for the ordinary intercourse of society, and communication of thoughts in common life, without any farther design in their use of them. And for this purpose the original way of learning a language by conversation not only serves well enough, but is to be preferred, as the most expedite, proper, and natural. Therefore to this use of language one may answer, that grammar is not necessary. This so many of my readers must be forced to allow, as understand what I here say, and who, conversing with others, understand them without having ever been taught the grammar of the English tongue: which I suppose is the case of incomparably the greatest part of Englishmen; of whom I have never yet known any one who learned his mother-tongue by rules.

1. 人们学习语言是为了日常社交和一般生活中的信息交流，没有更进一步的用处。为了这种目的，原来用对话学习一门语言的方法不仅够用，而且应该作为最省时、最合适、最自然的方法来提倡。所以对于语言的这种用途，回答是语法并没有必要。对此我的许多读者不得不同意，他们虽然没有学过英语语法，他们能理解我所说的，也能理解与他们交谈的人所说的；我认为这种情形占了英国人中无可比拟的绝大多数，我从没有听说其中任何人通过规则来学会母语的。

2. Others there are, the greatest part of whose business in this world is to be done with their tongues and with their pens; and to these it is convenient, if not necessary, that they should speak properly and correctly, whereby they may let their thoughts into other men's minds the more easily, and with the greater impression. Upon this account it is, that any sort of speaking, so as will make him be understood, is not thought enough for a gentleman. He ought to study grammar amongst the other helps of speaking well, but it must be the grammar of his own tongue, of the language he uses, that he may understand his own country speech nicely, and speak it properly, without shocking the ears of those it is addressed to, with solecisms and offensive irregularities. And to this purpose grammar is necessary; but it is the grammar only of their own proper tongues, and to those only who would take pains in cultivating their language, and in perfecting their styles. Whether all gentlemen should not do this, I leave to be considered, since the want of propriety and grammatical exactness is thought very misbecoming one of that rank, and usually draws on one guilty of such faults the censure of having had a lower breeding and worse company than suits with his quality. If this be so, (as I suppose it is) it will be matter of wonder why young gentlemen are forced to learn the grammars of foreign and dead languages, and are never once told of the grammar of their own tongues, they do not so much as know there is any such thing, much less is it made their business to be instructed in it. Nor is their own language ever proposed to them as worthy their care and cultivating, though they have daily use of it, and are not seldom, in the future course of their lives, judged of by their handsome or awkward way of expressing themselves in it. Whereas the languages whose grammars they have been so much employed in, are such as probably they shall scarce ever speak or write; or if, upon occasion, this should happen, they should be excused for the mistakes and faults they make in it. Would not a Chinese who took notice of this way of breeding, be apt to imagine that all our young gentlemen were designed to be teachers and professors of the dead languages of foreign countries, and not to be men of business in their own?

2. 另外还有人，他们世上工作的绝大部分是通过口舌笔墨来达成的；他们恰当正确地说话，如果不是必需的，对他们自己也是有裨益，借此他们可以使自己的思想更容易进入别人的心里，留下更深的印象。从这一点来说，一个绅士的任何讲话，只是能让人听懂是不够的。他应当学习语法以及其它能帮助他很好讲话的方法，但那必须他的母语、他所使用的语言的语法，因而他能很好地明白他自己国家的言语，并且能说得恰当，不至以违反语法和令人不快的不合规范的话语，使听到的人感到刺耳。为此目的语法是必要的；但是这只限于他们自己的纯正语言的语法，而且只限于那些愿意努力培养自己的语言技巧和完善自己的语言风格的人。至于所有的绅士是不是该这样做，我留给大家思考，因为说话不得体与缺乏语法的精确被认为是非常不适宜于那个阶层的，有这种缺陷的人常常被人责备，说他的教养与伙伴都不符合他的身份。假如真是这样(我推测确是如此)，那么为什么年轻的绅士被强迫学习外国的、已经死亡的语言的语法，却从没有被告知他们母语的语法，他们完全不知道有这种东西，更不用说正式去学习它，这真是很奇怪的。也从没有人告诉他们，说他们本国的语言值得去用心、值得去锻炼提高，虽然他们要天天使用它，在将来的生活中也不时被人根据他们能不能很好地用它表达自己来判断他们。而他们费力学习过语法的语言，他们可能很少会有机会去说或写；即使偶尔有这样的机会，其中他们犯的错误也会得到原谅。假如一个中国人看见这样的教养方法，他难到不会以为我们所有的年轻绅士都打算做传授外国死去的语言的老师和教授，而不是做自己语言的行家吗？

3. There is a third sort of men, who applying themselves to two or three foreign, dead (and which amongst us are called the learned) languages, make them their study, and pique themselves upon their skill in them. No doubt those who propose to themselves the learning of any language with this view, and would be critically exact in it, ought carefully to study the grammar of it. I would not be mistaken here, as if this were to undervalue Greek and Latin: I grant these are languages of great use and excellency; and a man can have no place amongst the learned, in this part of the world, who is a stranger to them. But the knowledge a gentleman would ordinarily draw for his use, out of the Roman and Greek writers, I think he may attain without studying the grammars of those tongues, and, by bare reading, may come to understand them sufficiently for all his purposes. How much farther he shall at any time be concerned to look into the grammar and critical niceties of either of these tongues, he himself will be able to determine, when he comes to propose to himself the study of any thing that shall require it. Which brings me to the other part of the inquiry, viz.

3. 还有第三种人，他们致力于研究两三种外国的、死的语言(也就是我们所说的学究语言)，并且以精通它们为荣。毫无疑问那些以这种看法去学习任何语言的、愿意精准掌握它的人，的确该仔细研究它的语法。这里我不想被人误解，好像贬低希腊语和拉丁语的价值：我承认这些是非常有用、非常优美的语言；一个人若不懂得它们，在这一片世界上就不能跻身于有学问的人中间。但是对一个绅士的有用知识，可以从罗马与希腊的作家那里获得，我认为他不需要学习这些语言的语法，只靠阅读就能充分理解它们，达到他所有的目的。他究竟需要考虑钻研多少这两种语言的语法及其它精妙之处，当他研究任何事情有了这种需要的时候，他自己就能够决定。这就把我引到问题的另一部分，就是：

"When grammar should be taught?"
"什么时候应该教授语法？"

To which upon the premised grounds, the answer is obvious, viz.
在前述的基础上，答案很明显，就是：

That if grammar ought to be taught at any time, it must be to one that can speak the language already; how else can he be taught the grammar of it? This at least is evident from the practice of the wise and learned nations amongst the ancients. They made it a part of education to cultivate their own, not foreign tongues. The Greeks counted all other nations barbarous, and had a contempt for their languages. And though the Greek learning grew in credit amongst the Romans, towards the end of their commonwealth, yet it was the Roman tongue that was made the study of their youth: their own language they were to make use of, and therefore it was their own language they were instructed and exercised in.

如果任何时候要教语法，应该教给一个已经会说那种语言的人；还有什么别的办法可以教他语法呢？这至少可以从古代那些明智而有学问的国家明显看出。他们把语法作为教育的一部分，来培养他们自己的语言，而不是外国的语言。希腊人把别的一切国家视做野蛮的，并且蔑视他们的语言。虽然罗马人以学习希腊语为荣，直到他们共和末期，但是他们的年轻人所学的还是罗马语：他们使用的是自己的语言，所以他们所学的和练习的也是他们自己的语言。

But more particularly to determine the proper season for grammar, I do not see how it can reasonably be made any one's study, but as an introduction to rhetoric; when it is thought time to put any one upon the care of polishing his tongue, and of speaking better than the illiterate, then is the time for him to be instructed in the rules of grammar, and not before. For grammar being to teach men not to speak, but to speak correctly and according to the exact rules of the tongue, which is one part of elegancy, there is little use of the one to him that has no need of the other; where rhetoric is not necessary, grammar may be spared. I know not why any one should waste his time, and beat his head about the Latin grammar, who does not intend to be a critic, or make speeches and write dispatches in it. When any one finds in himself a necessity or disposition to study any foreign language to the bottom, and to be nicely exact in the knowledge of it, it will be time enough to take a grammatical survey of it. If his use of it be only to understand some books written in it, without a critical knowledge of the tongue itself, reading alone, as I have said, will attain this end, without charging the mind with the multiplied rules and intricacies of grammar.

但是更具体地决定学习语法的适当时机，我认为语法除了作为修辞的入门，没有理由让任何人去研究；到了一个人该润色他的语言，要比未受教育的人说得更好的时候，也就是他该学习语法规则的时候，而不是在此之前。因为语法不是教人说话，而是教人说得正确与符合语言的准确规则，这是说话优雅的一部分，假如他不需要说话优雅，他也就不必学语法；如果修辞是不必要的，那就不用学语法。我不知道一个不想当拉丁文的批评家、不用拉丁语演讲或写信的人，为什么会浪费他的时间，费神去学拉丁语法。当任何人觉得自己需要或计划彻底研究任何一门外语，而且确切地了解它，那就是到时候该从语法上调查研究它。如果他只是想用它看懂用这语言所写的某些书，不求精通语言本身，那么就如我所说的，单单阅读就能达到这个目的，不需要心里记住语法的许多规则与繁琐复杂之处。

For the exercise of his writing, let him sometimes translate Latin into English: but the learning of Latin being nothing but the learning of words, a very unpleasant business both to young and old, join as much other real knowledge with it as you can, beginning still with that which lies most obvious to the senses; such as is the knowledge of minerals, plants, and animals, and particularly timber and fruit-trees, their parts and ways of propagation, wherein a great deal may be taught a child, which will not be useless to the man: but more especially geography, astronomy, and anatomy. But, whatever you are teaching him, have a care still, that you do not clog him with too much at once; or make any thing his business but downright virtue, or reprove him for any thing but vice or some apparent tendency to it.

为了他练习写字，可以让他不时把拉丁语翻译成英语；但是学习拉丁语不外乎学习拉丁单词，这对老少都是一件令人非常不愉快的工作，所以你要在其中尽量多地加入别的真实的知识，开始是那些最容易感受到的东西；譬如矿物、植物、动物的知识，特别是木材与果树，它们的各个部分与繁殖方式，这有许多可以教给小孩，对成人也是不无裨益的：特别是更多的地理、天文和解剖。但是无论你教他什么，注意不要一次给他塞太多东西；除了纯粹的德行，不要将任何事情当成他的任务，除了邪恶或明显倾向于邪恶，不要为任何事情责骂他。

But if after all his fate be to go to school to get the Latin tongue, it will be in vain to talk to you concerning the method I think best to be observed in schools. You must submit to that you find there, not expect to have it changed for your son; but yet by all means obtain, if you can, that he be not employed in making Latin themes and declamations, and least of all, verses of any kind. You may insist on it, if it will do any good, that you have no design to make him either a Latin orator or poet, but barely would have him understand perfectly a Latin author; and that you observe those who teach any of the modern languages, and that with success, never amuse their scholars to make speeches or verses either in French or Italian, their business being language barely, and not invention.

但是如果他最后还是命定要去学校学习拉丁语，那么告诉你我认为学校应该采用的最好方法是没有用的。你必须遵循学校的方式，不能期望它为你的儿子改变；但是如果可能的话，你要用尽方法不让他做拉丁语的作文和演讲，至少不要做任何韵文。假如这有所帮助的话，你可以坚持说你不想让他错误一个拉丁语的演说家或诗人，只想让他能完全懂得一个拉丁文的作家而已；而且你看那些成功教授任何一门现代语言的人，从不让他们的学生用法语或意大利语演说或作诗，他们的任务就只是语言，不用创作。

THEMES | But to tell you, a little more fully, why I would not have him exercised in making of themes and verses: 1. As to themes, they have, I confess, the pretence of something useful, which is to teach people to speak handsomely and well on any subject; which, if it could be attained this way, I own would be a great advantage; there being nothing more becoming a gentleman, nor more useful in all the occurrences of life, than to be able, on any occasion, to speak well, and to the purpose. But this I say, that the making of themes, as is usual in schools, helps not one jot towards it; for do but consider what it is in making a theme that a young lad is employed about; it is to make a speech on some Latin saying, as "Omnia vincit amor (Latin: Love conquers all)," or "Non licet in bello bis peccare," etc. And here the poor lad, who wants knowledge of those things he is to speak of, which is to be had only from time and observation, must set his invention on the rack, to say something where he knows nothing, which is a sort of Egyptian tyranny, to bid them make bricks who have not yet any of the materials. And therefore it is usual, in such cases, for the poor children to go to those of higher forms with this petition, "Pray give me a little sense;" which, whether it be more reasonable or more ridiculous, is not easy to determine. Before a man can be in any capacity to speak on any subject, it is necessary he be acquainted with it; or else it is as foolish to set him to discourse of it, as to set a blind man to talk of colours, or a deaf man of music. And would you not think him a little cracked who would require another to make an argument on a moot point, who understands nothing of our laws? And what, I pray, do school-boys understand concerning those matters, which are used to be proposed to them in their themes, as subjects to discourse on, to whet and exercise their fancies?

作文 | 但是这里更详细地告诉你，我为什么不让他练习作文与写诗：1. 就作文而言，我承认它们看来似乎有用，就是可以教人在任何话题上都能说得又漂亮又好；假如真能用这方法达到目的，我承认那有很大好处；没有比能在任何场合说得好、说得中肯更能表现一个绅士，在所有生活际遇中更有用处。但是我要说，通常学校里的作文，一点都不能帮助人达到这个目的；因为只要想一想，年轻人在作文时干什么；那只是讲一些拉丁成语，例如"爱情战胜一切"或"战争中不允许犯两次错"(拉丁语: "Non licet in bello bis peccare)等等。而且这个可怜的孩子，他对自己要讲述的事情缺乏知识，而那些知识只能从时间与阅历得来，他不得不冥思苦想，去讲一些他一点也不知道的事情，这就像一种埃及暴政，他们没有任何材料却要做出砖来。所以常常在这种情形下，这些可怜的小孩只能到更高年级的人那里去求助，"请给我一点悟性吧"；这究竟是更合理还是更可笑，还很难说。一个人在对任何题目发表意见之前，他需要先熟悉它；否则让他去论述它就如同叫一个盲人去谈颜色、叫一个聋人去讲音乐一样愚蠢。如果一个人让另一个完全不懂我们法律的人来做法学的辩论，你难道不觉得他古怪异常吗？而且为了激发与锻炼学生的想象力，就让他们作文去讨论一些主题，我且请问他们到底对此有多少理解？

In the next place, consider the language that their themes are made in: it is Latin, a language foreign in their country, and long since dead every-where; a language which your son, it is a thousand to one, shall never have an occasion once to make a speech in as long as he lives, after he comes to be a man; and a language wherein the manner of expressing one's self is so far different from ours, that to be perfect in that, would very little improve the purity and facility of his English style. Besides that, there is now so little room or use for set speeches in our own language in any part of our English business, that I can see no pretence for this sort of exercise in our schools; unless it can be supposed, that the making of set Latin speeches should be the way to teach men to speak well in English extempore. The way to that I should think rather to be this: that there should be proposed to young gentlemen rational and useful questions, suited to their age and capacities, and on subjects not wholly unknown to them nor out of their way: such as these, when they are ripe for exercises of this nature, they should extempore, or after a little meditation upon the spot, speak to, without penning of any thing. For I ask, if he will examine the effects of this way of learning to speak well, who speak best in any business, when occasion calls them to it upon any debate; either those who have accustomed themselves to compose and write down before-hand what they would say; or those, who thinking only of the matter to understand that as well as they can, use themselves only to speak extempore? And he that shall judge by this, will be little apt to think, that the accustoming him to study speeches, and set compositions, is the way to fit a young gentleman for business.

2. 接下来考虑他们作文所用的语言：那是拉丁语，一种早已死亡的外语；这种语言在你的儿子长大成人后，一生中很难有千分之一的机会用它来发言；而且用这语言来表达自己的方式不同于英语，很完美地使用它对提高他英语风格的纯粹和熟练很少有帮助。另外，就是在我们英国的事务中，也很少会用到预先准备的英文讲稿，所以我不能看出有什么理由在学校进行这样的练习；除非能断定，习惯用拉丁文讲稿演讲可以教人用英语即兴讲演。我认为进到即兴讲演的方法该是这样：要向年轻的绅士提一些与他们年纪和能力相符的、合理而有用的问题，问题的主题不要对他们是完全陌生或不相干；当他们长大成熟能做这样的练习，叫他们不用笔写，即席或稍微思索后就讲。因为我问你，如果去考查这种学习说话的效果，你觉得在任何事务中，谁会在任何辩论场合说得最好？是那些习惯在事前写稿记下他们要说的话的人，还是那些临时思索问题，尽力弄懂，即席就讲的人呢？如果这样去判断，就不会认为使他习惯背诵演讲词和预先准备的文稿是让一个年轻绅士适合职业的正确方法。

But perhaps we shall be told, it is to improve and perfect them in the Latin tongue. It is true, that is their proper business at school; but the making of themes is not the way to it: that perplexes their brains, about invention of things to be said, not about the signification of words to be learnt; and when they are making a theme, it is thoughts they search and sweat for, and not language. But the learning and mastery of a tongue, being uneasy and unpleasant enough in itself, should not be cumbered with any other difficulties, as is done in this way of proceeding. In fine, if boys' invention be to be quickened by such exercise, let them make themes in English, where they have facility, and a command of words, and will better see what kind of thoughts they have, when put into their own language. And if the Latin tongue be to be learned, let it be done in the easiest way, without toiling and disgusting the mind by so uneasy an employment as that of making speeches joined to it.

但是也许有人会告诉我们，我们的目的是提高与完善他们说拉丁语。是的，那是他们在学校中的正事；但是作文却不是达成它的方法：那会使他们的头脑困扰于构想一些事情来说，而不是去想要学习的词语的意义；并且当他们写作文时，他们费力搜寻的是思想，而不是语言。但是学习掌握一门语言，本身已经够不容易、够令人不快的，不应该像前述的方法那样，加上别的困难作拖累。总而言之，假如小孩的创意要用这种练习来激励，就让他们用英语作文，因为他们熟悉英语，遣词造句得心应手，可以更好地看出他们用本国语言所表达的思想。如果要学说拉丁语，就该用最容易的方法来学，不要附加上演讲之类困难的事情，使心理感到辛苦与厌恶。

VERSES | If these may be any reasons against children's making Latin themes at school, I have much more to say, and of more weight, against their making verses of any sort, for, if he has no genius to poetry, it is the most unreasonable thing in the world to torment a child, and waste his time about that which can never succeed; and if he have a poetic vein, it is to me the strangest thing in the world, that the father should desire or suffer it to be cherished or improved. Methinks the parents should labour to have it stifled and suppressed as much as may be; and I know not what reason a father can have to wish his son a poet, who does not desire to have him bid defiance to all other callings and business; which is not yet the worst of the case; for if he proves a successful rhymer, and gets once the reputation of a wit, I desire it may be considered, what company and places he is like to spend his time in, nay, and estate too: for it is very seldom seen, that any one discovers mines of gold or silver in Parnassus. It is a pleasant air, but a barren soil; and there are very few instances of those who have added to their patrimony by any thing they have reaped from thence. Poetry and gaming, which usually go together, are alike in this too, that they seldom bring any advantage, but to those who have nothing else to live on. Men of estates almost constantly go away losers; and it is well if they escape at a cheaper rate than their whole estates, or the greatest part of them. If therefore you would not have your son the fiddle to every jovial company, without whom the sparks could not relish their wine, nor know how to pass an afternoon idly; if you would not have him waste his time and estate to divert others, and contemn the dirty acres left him by his ancestors, I do not think you will much care he should be a poet, or that his school-master should enter him in versifying. But yet, if any one will think poetry a desirable quality in his son, and that the study of it would raise his fancy and parts, he must need yet confess, that, to that end, reading the excellent Greek and Roman poets, is of more use than making bad verses of his own, in a language that is not his own. And he, whose design it is to excel in English poetry, would not, I guess, think the way to it were to make his first essays in Latin verses.

诗文 |  如果这些可以作为反对小孩在学校写拉丁作文的理由，我有更多更重的话去反对他们作任何类型的诗，因为假如他没有写诗的天才，那是世上最没有道理的折磨小孩的事情，把他的时间浪费在决不可能成功的事情上；而假如他有诗人的气质，父亲还想意图或容许它得到维护与提高，我认为那是世上最奇怪的事情。我觉得父母应该尽力压制它；而且我想不出一个父亲不想使儿子轻视其它职业与工作，有什么理由希望他成为一个诗人；这还不是最糟糕的情况；因为假如他被证明是一个成功的诗人，得到一个才子的名声，我认为该考虑一下，他与什么伙伴、在什么地方消耗他的时间，不但如此，还有怎么花费他的财产：因为很少能在诗坛中发掘到金矿或银矿。那是令人愉快的空气，却是贫瘠的土地；很少有人能从那里收获什么去添加到他们的祖产中。诗歌与赌博常在一起，它们有一点也很相似，就是它们没有什么好处，除了使那些别无所长的人得益。有家产的人几乎总是受损失；如果他们没有失去他们全部或最大部分的财产就不错了。所以假如你不想让你的儿子成为每一个快乐聚会的提琴手，使他们离了他就饮酒淡然无味，也不知道如何懒散地消磨下午的时间；假如你不想让他浪费他的时间与财产去娱乐别人，并且鄙弃祖先遗下的土地，我认为你不该十分关切他是否成为诗人，或者学校老师是否教他写诗。但是即使有人认为写诗是他儿子可取的品质，研究作诗可以增进他的想象与才能，他也必须承认，要达到那个目的，阅读优秀的希腊与罗马诗人的作品，比他儿子用外语写糟糕的诗更有用。而那决意要写好英文诗的人，我认为他决不会以为要通过先写拉丁诗来实现。

Another thing, very ordinary in the vulgar method of grammar-schools, there is, of which I see no use at all, unless it be to balk young lads in the way to learning languages, which, in my opinion, should be made as easy and pleasant as may be; and that which was painful in it, as much as possible quite removed. That which I mean, and here complain of, is, their being forced to learn by heart great parcels of the authors which are taught them; wherein I can discover no advantage at all, especially to the business they are upon. Languages are to be learnt only by reading and talking, and not by scraps of authors got by heart; which when a man's head is stuffed with, he has got the just furniture of a pedant, and it is the ready way to make him one, than which there is nothing less becoming a gentleman. For what can be more ridiculous, than to mix the rich and handsome thoughts and sayings of others with a deal of poor stuff of his own; which is thereby the more exposed; and has no other grace in it, nor will otherwise recommend the speaker, than a thread-bare russet-coat would that was set off with large patches of scarlet and glittering brocade? Indeed, where a passage comes in the way, whose matter is worth remembrance, and the expression of it very close and excellent, (as there are many such in the ancient authors,) it may not be amiss to lodge it in the minds of young scholars, and with such admirable strokes of those great masters sometimes exercise the memories of school-boys: but their learning of their lessons by heart, as they happen to fall out in their books without choice or distinction, I know not what it serves for, but to mispend their time and pains, and give them a disgust and aversion to their books, wherein they find nothing but useless trouble.

文法学校的一般方法中，还有另外一种很常见的，我觉得是没有一点用处，除非是为了阻碍年轻人学习语言；而语言学习，我认为应该弄得尽量容易与有趣，那些痛苦的成分应尽力去除。我这里所说、所反对的是，他们被迫记住教给他们的许多作家；我认为这没有一点好处，特别是对他们正从事的工作。学习语言只能通过阅读与交谈，而不是通过记住作家的只言片语；一个人的头脑中充满了这种东西，他得到只是一个学究的饰品，也是将他变成学究的现成方法，那再没有比这更不适合一个绅士的。因为没有什么更荒谬的，就是把别人所说的丰富漂亮的思想和说法掺杂在他自己一堆糟糕的素材中；这样更加显示他的糟糕；其中没有一点优雅的成分，也不能使得讲话人受人欢迎，就如同一件破旧的褐衣补缀上大片鲜红与闪光的锦缎一样的。确实，当年轻的学生碰到一段值得记忆的文章，它表达得非常紧凑与优美 (古代作家有很多这样的文章)，他们用心记下也是不错的，因为这些伟大作家的令人敬仰的文笔有时能够锻炼学生的记忆。但是他们不加选择和区别地背诵课文，我不认为有什么用处，除了浪费他们的时间与精力，使他们厌恶憎恨书本，在其中他们只找到无用的麻烦。

I hear it is said, that children should be employed in getting things by heart, to exercise and improve their memories. I could wish this were said with as much authority of reason, as it is with forwardness of assurance; and that this practice were established upon good observation, more than old custom; for it is evident, that strength of memory is owing to an happy constitution, and not to any habitual improvement got by exercise. It is true, what the mind is intent upon, and for fear of letting it slip, often imprints afresh on itself by frequent reflection, that it is apt to retain, but still according to its own natural strength of retention. An impression made on bees wax or lead will not last so long as on brass or steel. Indeed, if it be renewed often, it may last the longer; but every new reflecting on it is a new impression, and it is from thence one is to reckon, if one would know how long the mind retains it. But the learning pages of Latin by heart, no more fits the memory for retention of any thing else, than the graving of one sentence in lead, makes it the more capable of retaining firmly any other characters. If such a sort of exercise of the memory were able to give it strength, and improve our parts, players of all other people must needs have the best memories, and be the best company; but whether the scraps they have got into their head this way, make them remember other things the better; and whether their parts be improved proportionably to the pains they have taken in getting by heart other sayings; experience will show. Memory is so necessary to all parts and conditions of life, and so little is to be done without it, that we are not to fear it should grow dull and useless for want of exercise, if exercise would make it grow stronger. But I fear this faculty of the mind is not capable of much help and amendment in general, by any exercise or endeavour of ours, at least not by that used upon this pretence in grammar-schools. And if Xerxes was able to call every common soldier by his name, in his army, that consisted of no less than an hundred thousand men, I think it may be guessed, he got not this wonderful ability by learning his lessons by heart, when he was a boy. This method of exercising and improving the memory by toilsome repetitions without book of what they read, is, I think, little used in the education of princes, which if it had that advantage talked of, should be as little neglected in them, as in the meanest school-boys: princes having as much need of good memories as any men living, and have generally an equal share in this faculty with other men; though it has never been taken care of this way. What the mind is intent upon and careful of, that it remembers best, and for the reason above mentioned: to which if method and order be joined, all is done, I think, that can be, for the help of a weak memory; and he that will take any other way to do it, especially that of charging it with a train of other people's words, which he that learns cares not for, will, I guess, scarce find the profit answer half the time and pains employed in it.

我听说小孩应该通过背诵来锻炼和提高他们记忆力。我冀望这种说法理性权威的成分与自信大胆的成分一样多；并且这种实践更多地建立在良好的观察，而更少地出于旧的习惯；因为有证据表明，记忆的强度是由于幸福的体质，而不是由于锻炼得来的习惯性的改进。确实心思注重的事情，因为害怕忘记，就会时常回忆以使自己印象经常得以更新，这样它就记住了，但是还是要根据它本身记忆的天然强度。在蜂蜡或铅上留下的印象，不会比在黄铜或钢上的印象更持久。如果印象经常重现，它可以保持更久；但是如果每一次新的回想是一个新的印象，假如有人想知道心里能够记多久，那应该从新印象以后算起。但是把整页整页的拉丁文记在心里，并不会更能保留对其它事情的记忆，就象在铅上刻一句话，并不能使其更坚实地保留别的文字。假如这样的记忆练习能够增进它的强度，提升我们的才能，那么所有的人中演员应该有最好的记忆力，是最好的伙伴；但是他们头脑中记住的只言片语能否使他们更好地记住别的事情，他们才能的增长是否与他们努力记住别人说的话所花费的力气成比例，有待经验来证明。记忆在人生的所有部分和情况下都有需要，没有它很少能干成什么，所以假如锻炼能使它变强的话，我们就不用担心它因为缺乏练习而变得迟钝和无用。但是我担心这种心理的能力总体上不可能通过我们的练习或努力而得到很多的帮助与改进，至少不会通过文法学校妄称的方法。而且如果薛西斯能够叫出他十万军队中每一个士兵的名字，我猜想他取得这种了不起的才能不会是他小时候默记课文的结果。我认为，这种离开书本通过辛苦乏味的重复来锻炼提高记忆力的方法，很少用在王子的教育上，如果它真有所说的益处，王子也会如最低微的学生一样，不会忽视它的：王子与任何人一样需要良好的记忆，他们这方面的能力也与别人一样；但是他们却从没有被用这种方法关照过。因为上述的原因，心理所专注留意的事情，它就记得最好：所以如果再加上(正确的)方法和顺序，这都做到的话，我觉得是可以帮助软弱的记忆的；他如果想用任何别的方法来帮助记忆，特别是用背诵别人的词句，而那是他学习时并不在意的，那么他只会事倍功半的。

I do not mean hereby, that there should be no exercise given to children's memories. I think their memories should be employed, but not in learning by rote whole pages out of books, which, the lesson being once said, and that task over, are delivered up again to oblivion and neglected for ever. This mends neither the memory nor the mind. What they should learn by heart out of authors, I have above mentioned: and such wise and useful sentences, being once given in charge to their memories, they should never be suffered to forget again, but be often called to account for them: whereby, besides the use those sayings may be to them in their future life, as so many good rules and observations; they will be taught to reflect often, and bethink themselves what they have to remember, which is the only way to make the memory quick and useful. The custom of frequent reflection will keep their minds from running adrift, and call their thoughts home from useless inattentive roving: and therefore I think it may do well, to give them something every day to remember; but something still, that is in itself worth the remembering, and what you would never have out of mind, whenever you call or they themselves search for it. This will oblige them often to turn their thoughts inwards, than which you cannot wish them a better intellectual habit.

我这里并不是说，小孩的记忆不该得到练习。我觉得他们的记忆不该用在背诵整页整页的书本，因为功课一旦背过，任务完成后，那就会被永远遗忘与忽视。这既不会改进记忆，也不会改进心理。他们对作家应该记在心里的，是我上面提到过的：就是那些明智而有用的句子，一旦进入他们的记忆，他们决不应该再遗忘，而应该经常叫他们去解释其意义：由此以来，这些言词除了作为良好的规则与观察对他们将来生活有用之外，还可以教他们经常回忆反省，考虑他们自己该记住什么，这是使记忆变得迅速有用的唯一途径。他们习惯经常的回忆反省，可以使他们的心理不至于茫然不定，把他们的思想从无用的、漫不经心的漂泊中召唤回来：所以我觉得每天给一些事情让他们记住并不坏；但这些事情本身应该值得记忆，是那些当你要求他们或他们自己要寻求时，决不会忘记的东西。这样会使他们经常向内用心思考，这是你最希望他们养成的智力习惯。

摘自Some Thoughts Concerning Education (English-Chinese Edition)(ISBN-10: 1537479857)