美國語文第六冊 第113期:皮特先生的品格(1)
這位大臣一個人站了起來。
Modern degeneracy had not reached him.
近代墮落的風氣沒有在他身上覓到。
Original and unaccommodating, the features of his character had the hardihood of antiquity.
他的性格之獨具和不肯通融的方方面面，頗具古人的剛毅風范。
His august mind overawed majesty itself.
他那如疾風暴雨般的思想連陛下都不勝敬畏。
No state chicanery, no narrow system of vicious politics, no idle contest for ministerial victories, sank him to the vulgar level of the great;
沒有對國事的枉顧，沒有對殘酷的政治設立狹隘的制度，沒有與大臣們的成功進行愚蠢的競爭，卻將他貶至平庸的水平上;
but overbearing, persuasive, and impracticable, his object was England, his ambition was fame.
但是，他的目標是整個英格蘭，他的抱負就是榮譽，這個斷言有些傲慢但有說服力，盡管斷不可行。
Without dividing, he destroyed party; without corrupting, he made a venal age unanimous.
沒有分化，他毀滅了整個黨派;沒有貪贓舞弊，他開創(chuàng)的是貪污盛行的時代。
France sunk beneath him.
法蘭西倒在他腳下。
With one hand he smote the house of Bourbon, and wielded in the other the democracy of England.
他一只手就推到了波旁王朝，對另一個英格蘭民主政體施加決定性影響。
The sight of his mind was infinite; and his schemes were to effect, not England, not the present age only, but Europe and posterity.
他的思想疆域是無限的;他的圖謀并不只是影響英格蘭和當前的時代，而是歐洲和后世。
Wonderful were the means by which those schemes were accomplished;
奇妙之處在于，這些圖謀賴以實現(xiàn)的手段。
always seasonable, always adequate, the suggestion of an understanding animated by ardor and enlightened by prophecy.
始終有合理性，始終恰當，對這些圖謀的理解暗示系由熱情驅動的，由預言而受到啟發(fā)的。
The ordinary feelings which make life amiable and indolent, were unknown to him.
賦予生命以和藹和懶惰這些特質的正常情感，他無從知曉。
No domestic difficulties, no domestic weakness, reached him;
國家處于困境和積弱并不會影響他。
but, aloof from the sordid occurrences of life, and unsullied by its intercourse,
但是，脫離生活的卑鄙骯臟，不會為人際交往所玷污，
he came occasionally into our system, to counsel and decide.
他偶爾會闖進我們的圈子，提出勸告和做出決定。
