论教育
一致狄安娜・居松伯爵夫人
前几天，一位看过我的《论学究气》这篇文章的朋友到我家来对我说,我应该就儿童教育问题做进一步的阐述。
夫人,如果我在这方面的才能被认可的话,为您那幸福的即将出生的儿子献上卓越的教育方法会让我感到荣幸之至(您是如此高尚,第一胎一定是个男孩儿)。事实上,我有责任帮助您拥有幸福快乐的生活,是我极力促成了您的婚姻;另外,我也一直是您忠实的仆人,我没理由不祝福您一切顺意。
Of the Education of Children
-To Madame Diane de Foix, Comtesse de Gurson
Some one, then, having seen Of Pedantry, the other day told me at my house, that I should a little farther have extended my discourse on the education of children.
Now, madam, if I had any sufficiency in this subject, I could not possibly better employ it, than to present my best instructions to the little man that threatens you shortly with a happy birth (for you are too generous to begin otherwise than with a male); for, having had so great a hand in the treaty of your marriage, I have a certain particular right and interest in the greatness and prosperity of the issue that shall spring from it; beside that, your having had the best of my services so long in possession, sufficiently obliges me to desire the honour and advantage of all wherein you shall be concerned.
然而,我要强调的一点是,对孩子的教育是人类所有的学问中最重要的，也是最有难度的。因为就像在农业上一样,种植以前的耕作以及种植本身并不难,程序简单,很容易做好;但播种之后,种子有了生命,需要做的事情就多起来了一一-培育幼苗、使其茁壮成长,需要运用更多的方法,投入更多的关注,也会遇到更多的困难。人也是如此,想要有孩子,没有什么困难,可一旦孩子出世,就需要操心受累了,要给他们无微不至的关怀和照料,让他们得到很好的锻炼,还要培养和教育他们。人在幼年时，天性表现得不是非常明显,发展趋势也是摇摆不定,因此,要对这些作出可靠的判断或推测是很困难的。举例来说，看看西门の、地米斯托克利P,以及数以千计的其他人，他们的表现便与幼年时人们对他们的期望迥然不同。熊和狗的幼兽很快就能显示出它们的天性;但人一旦长大，就会养成某些习惯,产生许多成见,遵从某些法律和习俗,从而极易改变或掩藏起自己真实的天性。然而,强迫孩子做违背他们天性的事却是很难的;因此，费时费力去训练孩子做他们的天赋以外的事情,往往会因选错了发展道路而徒劳无功。在教育孩子的艰辛旅程中,我认为应该引导他们学习最好、最有用的东西，而不是过分关注,甚至迷信于推测他们未来的发展。在这方面,我认为,柏拉图在他的《理想国》中,便给予孩子们很多的权力。
But, in truth, all I understand as to that particular is only this, that the greatest and most important difficulty of human science is the education of children. For as in agriculture, the husbandry that is to precede planting, as also planting itself, is certain, plain, and well known; but after that which is planted comes to life, there is a great deal more to be done, more art to be used, more care to be taken, and much more difficulty to cultivate and bring it to perfection so it is with men; it is no hard matter to get children; but after they are born, then begins the trouble, solicitude, and care rightly to train, principle, and bring them up. The symptoms of their inclinations in that tender age are so obscure, and the promises so uncertain and fallacious, that it is very hard to establish any solid judgment or conjecture upon them. Look at Cimon, for example, and Themistocles, and a thousand others, who very much deceived the expectation men had of them. Cubs of bears and puppies readily discover their natural inclination; but men, so soon as ever they are grownup,applying themselves to certain habits, engaging themselves in certain opinions, and conforming themselves to particular laws and customs, easily alter, or at least disguise, their true and real disposition; and yet it is hard to force the propension of nature. Whence it comes to pass, that for not having chosen the right course, we often take very great pains, and consume a good part of our time in training up children to things, for which, by their natural constitution, they are totally unfit. In this difficulty, nevertheless, I am clearly of opinion, that they ought to be elemented in the best and most advantageous studies, without taking too much notice of, or being too superstitious in those light prognostics they give of themselves in their tender years, and to which Plato, in his Republic, gives, I think, too much authority.
夫人，科学知识对于您这样富贵且有教养的人是极其有用的工具,并能给予你华丽的包装。事实上,对于那些地位卑微的人而言，科学知识往往受到限制，无法发挥其真正的作用。与其说科学知识有助于逻辑推理和医药管理，还不如说它能够在控制战争、治理国家、融洽友邦关系等方面提供更多的帮
助。夫人,相信您不会忽略对孩子的教育,因为您本人已经品尝到了教育的甜美果实,更何况您的家族世代都有较高的文化修养一我们还藏有您的先人富瓦克斯伯爵的文稿,您与您的丈夫都是他的后人。而您的叔叔康夫达勒，日日勤学苦读、笔耕不辍,定会将您家族的优良传统发扬光大、世代相传。基于这一事实,我想和您谈一个与习俗相悖的看法,供您参考。
Madam, science is a very great ornament, and a thing of marvellous use, especially in persons raised to that degree of fortune in which you are. And, in truth, in persons of mean and low condition, it cannot perform its true and genuine office, being naturally more prompt to assist in the conduct of war, in the government of peoples, in negotiating the leagues and friendships of princes and foreign nations, than in forming a syllogism in logic, in pleading a process in law, or in prescribing a dose of pills in physic. Wherefore, madam, believing you will not omit this so necessary feature in the education of your children, who yourself have tasted its sweetness, and are of a learned extraction (for we yet have the writings of the ancient Counts of Foix, from whom my lord, your husband, and yourself, are both of you descended, and Monsieur de Candale, your uncle, every day obliges the world with others, which will extend the knowledge of this quality in your family for so many succeeding ages), I will, upon this occasion, presume to acquaint your ladyship with one particular fancy of my own, contrary to the common method, which is all I am able to contribute to your service in this affair.
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