張培基英譯中國現代散文選(一)之《學問與趣味》

學問與趣味 

      ——梁實秋 

  前輩的學者常以學問的趣味啟迪后生，因為他們自己實在是得到了學問的趣味，故不惜現身說法，誘導后學(1)，使他們也在愉快的心情之下走進學問的大門(2)。例如，瘐任公先生就說過(3)：“我是個主張趣味主義(4)的人，倘若用化學化分‘梁啟超’這件東西(5)，把里頭所含一種原素名叫‘趣味’的抽出來，只怕所剩下的僅有個零了。”任公先生注重趣味，學問甚是淵博，而并不存有任何外在的動機，只是“無所為而為” (6)，故能有他那樣的成就。一個人在學問上果能感覺到趣味，有時真會像是著了魔一般(7)，真能廢寢忘食，真能不知老之將至，苦苦鉆研，鍥而不舍，在學問上焉能不有收獲？不過我嘗想，以任公先生而論，他后期的著述如歷史研究法，先秦政治思想史，以及有關墨子佛學陶淵明的作品，都可說是他的一點“趣味”在驅使著他，可是在他在年青的時候，從師受業，誦讀典籍(8)，那時節也全然是趣味么？作八股文，作試帖詩(9)，莫非也是趣味么？我想未必。大概趣味云云，是指年長之后自動作學問之時(10)而言，在年青時候為學問打根底之際恐怕不能過分重視趣味。學問沒有根底，趣味也很難滋生。任公先生的學問之所以那樣的博大精深，涉筆成趣，左右逢源，不能不說的一大部分得力于他的學問根底之打得堅固。 

  我嘗見許多年青的朋友，聰明用功，成績優異，而語文程度不足以達意，甚至寫一封信亦難得通順，問其故則曰其興趣不在語文方面。又有一些位，執筆為文，斐然可誦，而視數理科如仇讐，勉強才能及格，問其故則亦曰其興趣不在數理方面，而且他們覺得某些科目沒有趣味，便撇在一旁視如敝屣(11)，怡然自得，振振有詞，略無愧色，好像這就是發揚趣味主義。殊不知天下沒有沒有趣味的學問(12)，端視吾人如何發掘其趣味，如果在良師指導之下按部就班的循序而進，一步一步的發現新天地，當然樂在其中，如果淺嘗輒止，甚至躐等躁進，當然味同嚼蠟，自討沒趣。一個有中上天資的人，對于普通的基本的文理科目，都同樣的有學習的能力，絕不會本能的長于此而拙于彼。只有懶惰與任性，才能使一個人自甘暴棄的在“趣味”的掩護之下敗退(13)。 

  由小學到中學，所修習的無非是一些普通的基本知識。就是大學四年，所授課業也還是相當粗淺的學識。世人常稱大學為“最高學府”，這名稱易滋誤解，好像過此以上即無學問可言。大學的研究所才是初步研究學問的所在，在這里作學問也只能算是粗涉藩籬，注重的是研究學問的方法與實習。學無止境，一生的時間都嫌太短(14)，所以古人皓首窮經，頭發白了還是在繼續研究，不過在這樣的研究中確是有濃厚的趣味。 

  在初學的階段，由小學至大學，我們與其倡言趣味，不如偏重紀律。一個合理編列的課程表，猶如一個營養均衡的食譜，里面各個項目都是有益而必需的，不可偏廢，不可再有選擇。所謂選修科目，也只是在某一項目范圍內略有揀選余地而已。一個受過良好教育的人，猶如一個科班出身的戲劇演員，在坐科的時候他是要服從嚴格紀律的，唱工作工武把子都要認真學習，各種腳色的戲都要完全諳通，學成之后才能各按其趣味而單獨發展其所長。學問要有根底，根底要打平正堅實，以后永遠受用。初學階段的科目之最重要的莫過于語文與數學。語文是閱讀達意的工具，國文不能便很難表達自己，  外國文不能便很難吸取外來的新知。數學是思想條理之最好的訓練。其他科目也各有各的用處，其重要性很難強分軒輊，例如體育，從另一方面看也是重要得無以復加。總之，我們在求學時代，應該暫且把趣味放在一旁，耐著性子接受教育的紀律，把自己鍛煉成為堅實的材料。學問的趣味，留在將來慢慢享受一點也不遲。

 

注釋 

(1)“不惜現身說法，誘導后學”譯為And they are ever ready to cite their own example by way of advice。“不惜”原意“舍得”，在此可作“樂于”解，故譯為ever ready，等于always prepared。“誘導后學”譯為by way of advice即可，其中by way of是成語，作“為了”解，等于for the purpose of。 

(2)“走進學問的大門”也可直譯為to enter the gate of learning。現譯為to gain access to scholarship，其中to gain access to是慣用搭配，作“進入”、“到達”解。 

(3)“梁任公先生就說過”譯為the distinguished scholar Liang Qichao once said wittily，梁啟超號“任公”，現譯梁的全名為Liang Qichao，并在前面加distinguished scholar，便于外國讀者理解梁為何許人。譯文還針對上下文添加wittily（風趣地）一詞。 

(4)“趣味主義”譯為interest-ism，其中ism乃表達“主義”而采用的英語后綴／ 

(5)“倘若用化學化分‘梁啟超’這件東西”譯為If you broke down Liang Qichao’s stuff into its component parts，其中短語動詞broke down意即“分解”（to decompose），例如Water can be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen。 

(6)“只是‘無所為而為’”意即“只是為研究學問而研究學問”，故譯為solely for its own sake，等于solely for the sake of scholarly study。 

(7)“像是著了魔一般”譯為like one possessed，其中possessed（為過去分詞）作“著迷”、“鬼迷心竅”解。 

(8)“從師受業，誦讀典籍”譯為he was a pupil chanting ancient Chinese books under a private tutor，其中a pupil… under a private tutor表示“從師受業”。“師”指“塾師”，譯為private tutor。又chanting ancient Chinese books表示“誦讀典籍”。 

(9)“試帖詩”為科舉考試所采用的詩體，其格式限制比一般詩嚴格，現和“八股文”一并以釋義法譯為stereotyped (或rigid-style) essays and poems prescribed for the imperial civil service examination。 

(10)“年長之后自動作學問之時”中的“自動作學問”實際上指“獨立作學問”，故譯為independent studies，不宜按字面直譯為engage in voluntary studies等。又“年長之后”不僅指“成年”，還包含智力成熟之意，故譯為when one is mature enough。 

(11)“便撇在一旁視如敝屣”也可直譯為cast away… like a pair of worn-out shoes，保持原文的形象比喻。現意譯為cast away… like something utterly worthless，似較明白易懂。 

(12)“沒有沒有趣味的學問”譯為there is no learning but is capable of engendering interest，其中but是關系代詞，常用于否定詞后，相當于that not。 

(13)“在‘趣味’的掩護之下敗退”的意思是“借口‘缺乏趣味’而放棄不干”，故譯為back down on the pretext of “no interest”，其中back down是成語，意同beat a retreat。 

(14)“學無止境，一生的時間都嫌太短”譯為Art is long, life is short，其中Art 為古詞，作“學問”、“知識”解，和learning, scholarship同義。Art is long一句見于美國十九世紀詩人Longfellow名著A Psalm of Life，今借用之。“學無止境”也可譯為There is no limit to learning。

 

Learning and Personal Inclination 

                                 ——Liang Shiqiu 

    Scholars of the older generation often urge young people to develop interest in learning because they themselves have been enjoying the real pleasure of academic studies. And they are ever ready to cite their own example by way of advice, in hopes of enabling young people to gain access to scholarship in an enjoyable way. For example, the distinguished scholar Liang Qichao once said wittily, “I always stand for interest-ism. If you broke down Liang Qichao’s stuff into its component parts, there would be nothing left except an element named ‘interest’.” Mr. Liang was a man of profound learning who attached much importance to interest. He attained great academic success because he pursued scholarly study solely for its own sake, without any ulterior motive. A man who is really interested in learning sometimes does act like one possessed. He forgets his approaching old age and works hard even to the neglect of his meals and sleep. Isn’t it but natural for a man of such devotion to have great scholarly achievements? But, though Mr. Liang’s later works, such as those on method of historical studies, political and ideological history of the pre-Qin days, as well as those on Mohism, Buddhism and Tao Yuanming, were motivated by his personal inclination, can the same be said of his younger days when he was a pupil chanting ancient Chinese books under a private tutor? Was he motivated by his personal inclination while learning to write stereotyped essays and poems prescribed for the imperials civil service examinations? No, I think not. Generally speaking, the so-called interest begins to exist only when one is mature enough to engage in independent studies. It is improper, I am afraid, for young people to overstress the importance of interest while they are still in the period of learning the basics of knowledge.  Interest will never develop where no solid foundation has been laid for learning. There is no denying the fact that Mr. Liang owed his wide erudition and unusual literary talent, for the most part, to his good grasp of foundation knowledge. 

    I have come across a great many bright and diligent young friends who have done exceedingly well in their studies, but are rather weak in Chinese. They cannot even write a letter in correct Chinese. When I asked them why, they said they were not interested in the Chinese language. Some, though they can write beautifully, detest the study of mathematics and physics, and barely managed to pass the examinations in them. When I asked them why, they said they were not interested in them. They cast away whatever subjects they dislike like something utterly worthless. They are so smug and thick-skinned that they speak volubly in defence of their own attitude like champions of interest-ism. They hardly realize that there is no learning but is capable of engendering interest and that all depends on how to search for it. You will develop a liking for learning if, under the guidance of a good teacher, you study to discover new horizons opening up before you one after another by following the proper order and advancing step by step. On the other hand, you will find learning as dry as sawdust and feel frustrated if you refuse to go into a subject in depth or even make impetuous advances without following the proper order. People with an average natural gift are equally capable of mastering the basics of liberal arts and natural science. They are never predetermined by nature to be good in one subject and poor in another. It is laziness and waywardness, however, that causes one to give himself up as hopeless and back down on the pretext of “no interest”. 

    Primary and secondary school will impart to you only some rudiments of knowledge. Even what you learn during the four years of university will be something quite superficial too. A university has often been misleadingly referred to as “the highest seat of learning”, which sounds as if there were no more learning to speak of beyond it. The research institute of a university, however, is the place for preliminary scholarship. But even there you get only the first taste of learning and the emphasis is on research methodology and practice. Art is long, life is short. That is why some of our ancients continued to study even when they were hoaryheaded. They were, of course, motivated by an enormous interest in their studies. 

    During the preliminary stage of learning, from primary school to college, it is better to advocate discipline than interest. A properly arranged school curriculum, like a cookbook on nutritionally well-balanced food, must include all useful and indispensable courses — courses which are equally important and obligatory. The so-called electives mean only some little option within the scope of a certain item. A well-educated person is like a professionally trained Peking opera singer. While undergoing the training, he must observe a most exact discipline. He must pay equal attention to singing, acting and acrobatic skills, and learn to play different roles. It is not until he has finished the all-round training that he begins to develop his own speciality according to his personal disposition. Laying a solid foundation for learning will be of great lifelong benefit to you. Of all the school subjects during the preliminary stage of learning, languages and mathematics are the most important. Languages serve as a tool for reading and communication. Without a good knowledge of Chinese, you will find it difficult to express yourself. Without a good knowledge of a foreign language, you will find it difficult to absorb new knowledge from abroad.  Mathematics makes for logical thinking. Other subjects also have their respective uses. It is hard to say which is more important. Physical education, for example, is also extremely important from another point of view. In short, while in school, we should temporarily put aside our personal liking and patiently observe school discipline so that we may temper ourselves and become solid stuff. Don’t hurry – there will be a time for you to find relish in learning in the days to come.