蒙田怕是有史以来最自在, 最坦荡,最不卑不亢的作家,用英文讲,是thoroughly comfortable with himself,或 thoroughly comfortable in his own skin。泰然如尊佛。下面是他随笔全集的序言<致读者>。他的随笔倒不一定要看。要的就是他的态度。对己对人做文章无不适用。
To the Reader by Montaigne
This book was written in good faith, reader. It warns you from the outset that in it I have set myself no goal but a domestic and private one. I have had no thought of serving either you or my own glory. My powers are inadequate for such a purpose. I have dedicated it to the private convenience of my relatives and friends, so that when they have lost me (as soon they must), they may recover here some features of my habits and temperament, and by this means keep the knowledge they have had of me more complete and alive.
If I had written to seek the world’s favor, I should have bedecked myself better, and should present myself in a studied posture. I want to be seen here in my simple, natural, ordinary fashion, without straining or artifice; for it is myself that I portray. My defects will here be read to the life, and also my natural form, as far as respect for the public has allowed. Had I been placed among those nations which are said to live still in the sweet freedom of nature’s first laws, I assure you I should very gladly have portrayed myself here entire and wholly naked.
Thus, reader, I am myself the matter of my book; you would be unreasonable to spend your leisure on so frivolous and vain a subject.
So farewell. Montaigne, this first day of March, fifteen hundred and eighty.
(1580)
- posted on 12/22/2013
Reply 牛虻读者,这是一本真诚的书。我一上来就要提醒你,我写这本书纯粹是为了我的家庭和我个人,丝毫没考虑要对你有用,也没想赢得荣誉。这是我力所不能及的。我是为了方便我的亲人和朋友才写这部书的:当我不在人世时(这是不久就会发生的事),他们可以从中重温我个性和爱好的某些特征,从而对我的了解更加完整,更加持久。若是为了哗众取宠,我就会更好地装饰自己,就会酌字斟句,矫揉造作。我宁愿以一种朴实、自然和平平常常的姿态出现在读者面前,而不作任何人为的努力,因为我描绘的是我自己。我的缺点,我的幼稚的文笔,将以不冒犯公众为原则,活生生地展现在书中。假如我仍生活在大自然原始法则下的国度里,自由自在,无拘无束,那我向你保证,我会很乐意把自己完整地、赤裸裸地描绘出来的。因此,读者,我自己是这部书的材料:你不应该把闲暇浪费在这样一部毫无价值的书上。再见! 1580年3月1日。
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