Letter from Mr. Abel James, with Notes of my Life (received in Paris).艾贝尔·詹姆士先生的来信，附我的生平札记（收到于巴黎）。 注：第 104 页：① 艾贝尔·詹姆士（Abel James），费城富商。根据法兰德（Farrand）在他的《富兰克林传》中记载，富兰克林出使法国时，把一小箱子文稿交给他的一位朋友约瑟夫·盖洛韦保存。英军占领费城时，盖洛韦投敌，他的夫人从敌人手中抢救了这箱文稿，在她去世前夕，把它交给了德高望重的艾贝尔·詹姆士保存。

“My Dear and Honored Friend: I have often been desirous of writing to thee, but could not be reconciled to the thought that the letter might fall into the hands of the British, lest some printer or busy-body should publish some part of the contents, and give our friend pain, and myself censure.我敬爱的朋友: 一直想写信给你，又恐信件落入英国人之手，假如那些印刷商人或好事之徒把信件的部分内容公之于众，就会给你带来伤害，而我自己也会遭到非难。

“Some time since there fell into my hands, to my great joy, about twenty-three sheets in thy own handwriting, containing an account of the parentage and life of thyself, directed to thy son, ending in the year 1730, with which there were notes, likewise in thy writing; a copy of which I inclose, in hopes it may be a means, if thou continued it up to a later period, that the first and latter part may be put together; and if it is not yet continued, I hope thee will not delay it. Life is uncertain, as the preacher tells us; and what will the world say if kind, humane, and benevolent Ben. Franklin should leave his friends and the world deprived of so pleasing and profitable a work; a work which would be useful and entertaining not only to a few, but to millions? The influence writings under that class have on the minds of youth is very great, and has nowhere appeared to me so plain, as in our public friend’s journals. It almost insensibly leads the youth into the resolution of endeavoring to become as good and eminent as the journalist. Should thine, for instance, when published (and I think it could not fail of it), lead the youth to equal the industry and temperance of thy early youth, what a blessing with that class would such a work be! I know of no character living, nor many of them put together, who has so much in his power as thyself to promote a greater spirit of industry and early attention to business, frugality, and temperance with the American youth. Not that I think the work would have no other merit and use in the world, far from it; but the first is of such vast importance that I know nothing that can equal it.”不久之前,我很高兴得到您寄给儿子的二十三张手稿，其中令述了您的出身以及生平大事，直到一七三零年为止。同时还附有摘录, 也出自您的手稿。我把这些摘录眷抄了一份, 现在随函奉上。您一旦动笔继续写下去，我想这些东西一定能帮助您将上下两部分串联起来; 如果您还未动笔，我希望不要再耽搁了。我记得一位传教士曾说过，人生无常，万一亲切仁慈的本杰明' 富兰克林有一天驾锥西去，就会使这人世间少了一部令人赏心悦目又大有神益的惊世之作，到时世人会怎么说呢? 要知道，这部作品不仅仅对少数人,更是对千百万人大有益处，使人收获愉悦的。况且，这类作品对青年人的影响是最为巨大的，在我看来，任何作品都不如公众领袖的札记更有影响力，他会潜移默化地引导青年，使他们上进，努力向作者看齐，从而成长为善良杰出的人。比如说，您的作品出版(我以为不会不出版 )，它将引导青年像您年轻时一样勤奋而节俭，这对下一代来说多么值得庆幸啊! 在我们这一辈人中，我找不出另外一个人，或一些人，即使将他们加在一起也不能和您的影响力相提并论，尤其在提倡美洲青年勤奋创业、重俭朴和节制方面。 这部作品对于这个世界的价值和作用岂止于此呢? 远远不止。只不过这个价值实在太大了,我想不出还有什么东西可以与其相提并论了。

The foregoing letter and the minutes accompanying it being shown to a friend, I received from him the following:我把上面这封信及附件交给一个朋友看后，收到他下面的来信。

Letter from Mr. Benjamin Vaughan.本杰明·沃恩先生的来信。 注：第 106 页：① 本杰明·沃恩（Benjamin Vaughan，一七五一至一八三五），英国驻法外交官，同情美国革命，与富兰克林建立了深厚的友谊。一七七九年，他编辑出版了第一部《富兰克林选集》。

“ Paris, January 31, 1783.一七八三年一月三十一日，巴黎

“My Dearest Sir: When I had read over your sheets of minutes of the principal incidents of your life, recovered for you by your Quaker acquaintance, I told you I would send you a letter expressing my reasons why I thought it would be useful to complete and publish it as he desired. Various concerns have for some time past prevented this letter being written, and I do not know whether it was worth any expectation; happening to be at leisure, however, at present, I shall by writing, at least interest and instruct myself; but as the terms I am inclined to use may tend to offend a person of your manners, I shall only tell you how I would address any other person, who was as good and as great as yourself, but less diffident. I would say to him, Sir, I solicit the history of your life from the following motives: Your history is so remarkable, that if you do not give it, somebody else will certainly give it; and perhaps so as nearly to do as much harm, as your own management of the thing might do good. It will moreover present a table of the internal circumstances of your country, which will very much tend to invite to it settlers of virtuous and manly minds. And considering the eagerness with which such information is sought by them, and the extent of your reputation, I do not know of a more efficacious advertisement than your biography would give. All that has happened to you is also connected with the detail of the manners and situation of a rising people; and in this respect I do not think that the writings of Caesar and Tacitus can be more interesting to a true judge of human nature and society. But these, sir, are small reasons, in my opinion, compared with the chance which your life will give for the forming of future great men; and in conjunction with your Art of Virtue (which you design to publish) of improving the features of private character, and consequently of aiding all happiness, both public and domestic. The two works I allude to, sir, will in particular give a noble rule and example of self-education. School and other education constantly proceed upon false principles, and show a clumsy apparatus pointed at a false mark; but your apparatus is simple, and the mark a true one; and while parents and young persons are left destitute of other just means of estimating and becoming prepared for a reasonable course in life, your discovery that the thing is in many a man’s private power, will be invaluable! Influence upon the private character, late in life, is not only an influence late in life, but a weak influence. It is in youth that we plant our chief habits and prejudices; it is in youth that we take our party as to profession, pursuits and matrimony. In youth, therefore, the turn is given; in youth the education even of the next generation is given; in youth the private and public character is determined; and the term of life extending but from youth to age, life ought to begin well from youth, and more especially before we take our party as to our principal objects. But your biography will not merely teach self-education, but the education of a wise man; and the wisest man will receive lights and improve his progress, by seeing detailed the conduct of another wise man. And why are weaker men to be deprived of such helps, when we see our race has been blundering on in the dark, almost without a guide in this particular, from the farthest trace of time? Show then, sir, how much is to be done, both to sons and fathers; and invite all wise men to become like yourself, and other men to become wise. When we see how cruel statesmen and warriors can be to the human race, and how absurd distinguished men can be to their acquaintance, it will be instructive to observe the instances multiply of pacific, acquiescing manners; and to find how compatible it is to be great and domestic, enviable and yet good-humored.我最亲爱的先生: 当我读完您教友会的朋友替您搜集的记载着您一生主要事迹的笔记以后，我就决定要给您写一封信，告诉您为什么我认为您应当按照他的要求完成作品并将其发表，因为这件事何其有益。 过去一段时间，我由于杂事缠身而没能抽空给您写信，并且也不知道是否应该对这封信寄予厚望。但我目前正好有空，所以想把它写出来，至少可以使我自己收获乐趣和益处。我怕我的措会冒犯到您, 所以我将告诉您, 假如我给另外一个像您一样善良、伟大, 但不如您谱虚的人写信, 我会说什么, 我会这样对他说: “先生, 我恳请您发表自传的动机理由如下: 您的一生如此出类拔革，即便您自己不写，也会有人替您来写，这么做只有坏处，而没有丝毫的益处。”并且，您的自传能够介绍贵国内部的情况，从而吸引善良勇敢的人移居到新大陆去。他们很需要了解贵国的国情，而就您的声名来说，我想再没有人比您的自传更能令人信服和打动人的了。您的毕生经历是与一个迅速崛起的民族的风土人情分不开的。从这方面来说，我认为您的自传的重要性，对于一个真正研究人性和人类社会的学者来说,不亚于恺撒和塔西陀的著作。但是先生，这些理由同以下理由相比也是微不足道的，因为您的自传对造就未来杰出人物起到了一定作用，而您打算发表的《道德的艺术》更能使个人道德情操得到提高，进而促进社会和谐与家庭幸福。 先生，我刚才特别提到的您的两部著作，必定会成为自我教育的崇高准则和经典范例。学校教育和其他教育往往是按错误的原则进行的，所提供的也是指向错误目标的笨拙方法。而您的方法既简单，目标又正确。当家长们和年轻人因找不到合适的方法而茫然失措，不知道未来的方向时，您所提供的“世上无难事”的论断何其珍贵! 如果在一个人的后半生才去对他的品德施加影响，不仅为时已晚，且效果也不理想。人的习惯和偏好都是在青年时期形成的，人们也正是在青年时期选择职业、事业和配偶的。因此，青年时期应当是人生的转折点，一个人青年时期所接受的教育甚至会影响到他对下一代的教育。青年时期还决定了一个人的品性和公德，而人生有意义的重要阶段也不过是从青年迈向老年的这一阶段。要想让生活有个好的开端, 就应当从青年时期开始，特别是在我们确定主要目标之前。 您的传记不仅可以使那些自学成才的人受到教育, 更可以使聪明者得到启迪。即使是最聪明的人，也能从智者身上受到教益而有所提高。我们已经认识到，人类文明的进步，从古至今总是在黑暗中摸索前进的，连一个指点迷津的人都没有，为什么弱者就不能得到这样的帮助呢? 告诉他们吧, 先生, 告诉老一辈和小一辈，应该如何做才能让凡人变得聪明，让聪明人变得像您一样智慧。 我们已经看到，那些政治家和军人是如何残暴地对待人类同胞的; 那些高高在上的人又是如何不近人情地对待自己的亲朋好友的。现在,我们终于看到了一个好的榜样，他态度谦藉、良善，待人和世可亲，并且拥有令人鲜摹的品德，这不是很具有教育意 义吗?

“The little private incidents which you will also have to relate, will have considerable use, as we want, above all things, rules of prudence in ordinary affairs; and it will be curious to see how you have acted in these. It will be so far a sort of key to life, and explain many things that all men ought to have once explained to them, to give, them a chance of becoming wise by foresight. The nearest thing to having experience of one’s own, is to have other people’s affairs brought before us in a shape that is interesting; this is sure to happen from your pen; our affairs and management will have an air of simplicity or importance that will not fail to strike; and I am convinced you have conducted them with as much originality as if you had been conducting discussions in politics or philosophy; and what more worthy of experiments and system (its importance and its errors considered) than human life?您大可以叙述生活方面的琐事，那同样具有教育和启发意义，因为比起冠冕堂皇的大道理，我们更需要了解日常生活中待人接物的原则，更想悉心请教您是如何处理这些小事情的。这是人生中至关重要的问题，可以解释许多早就该为人们解释的事情，让人们有机会成长为一个有先见之明的智者。说到这些，最简单的办法就是将一个人的人生经历用贷有趣味的风格写出来，而这只有您才能完成。我们所经历的事情以及处理方法，要么简单明了，要么凝重严谨，而您则能做到像主持政治或哲学讨论时那样独具创造性，使我们对处世之道的重要性有一个更深刻的认识。还有什么东西能比人生的体验和安排更有价值呢?

“Some men have been virtuous blindly, others have speculated fantastically, and others have been shrewd to bad purposes; but you, sir, I am sure, will give under your hand, nothing but what is at the same moment, wise, practical and good, your account of yourself (for I suppose the parallel I am drawing for Dr. Franklin, will hold not only in point of character, but of private history) will show that you are ashamed of no origin; a thing the more important, as you prove how little necessary all origin is to happiness, virtue, or greatness. As no end likewise happens without a means, so we shall find, sir, that even you yourself framed a plan by which you became considerable; but at the same time we may see that though the event is flattering, the means are as simple as wisdom could make them; that is, depending upon nature, virtue, thought and habit. Another thing demonstrated will be the propriety of everyman’s waiting for his time for appearing upon the stage of the world. Our sensations being very much fixed to the moment, we are apt to forget that more moments are to follow the first, and consequently that man should arrange his conduct so as to suit the whole of a life. Your attribution appears to have been applied to your life, and the passing moments of it have been enlivened with content and enjoyment instead of being tormented with foolish impatience or regrets. Such a conduct is easy for those who make virtue and themselves in countenance by examples of other truly great men, of whom patience is so often the characteristic. Your Quaker correspondent, sir (for here again I will suppose the subject of my letter resembling Dr. Franklin), praised your frugality, diligence and temperance, which he considered as a pattern for all youth; but it is singular that he should have forgotten your modesty and your disinterestedness, without which you never could have waited for your advancement, or found your situation in the mean time comfortable; which is a strong lesson to show the poverty of glory and the importance of regulating our minds. If this correspondent had known the nature of your reputation as well as I do, he would have said, Your former writings and measures would secure attention to your Biography, and Art of Virtue; and your Biography and Art of Virtue, in return, would secure attention to them. This is an advantage attendant upon a various character, and which brings all that belongs to it into greater play; and it is the more useful, as perhaps more persons are at a loss for the means of improving their minds and characters, than they are for the time or the inclination to do it. But there is one concluding reflection, sir, that will shew the use of your life as a mere piece of biography. This style of writing seems a little gone out of vogue, and yet it is a very useful one; and your specimen of it may be particularly serviceable, as it will make a subject of comparison with the lives of various public cutthroats and intriguers, and with absurd monastic self-tormentors or vain literary triflers. If it encourages more writings of the same kind with your own, and induces more men to spend lives fit to be written, it will be worth all Plutarch’s Lives put together. But being tired of figuring to myself a character of which every feature suits only one man in the world, without giving him the praise of it, I shall end my letter, my dear Dr. Franklin, with a personal application to your proper self. I am earnestly desirous, then, my dear sir, that you should let the world into the traits of your genuine character, as civil broils nay otherwise tend to disguise or traduce it. Considering your great age, the caution of your character, and your peculiar style of thinking, it is not likely that any one besides yourself can be sufficiently master of the facts of your life, or the intentions of your mind. Besides all this, the immense revolution of the present period, will necessarily turn our attention towards the author of it, and when virtuous principles have been pretended in it, it will be highly important to shew that such have really influenced; and, as your own character will be the principal one to receive a scrutiny, it is proper (even for its effects upon your vast and rising country, as well as upon England and upon Europe) that it should stand respectable and eternal. For the furtherance of human happiness, I have always maintained that it is necessary to prove that man is not even at present a vicious and detestable animal; and still more to prove that good management may greatly amend him; and it is for much the same reason, that I am anxious to see the opinion established, that there are fair characters existing among the individuals of the race; for the moment that all men, without exception, shall be conceived abandoned, good people will cease efforts deemed to be hopeless, and perhaps think of taking their share in the scramble of life, or at least of making it comfortable principally for themselves. Take then, my dear sir, this work most speedily into hand: shew yourself good as you are good; temperate as you are temperate; and above all things, prove yourself as one, who from your infancy have loved justice, liberty and concord, in a way that has made it natural and consistent for you to have acted, as we have seen you act in the last seventeen years of your life. Let Englishmen be made not only to respect, but even to love you. When they think well of individuals in your native country, they will go nearer to thinking well of your country; and when your countrymen see themselves well thought of by Englishmen, they will go nearer to thinking well of England. Extend your views even further; do not stop at those who speak the English tongue, but after having settled so many points in nature and politics, think of bettering the whole race of men. As I have not read any part of the life in question, but know only the character that lived it, I write somewhat at hazard. I am sure, however, that the life and the treatise I allude to (on the Art of Virtue) will necessarily fulfil the chief of my expectations; and still more so if you take up the measure of suiting these performances to the several views above stated. Should they even prove unsuccessful in all that a sanguine admirer of yours hopes from them, you will at least have framed pieces to interest the human mind; and whoever gives a feeling of pleasure that is innocent to man, has added so much to the fair side of a life otherwise too much darkened by anxiety and too much injured by pain. In the hope, therefore, that you will listen to the prayer addressed to you in this letter, I beg to subscribe myself, my dearest sir, etc., etc.,有些人道德隋落，有些人异想天开，还有一些人居心蕊测。但是先生，我相信您的自传同时包含了智慧、实用和善良。您的自传表明了您并不以出身卑贱为耻，您证明了一个尤其重要的道理，即出身与幸福、伟大或美德无关。 要想达到这个目的应该有一定的方法，因此，先生，我们发现您为了成为一个显赫之人，也制定了一个方法。我们看到这个方法在十分有效的同时，也异乎寻常简单，这就是依靠人的本质、品德、思想和习惯。您在自传中所证明的另一件事是: 每个人都在等待时机，以便在社会大舞台上展示风采。人们往往喜欢全介向往着那一时刻,却名略了要想实现那一刻还要假以时日，因此，每个人都应该计划安排好他的行动，以便按部就班地去实现他的一生。您在一生中保持着高贵的品格，因此您时常感到心满意足和快乐，而不是因为思春、急躁或冲动、后悔而沉浸在痛苦之中。这很容易让那些想通过效仿伟人来培养自己道德修养的人做到，因为忍耐本就是伟人的一大特点。 先生，您的一位教友会朋友移扬您的勤劳、朴实和节制，并把这些品质当作年轻人的典范，但他可能忘了您的谦虚和无私。没有这两点，您不可能如此潜心于进步，更不可能随遇而安，这充分表明淡泊名利和调节心理的重要性。如果您的这位朋友也像我一样了解您的声望和品性，那么他可能会说，您的著作和处世方法会使人想起您的自传和《道德的艺术》，反过来，您的自传和《道德的艺术》又会使人想起您的著作和处世方法。这就是具有多种品格的优势，能使他本身的优点发挥得淋演尽致。这样，您的自传就更加有意义了，因为人们往往是不懂得如何提高自己的思想品德，而不是没有时间或不想提高。 但是先生，关于和您的传记，我还想到了一个意义，即您的这种写法虽说有些过时，却十分有效，让它别具一格，即它与各式各样的暴徒和阴谋家的传记，又或者与寺院苦行僧那种荒廖空沁的传记比较起来更有现实意义。如果这能鼓励更多的人写出像您一样的作品，能使更多的人过上有意义的生活，那么您的传记的价值甚至能超出普鲁塔殉的所有传记。我讨厌那种他的每一个优点只适合世上某一个人的人，我对这种优点不敢共维，所以在我即将结束这封信的时候，亲爱的富兰克林博士，我本人请求您，并诚恳地希望您，应当让世人了解您的真正品格，和否则它会被世间的谣言和争论遮掩或旗毁。 鉴于您年事已高，处事谨慎，又有独特的思维方式，所以除了您本人以外，不会再有人能充分把握您的生平事迹和内心的想法了。 此外, 当前伟大的革命也要求我们将注意力转向自传的作者，既然自传中提到了道德原则,那么它是如何深刻地影响革命的，就显得尤为重要了。由于您的个人品格备受瞩目,那么它就应当( 哪怕是为了你们幅员辽阔并逐渐崛起的国家，抑或是对英国和欧洲的影响 ) 受人敬仰并流芳万古，这并不为过。为了促进人类幸福，我一直认为有必要证明我们人类目前还不至于到了品行恶劣、惹人厌亚的地步，更要证明正确地管理人生可以大大地使人改过迁 了了了善。基于同样的理由, 我希望大家都能接受这个观点, 即人性本善，只有当所有人都到了无可救药的地步时，善良的人们才会放弃他们无用的努力，卷人人世间的尔钼我许，哪怕只是出于保护自己的目的。 亲爱的先生，快拿起笔来，展示您的善良和沉稳吧! 因为您确实如此。首先要证明的是，您从小就热爱正义、自由与和谐，正如我们在您人生过去的十七个年头里所看到的那样。不但要让英国人尊敬您，还要爱戴您，因为只有他们对您国家的个别公民产生好感，才会进而对您的国家产生好感。而您的同胞感到了来自英国人的尊敬，也会同样尊敬英国人人。当然，目标还可以放得更远一些，不要仅仅局限在讲英语的人民中间。其实除去自然方面和政治方面的问题，那么所有的都应该指向改良全人类了。 我目前尚未读到自传的任何部分，我只知道这种品德是确实存在的，所以我的言论可能有些不着边际。但我相信，您的自传和《道德的艺术》会满足我以上的期望, 前提是您能采纳我的意见，即刻着手去写。即便您的作品没有像您的崇拜者所期望的那样成功，但它至少能给人的心灵带来愉悦。一个人如果能为人们带来心灵的纯净和愉悦，那么就能大大地提升他们的幸福感，否则他们就会被忧虑和痛苦的情绪笼单。 我希望您在阅读此信时，能倾听到我对您的祈求，我亲爱的 先生。

“Signed, Benj. Vaughan.”本杰明' 沃恩

Continuation of the Account of my Life, begun at Passy, near Paris, 1784.我的生平记述续篇，一七八四年始写于巴黎附近的帕西。

It is some time since I receiv’d the above letters, but I have been too busy till now to think of complying with the request they contain. It might, too, be much better done if I were at home among my papers, which would aid my memory, and help to ascertain dates; but my return being uncertain and having just now a little leisure, I will endeavor to recollect and write what I can; if I live to get home, it may there be corrected and improv’d.收到以上两封来信已经有一段日子了，但由于事务缠身，一直无法按照信中要求动起笔来。假如我现在身在费城家中的话，写作会更方便一些，因为家中有许多笔记可以帮我回忆，确定事件发生的日期。不过我如今归期未满，而目前又有空闲，只好尽力回忆，把能记起来的事全部写下。如果我有生之年还能活着回家乡，到时再加以更正和修改。

Not having any copy here of what is already written, I know not whether an account is given of the means I used to establish the Philadelphia public library, which, from a small beginning, is now become so considerable, though I remember to have come down to near the time of that transaction (1730). I will therefore begin here with an account of it, which may be struck out if found to have been already given.因为手头没有之前写好的上半部稿子，所以记不得我是否详细地阐述过创立费城公共图书馆的事了。图书馆开始创立时规模很小，如今已经发展壮大了。我记得已经讲到接近创办图书馆的时候了 (一七三零年)，因此我在这里要从创办图书馆写起，如果今后发现这部分已经写过，大可以将其删去。

At the time I establish’d myself in Pennsylvania, there was not a good bookseller’s shop in any of the colonies to the southward of Boston. In New York and Philad’a the printers were indeed stationers; they sold only paper, etc., almanacs, ballads, and a few common school-books. Those who lov’d reading were oblig’d to send for their books from England; the members of the Junto had each a few. We had left the alehouse, where we first met, and hired a room to hold our club in. I propos’d that we should all of us bring our books to that room, where they would not only be ready to consult in our conferences, but become a common benefit, each of us being at liberty to borrow such as he wish’d to read at home. This was accordingly done, and for some time contented us.当我独疤费城的时候，波士顿以南的殖民地还找不出一家像样的书店。纽约和费城的印刷商兼做文具商, 但他们只卖纸张、历书、民歌和一些普通的教科书。因此，喜欢读书的人不得不从英国订阅图书。后来我们“君托社”不在酒馆里聚会了，而是租了一间房子用来举办俱乐部的定期活动。俱乐部的每位成员都有一些书，于是我便提议，将这些书都拿出来放在俱乐部的房间里，这样不仅方便讨论问题，而且大家还可以将自己喜欢的书借回家中阅读，这对我们每个人都有利。于是，事情就这样定了。曾有一段时间，我们都对这个提议非常满意。

Finding the advantage of this little collection, I propos’d to render the benefit from books more common, by commencing a public subscription library. I drew a sketch of the plan and rules that would be necessary, and got a skilful conveyancer, Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in form of articles of agreement to be subscribed, by which each subscriber engag’d to pay a certain sum down for the first purchase of books, and an annual contribution for increasing them. So few were the readers at that time in Philadelphia, and the majority of us so poor, that I was not able, with great industry, to find more than fifty persons, mostly young tradesmen, willing to pay down for this purpose forty shillings each, and ten shillings per annum. On this little fund we began. The books were imported; the library wag opened one day in the week for lending to the subscribers, on their promissory notes to pay double the value if not duly returned. The institution soon manifested its utility, was imitated by other towns, and in other provinces. The libraries were augmented by donations; reading became fashionable; and our people, having no publick amusements to divert their attention from study, became better acquainted with books, and in a few years were observ’d by strangers to be better instructed and more intelligent than people of the same rank generally are in other countries.在尝到借书读的甜头后，我立即建议成立一个公共订阅图书馆，以使更多的人从中获益。我起草了一份执行计划和章程，然后由熟悉业务的律师查尔斯， 布洛克顿先生将我草拟的东西书写成一份订阅合同。合同规定: 每个订阅的顾客要为购买图书预先付上一笔费用，以后每年再定期付一些费用以添置新书。那时，费城热爱读书的人很少，人们又都贫寒，因此，我们费尽心机也只征来五十个订阅者，大多是年轻的商人。他们表示愿意每人先支付四十先令，以后每年每人再支付十先令。我们就靠这点儿微薄的定金起家，进口了一批书籍放在图书馆中。 图书馆每星期开放一天，为订阅的客户办理借阅手续，按照订阅合同，和逾期不还书的人将被罚以双倍的借阅费。这种图书馆十分有价值并且受人喜欢，很快，其他城市和州便开始纷纷效仿。后来靠着不断的捐赠，我们图书馆的事业壮大了不少。我们甚至引领了一种时尚，在费城，到图书馆借阅图书成了一种时秘，没有其他娱乐活动可以取代读书的乐趣，因此人们更加愿意与书为伍。几年后，有外国人通过观察了解到，这里的人们与其他国家同阶层的人们相比，更有智慧和修养。

When we were about to sign the above-mentioned articles, which were to be binding upon us, our heirs, etc., for fifty years, Mr. Brockden, the scrivener, said to us, “You are young men, but it is scarcely probable that any of you will live to see the expiration of the term fix’d in the instrument.” A number of us, however, are yet living; but the instrument was after a few years rendered null by a charter that incorporated and gave perpetuity to the company.我们签署了布洛克顿为我们起草的合同，这个合同的有效期为五十年，甚至对我们的后代都具有约束力。于是，布洛克顿律师对我们说: “你们现在虽然都还是青年人，但你们当中恺怕没有人能活到合同期满的日子。”事实上，我们当中有人现在仍然活着。不过，几年后这个合同就失效了，因为政府的一纸公文将图书馆变为了一个合法的社会团体。

The objections and reluctances I met with in soliciting the subscriptions, made me soon feel the impropriety of presenting one’s self as the proposer of any useful project, that might be suppos’d to raise one’s reputation in the smallest degree above that of one’s neighbors, when one has need of their assistance to accomplish that project. I therefore put myself as much as I could out of sight, and stated it as a scheme of a number of friends, who had requested me to go about and propose it to such as they thought lovers of reading. In this way my affair went on more smoothly, and I ever after practis’d it on such occasions; and, from my frequent successes, can heartily recommend it. The present little sacrifice of your vanity will afterwards be amply repaid. If it remains a while uncertain to whom the merit belongs, some one more vain than yourself will be encouraged to claim it, and then even envy will be disposed to do you justice by plucking those assumed feathers, and restoring them to their right owner.当我在努力地为公共图书馆征集订户时，遇到了种种反对和阻力，这让我想到，单纯将自己标榜为一个公益计划的倡导者是不对的，因为这会让别人误以为你在借此机会沽名钓誉，可问题是你又十分需要这些人帮你完成计划。于是，我便尽量低调，宣称这只是我们几个朋友的计划，而我也是在朋友的建议下才去四处走访寻找那些同样爱好读书的人参加。这样一来，事情果然很顺利。以后再遇到类似的情况时，我也采用这个办法，屡试不爽。 日后将会获得丰厚的回报。当一个荣誉物时还不能确定属于谁的时候， 往往那些贪摹虚荣的人马上就会宣称属于他们，这个时候，嫉妒之心便会站出来帮你主持公道，它会拔下冒功者的羽毛，并将其奉还给真正的主人。

This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or two each day, and thus repair’d in some degree the loss of the learned education my father once intended for me. Reading was the only amusement I allow’d myself. I spent no time in taverns, games, or frolicks of any kind; and my industry in my business continu’d as indefatigable as it was necessary. I was indebted for my printing-house; I had a young family coming on to be educated, and I had to contend with for business two printers, who were established in the place before me. My circumstances, however, grew daily easier. My original habits of frugality continuing, and my father having, among his instructions to me when a boy, frequently repeated a proverb of Solomon, “Seest thou a man diligent in his calling, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men,” I from thence considered industry as a means of obtaining wealth and distinction, which encourag’d me, tho’ I did not think that I should ever literally stand before kings, which, however, has since happened; for I have stood before five, and even had the honor of sitting down with one, the King of Denmark, to dinner.这个图书馆为我提供了学习之便，每天我都要抽出一两个小时来这里学习，这在一定程度上弥补了我在教育上的缺失，也弥补了父亲想要让我深造而没有做到的遗憾之情。阅读是我允许自已的唯一娱乐项目, 我从不下酒馆, 从不涉足赌场或其他娱乐场所，我在经营上依然勤勉不念，这是我应该做的。当年筹办印刷店欠下了债务，而孩子们也慢慢长大要接受教育了，我还要跟两个同行竞争，因为他们在我之前已经在费城打下了一片天地。还好我的境况日渐好转，但我依然保持着原来节俭的作风。当我还是个孩子时，父亲就一遍遍地引用一名所罗门的名言: “假如一个人勤勉敬业，他将在国王面前站立，而从不与小人为伍。”这人句格言始终鼓舞着我，因此，我把勤奋当作取得财富和荣誉的手段。虽然我没有想到有朝一日能站在国王面前，但这种事竟真的发生了。 我曾站在五位君王面前，甚至很荣幸地跟丹麦国王同桌用和餐。

We have an English proverb that says, “He that would thrive, must ask his wife.” It was lucky for me that I had one as much dispos’d to industry and frugality as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in my business, folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen rags for the papermakers, etc., etc. We kept no idle servants, our table was plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For instance, my breakfast was a long time bread and milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon. But mark how luxury will enter families, and make a progress, in spite of principle: being call’d one morning to breakfast, I found it in a China bowl, with a spoon of silver! They had been bought for me without my knowledge by my wife, and had cost her the enormous sum of three-and-twenty shillings, for which she had no other excuse or apology to make, but that she thought her husband deserv’d a silver spoon and China bowl as well as any of his neighbors. This was the first appearance of plate and China in our house, which afterward, in a course of years, as our wealth increas’d, augmented gradually to several hundred pounds in value.英国有名格言: “若想家庭兴旺,，诸事要问妻子。”我很幸运，找到一位像我一样克勤克俭的妻子。在经营上, 她十分乐意帮助我，帮我折释装订小册子，照料店铺，为造纸匠收购破布，等等。我们不需要雇用仆人，我家一日三餐平淡而简单，所用的家具也是最便宜的。比如，很长一段时间里，我的早餐只有面包和牛奶 ( 没有茶 )，餐具也是只有两便士的土陶制硫和锡制的调赣。但奢侈之风还是在潜移默化地侵入我的家庭，即使我们都是有原则的人。一天早晨，当我用餐时，发现桌上多了一只瓷克，碗里竟然放着一只银勺。我妻子没有告诉我这原是专门为我买的，一共花去了二十三先令这么一笔不小的款子。她没有解释也没有道次，她只是认为没有谁能像她丈夫一样，配得上这样的银勺和瓷克。这是我家餐桌上第一次出现银器和次器，日后随着岁月的流转，财富的增多，这些银、瓷的物件也越来越多，价值已经达到几百镑了。

I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and tho’ some of the dogmas of that persuasion, such as the eternal decrees of God, election, reprobation, etc., appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, and I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday being my studying day, I never was without some religious principles. I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and govern’d it by his Providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter. These I esteem’d the essentials of every religion; and, being to be found in all the religions we had in our country, I respected them all, tho’ with different degrees of respect, as I found them more or less mix’d with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serv’d principally to divide us, and make us unfriendly to one another. This respect to all, with an opinion that the worst had some good effects, induc’d me to avoid all discourse that might tend to lessen the good opinion another might have of his own religion; and as our province increas’d in people, and new places of worship were continually wanted, and generally erected by voluntary contributions, my mite for such purpose, whatever might be the sect, was never refused.在宗教信仰方面，我从小接受的就是长老会的教育，虽然长老会的一些教育，如上帝永恒的意志，上帝的拣选和惩罚等，在我看来上汪难懂，而且有一些还值得怀疑。因此，我很早就不参加长老会的礼拜了，于是星期天便成了我的学习日。我也信守一些宗教原则，比如从不怀疑上帝的存在;上帝创造了世界; 上帝按照自己的意志统治世界;上帝喜欢那些为善者; 灵魂不死不灭;善有善报，恶有恶报，今生不报来世必报。我认为这些东西在任何教派都是最核心的，而我也确实在各个教派中发现了这些教义，所以我尊重各种教派，只不过程度有所不同。之所以会有区别，是因为我发现这些教派都或多或少地挫杂了其他的东西，这些东西不但不能改善、提高人们的道德水准，还会造成人们之间的分裂和敌对。但我还是尊重一切教派，因为即使是最差的教派，也含有一些好的教义。我对宗教信仰的态度让我在跟别人的谈话中避免了因信仰不同而产生的不良印象。由于本州的人口正在不断地增加，对礼拜场所的需求也就增多了，于是有人提议以自愿捐款的方式来修建教堂。无论哪个教派募捐修教堂，我都愿意助一臂之力，从不拒绝。

Tho’ I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annual subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia. He us’d to visit me sometimes as a friend, and admonish me to attend his administrations, and I was now and then prevail’d on to do so, once for five Sundays successively. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday’s leisure in my course of study; but his discourses were chiefly either polemic arguments, or explications of the peculiar doctrines of our sect, and were all to me very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc’d, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens.尽管我很少参加礼拜，但我还是认为自己有义务做礼拜，因为这种东西主持得当的话是有用的。我定期捐款给费城唯一一个长老会牧师和教会活动。因此，长老会牧师便常常以朋友的身份看望我，劝我参加礼拜，我偶尔也被他说服去做礼拜，坚持得最好的时候连续去了五个星期。如果他确实是个虔诚而热忱的传教士，我大概还会继续做礼拜，尽管星期天我还要学习。但他所讲的全是宗教方面的争论，或是长老会教派的教义多么独特，这让我感到枯燥乏味，训无收益，他甚至连一条道德原则都不宣扬，仅有的目的似乎只是让人们成为长老会的教友，而不是劝人与人为善。

At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of Philippians, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there be any virtue, or any praise, think on these things.” And I imagin’d, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having some morality. But he confin’d himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1. Keeping holy the Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures. 3. Attending duly the publick worship. 4. Partaking of the Sacrament. 5. Paying a due respect to God’s ministers. These might be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from that text, I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and attended his preaching no more. I had some years before compos’d a little Liturgy, or form of prayer, for my own private use (viz., in 1728), entitled, Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. I return’d to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies. My conduct might be blameable, but I leave it, without attempting further to excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not to make apologies for them.最后, 他把腓力比人书第四章中的一节作为布道题目: “最后，弟兄们, 凡是真实的、忠诚的、正义的、纯洁的、可爱的或有美誉的，只要存在道德或任何可赞扬的东西，你们都要思考。”我想，既然用这样的话题布道，那么总要宣讲一些道德问题了，但他把这段圣徒的名言仅仅局限在以下五点上: 中遵守安息日; @)勤读《圣经》; @)按时做礼拜; 电参加圣餐; @)苯敬牧师。这些或许是对的，但并不是我所期望从《圣经》中得到的东西。从此，我对这种礼拜活动备感失望和厌倦, 再也不去参加布道了。几年前( 一七二八年)，我自己编写了一套礼拜仪式或祈祷方式，我给它定名为《信仰和宗教条例》，然后用自己的方式做礼拜，再也不参加公共礼拜活动了。我的所作所为可能是不正确的，但我不想对此再予以过多解释，是非自有公论,我的目的只是叙述事实，而不是自我辩解。

It was about this time I conceiv’d the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish’d to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I bad imagined. While my care was employ’d in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct. For this purpose I therefore contrived the following method.大约在这个时期，我设想了一个大胆，但执行起来十分艰巨的计划，以便让我的道德趋于完美。我希望我的一生，不论何时都不要再犯错。我要克服所有的缺点，不管天生的辩好，还是后天的习惯，或交友不慎所引发的陋习。因为我知道，或者我自以为知道，什么是对的，什么是错的。那么，我就应该只做正确的事而不犯错。然而，不久之后我便发现要想完成这一计划，比我想象中困难得多。每当我全身心地避免一个错误时，男一个错误便会出人意料地冒出来。习惯总是乘人不备，偏好往往胜过理智。后来，我得出结论，完美的道德对人有利，这仅仅是空洞的理论，并不足以防止我们去犯错。我们必须打破这种坏习惯，培养并确立好习惯，这样才能使我们的行为正确，而且始终如一地正确。 为了达到这一目的，我设想了以下这个方法:

In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition. I propos’d to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annex’d to each, than a few names with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues all that at that time occurr’d to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept, which fully express’d the extent I gave to its meaning.我在阅读中发现，关于道德品行的论述，各家有各家的说法;不同的作者对同一个道德品质所并述的含义也不尽相同，因此对于道德的分类也不相同。打个比方: 关于“节制”这一道德品质，有的人把它限定在饮食方面, 另一些人则把它的定义延伸得很广，包含了很多其他方面的调节，诸如快乐、和欲望、瘤好、肉体或精神方面的光望, 甚至还有我们的贪禁和野心。 因此, 为了明确起见，我宁可多列举一些道德名目，在每一项底下少列一些含义，而不是少列一些道德名目而多添加含义。这样，我一共列出了十三个道德项目，我认为这些是我当时所和希望，而且必须要做到的。每一个项目后面附有一条简单的格言，这样就充分说明了我对每一项道德品质的理解。

These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:这些道德项目及其含义如下。

1. Temperance.一、节制。

Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.食不过饱；饮酒不醉。

2. Silence.二、缄默。

Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.言必于人于己有益；避免无益的闲扯。

3. Order.三、秩序。

Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.每样东西的放置要井然有序；每一项事务都要安排好时间。

4. Resolution.四、决心。

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.当做必做；做了就要坚持不懈地做好。

5. Frugality.五、节俭。

Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.花钱必须于人或于己有益，切勿浪费。

6. Industry.六、勤勉。

Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.不浪费时间；时刻做有用的事，力戒无益的行动。

7. Sincerity.七、真诚。

Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.不欺骗他人；思想要纯洁公正；说话也要如此。

8. Justice.八、公正。

Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.不做损害别人的事，要做对人有益的事，这是你应尽的义务。

9. Moderation.九、中庸。

Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.不走极端；当别人冒犯你时，要善于容忍。

10. Cleanliness.十、清洁。

Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.身体、衣服和住所力求清洁。

11. Tranquillity.十一、镇定。

Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.勿因小事或寻常之事或不可避免之事而惊慌失措。

12. Chastity.十二、贞节。

Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.除了为了健康或生育后代起见，少行房事，切勿纵欲过度，伤害身体或损害自己和他人的安宁和名誉。

13. Humility.十三、谦虚。

Imitate Jesus and Socrates.仿效耶稣和苏格拉底。

My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I judg’d it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone thro’ the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arrang’d them with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first, as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations. This being acquir’d and establish’d, Silence would be more easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge at the same time that I improv’d in virtue, and considering that in conversation it was obtain’d rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue, and therefore wishing to break a habit I was getting into of prattling, punning, and joking, which only made me acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence the second place. This and the next, Order, I expected would allow me more time for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution, once become habitual, would keep me firm in my endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt, and producing affluence and independence, would make more easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, etc., etc. Conceiving then, that, agreeably to the advice of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses, daily examination would be necessary, I contrived the following method for conducting that examination.我的目的是将这些美德培养成习惯，我认为最好不要全面尝试所有的道德项目，而是在一段时期里只专注于其中一个进行修炼，当这一项道德养成习惯后, 再对另一项美德加以培养. 照这样下去，直到将十三个道德项目全部实践完毕为止。率先养成的美德必然能对后面美德的培养起到促进作用，于是我将这十三项美德按照上面的顺序进行了排列。 首先是“节制”，它能使人头脑冷静、思维清晰，保持警醒的头脑是十分有必要的，因为它能让我抗拒旧习的吸引和诱惑。这一美德养成后，“引默”就容易做到了。我的愿望是在获取知识的同时提高道德修养，所以我认为在与人交流中，与其用嘴说不如用耳杀来听，这样就可以改正我那唆唆不休、插科打诀的坏习惯, 而这坏习惯只能使我与无聊之人为伍。 这就是我为什么把 "纺默”列在第二位的原因。这一项又跟下面一项“秩序”，能让我有更多的时间去执行计划和学习; 养成“决心”这一美德后，就能让我更为坚定地培养其他各项美德了。“节俭”和“勤损”能让我摆脱债务，获得财富和自立，也让我更容易实践“真诚”和“公正”，等等。按照毕达哥拉斯在《黄金诗篇》里所提出的建议，每天要对自己的道德修养进行一番自我审察，于是我又设计了下面的方法。

I made a little book, in which I allotted a page for each of the virtues. I rul’d each page with red ink, so as to have seven columns, one for each day of the week, marking each column with a letter for the day. I cross’d these columns with thirteen red lines, marking the beginning of each line with the first letter of one of the virtues, on which line, and in its proper column, I might mark, by a little black spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed respecting that virtue upon that day.我做了一个小本子，将每一个道德项目分配到一页上，然后将每页用红墨水分隔成七栏，代表一星期中的七天，上面则标注星期几。再画上十三道横线，每一行写上每一个道德项目的名称。这样，在横竖线形成的空格内，检查这一天道德实践的情况，如果有所过失就标上一个小黑点。

Form of the pages.**表格式样：节制（食不过饱，饮酒不醉）** | 道德项目 | 日 | 一 | 二 | 三 | 四 | 五 | 六 | |---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 节制 | | | | | | | | | 缄默 | ●● | ● | | ● | | ● | | | 秩序 | ● | ● | ● | | ● | ● | ● | | 决心 | | | ● | | | ● | | | 节俭 | | ● | | | ● | | | | 勤勉 | | | ● | | | | | | 真诚 | | | | | | | | | 公正 | | | | | | | | | 中庸 | | | | | | | | | 清洁 | | | | | | | | | 镇定 | | | | | | | | | 贞节 | | | | | | | | | 谦虚 | | | | | | | |

TEMPERANCE.节制。

Eat not to dulness;食不过饱；

Drink not to elevation.饮酒不醉。

I determined to give a week’s strict attention to each of the virtues successively. Thus, in the first week, my great guard was to avoid every the least offence against Temperance, leaving the other virtues to their ordinary chance, only marking every evening the faults of the day. Thus, if in the first week I could keep my first line, marked T, clear of spots, I suppos’d the habit of that virtue so much strengthen’d and its opposite weaken’d, that I might venture extending my attention to include the next, and for the following week keep both lines clear of spots. Proceeding thus to the last, I could go thro’ a course compleat in thirteen weeks, and four courses in a year. And like him who, having a garden to weed, does not attempt to eradicate all the bad herbs at once, which would exceed his reach and his strength, but works on one of the beds at a time, and, having accomplish’d the first, proceeds to a second, so I should have, I hoped, the encouraging pleasure of seeing on my pages the progress I made in virtue, by clearing successively my lines of their spots, till in the end, by a number of courses, I should he happy in viewing a clean book, after a thirteen weeks’ daily examination.我决定每个星期都要轮番检查道德项目的实施情况。第一周，检查“节制”，在这期间，应当竭力避免任何微小的过失，其他美德项目则照常进行，只是每天晚上给所犯的过失做上标记即可。如果在第一周内，标明“节制”的那一行没有污点，就说明这个道德已经得到了提升，也就是说无节制的恶习得到了削弱。然后我就可以将注意力集中在第二项，到了第二周周末，保证前两行都没有污点。以此类推，一直进行到最后一项，需要十三个星期，这可以作为一个周期，一年可以循环四个周期。就像园丁，不可能把院子里的草一次性全部清除，这是任何人都力所不能及的，因此，不如一次清除一个花坛的杂草，等清理完这个再去清理下一个。我希望自己能像园丁一样，满心欢喜地看到自己在道德上的进步，清除每一个污点，经过十三个星期的日日检查，经过几个循环，直到最后看到的是一个清清白白的小本子，这是多么令人欣慰的一件事啊!

This my little book had for its motto these lines from Addison’s Cato:我从区迪生所写的《卡托》里摘录了几行诗作为小册子的格言:

“Here will I hold. If there’s a power above us我要坚持到底，若上帝的权威高高在上，

(And that there is all nature cries aloud大自然的呼声证明了它的存在，

Thro’ all her works), He must delight in virtue;他定然喜欢这些德行，

And that which he delights in must be happy.”为上帝所喜爱的人必受祝福。

Another from Cicero,另外，我又引用了一段西塞罗的话作为题记:

“O vitae Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix expultrixque vitiorum! Unus dies, bene et ex praeceptis tuis actus, peccanti immortalitati est anteponendus.”啊! 哲学! 你是人生的指南! 啊! 哲学! 你是美德的寻求者，罪恶的驱除者。按照你的指导去生活一天，定会逢外化吉。

Another from the Proverbs of Solomon, speaking of wisdom or virtue:我还引用了一段所罗门关于智慧和美德的能言:

“Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” iii. 16, 17.她的右手握着长长的岁月，她的左手担着财富和和荣砍，她引导的是幸福快乐之路，她指出的方向是和平。

And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right and necessary to solicit his assistance for obtaining it; to this end I formed the following little prayer, which was prefix’d to my tables of examination, for daily use.我认定上帝是智慧的源泉，因此想要获得智慧必须祈求上帝的帮助, 为此, 我写了以下一段祷文, 将它放在自我审察的表格前，以供每日诵读:

“O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favors to me.”噢，全能的上帝! 慷慨的琵父! 仁疙的牧羊人! 请增加我的智慧，使我看清真正的利益。加强我的意志，使我能够执行智慧的命令。接受我对您其他子民的善良之心吧，以此作为我对上帝您不断赐福的唯一的报答。

I used also sometimes a little prayer which I took from Thomson’s Poems, viz.:有时我还引用托马逊的一首诗作为短小的祷文：

“Father of light and life, thou Good Supreme!光明生命之父，至上全能之神！

O teach me what is good; teach me Thyself!啊！告诉我什么是善，亲自教导我吧！

Save me from folly, vanity, and vice,让我摆脱愚蠢、虚荣和邪恶，

From every low pursuit; and fill my soul脱离一切下贱的追逐；

With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure;求神使我的灵魂充满知识，心神安宁，道德纯洁，

Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss!”给我神圣的、真实的、永无止境的祝福吧！

The precept of Order requiring that every part of my business should have its allotted time, one page in my little book contain’d the following scheme of employment for the twenty-four hours of a natural day:“秩序”这一项要求我做每件日常事务时都要遵循一定的时间，因此，我的小本子里有一页记载了我一天二十四小时的作息时间。 **一日作息时间表** | 时段 | 时间 | 事项 | |---|---|---| | 早晨：今天我要做些什么好事？ | 5—7点 | 起床，盥洗，祈祷全能至善的上帝！计划一天的工作，确定当日应注意哪一项；检查当前的学习；早餐。 | | 早晨 | 8—11点 | 工作。 | | 中午 | 12—1点 | 阅读，查账，午餐。 | | 下午 | 2—5点 | 工作。 | | 晚上：今天我做了些什么好事？ | 6—9点 | 物归原处，晚餐，音乐或文娱活动，或闲谈；检查当天的行为。 | | 夜间 | 10—4点 | 睡眠。 |

The Morning.早晨。

(5–7)五点至七点。

Question. What good shall I do this day?问题：今天我要做什么善事？

Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive day’s business, and take the resolution of the day; prosecute the present study, and breakfast.起床，洗漱，向至善者祈祷；规划当天事务，确定当天决心；继续当前学习，并吃早餐。

(8–11)八点至十一点。

Work.工作。

Noon.中午。

(12–1)十二点至一点。

Read, or overlook my accounts, and dine.阅读，或查阅账目，并用午餐。

(2–5)二点至五点。

Work.工作。

Evening.晚上。

(6–9)六点至九点。

Question. What good have I done to-day?问题：今天我做了什么善事？

Put things in their places. Supper. Music or diversion, or conversation. Examination of the day.把物品归位。晚餐。音乐、消遣或交谈。检点一天。

Night.夜间。

(10–4)十点至四点。

Sleep.睡眠。

I enter’d upon the execution of this plan for self-examination, and continu’d it with occasional intermissions for some time. I was surpris’d to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish. To avoid the trouble of renewing now and then my little book, which, by scraping out the marks on the paper of old faults to make room for new ones in a new course, became full of holes, I transferr’d my tables and precepts to the ivory leaves of a memorandum book, on which the lines were drawn with red ink, that made a durable stain, and on those lines I mark’d my faults with a black-lead pencil, which marks I could easily wipe out with a wet sponge. After a while I went thro’ one course only in a year, and afterward only one in several years, till at length I omitted them entirely, being employ’d in voyages and business abroad, with a multiplicity of affairs that interfered; but I always carried my little book with me.为了反省起见，我开始执行这一计划，除了偶尔有几次中断之外，大多数时间都坚持了下来。出乎意料的是，我发现我的过失比我想象中要多得多，但值得高兴的是，它们通过我的努力正逐渐减少。每当下一轮周期到来前，我都要擦掉记在小本子上的那些旧的毛病标记，以便今后记和新的记号。结果，反复地涂控让我的小本子变得干疮百孔，满目疮兰。我总不能一个劲儿地更换本子，于是我想到了一个办法，将表格和航言的用纸换成纪念册用的那种有光泽且厚实的纸，然后用红墨水在上面画上横竖线，再用黑铅笔在表格中标注我的毛病。这种标记用湿海绵很容易擦掉，这样纸张就能反复用很入了。渐渐地，我差不多要一年才能完成一个循环，再后来要几年才完成一个循环。最后，我常年在外奔波，因公务出国或其他杂事而耽搁的情况时有发生，于是干脆放弃了这一计划，但这个小本子还是常伴我左右。

My scheme of Order gave me the most trouble; and I found that, tho’ it might be practicable where a man’s business was such as to leave him the disposition of his time, that of a journeyman printer, for instance, it was not possible to be exactly observed by a master, who must mix with the world, and often receive people of business at their own hours. Order, too, with regard to places for things, papers, etc., I found extreamly difficult to acquire. I had not been early accustomed to it, and, having an exceeding good memory, I was not so sensible of the inconvenience attending want of method. This article, therefore, cost me so much painful attention, and my faults in it vexed me so much, and I made so little progress in amendment, and had such frequent relapses, that I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with a faulty character in that respect, like the man who, in buying an ax of a smith, my neighbour, desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as the edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the wheel; he turn’d, while the smith press’d the broad face of the ax hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it very fatiguing. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without farther grinding. “No,” said the smith, “turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by-and-by; as yet, it is only speckled.” “Yes,” said the man, “but I think I like a speckled ax best.” And I believe this may have been the case with many, who, having, for want of some such means as I employ’d, found the difficulty of obtaining good and breaking bad habits in other points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle, and concluded that “a speckled ax was best”; for something, that pretended to be reason, was every now and then suggesting to me that such extream nicety as I exacted of myself might be a kind of foppery in morals, which, if it were known, would make me ridiculous; that a perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.要说最难实践的一个道德项目, 那就是“秩序”了。 但我发现，这对于一个可以自由支配时间的人来说十分可行。比如说一个计时印刷工，因为老板总要同外界接触，随时要准备接生意，不可能总是监督他。对于他来说,， “秩序”就是将杂物、纸张用过之后，放在其原本该放的地方，其实这对我来说也是不易做到的。我早年的记忆力特别好，就算将东西随处乱丢，也不会对工作有任何影响。这一美德的培养花费了我很多时间和精力，因为这个毛病是从小形成的，根深蒂固，我想改正，但收效一点儿也不明显，毛病总是一犯再犯。因此，我几乎都要放弃这个计划了，既然一个人在这方面实在有所缺陷，那不如就随它去吧! 这让我想起了那个向我的铁匠邻居购买斧头的故事。这人想要一把整个移体都磨得像斧刃一样光亮的耸头。铁匠答应了，说只要他帮忙摇动磨刀的砂轮，是可以做到这一点的。于是，这个人就帮着铁匠做了。铁匠认真地将宽阔的佐体紧紧地压在砂轮上，可是这样一来，摇动砂轮就显得十分费力，很快，他就不耐烦地跑过来看看佐头磨得如何了。最后，这人放弃了，想就这样买走和估头算了。铁匠却对他说: “不，您继续摇，继续摇，我们一定能把它磨光亮，您看现在才只磨出了亮点。”那人回答说: “没错，我要的正是带亮点的从头。” 其实，很多人都碰到过这种情况，因为缺少了一股坚持到底的毅力，就像我一样，不知道在去恶从善的过程中打破旧习惯形成好习惯有多困难，便想要放弃，于是便拿“人带亮斑的耸子就是最好的”这样一个结论来说服自己。还有一些看似很有道理的东西也在向我不断地暗示，比如，我这样极端追求完美本身就是一种续绑的习气，要是让人知道了，定会嘲笑我; 再如，一个人如果想要让自己的品德达到完美和极致，那可能会招来别人的嫉妒和惜恨; 再如，人无完人，真正的仁爱之士应当让自己存在一些缺点，以免让自己的朋友们感到难堪。

In truth, I found myself incorrigible with respect to Order; and now I am grown old, and my memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it. But, on the whole, tho’ I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it; as those who aim at perfect writing by imitating the engraved copies, tho’ they never reach the wish’d-for excellence of those copies, their hand is mended by the endeavor, and is tolerable while it continues fair and legible.说实话，改正“秩序”方面的陋习实在很难做到，而且随着年纪的增长，记忆力的衰退，我越来越明显地感到“秩序的缺陷是多么不便。总体来说，我虽然没有像自己期望的那样达到道德完美的境界，而且与它还相差甚远，但总比未曾努力尝试过要快乐幸福得多。就像那些靠临介书法而使自己达到完美的人一样，虽然最终没能达到他所临摹的帖子那样的境界，但通过努力，他的书写得到了修正，并且越来越熟练，字体写得也越来越清秀整齐，易于阅读。

It may be well my posterity should be informed that to this little artifice, with the blessing of God, their ancestor ow’d the constant felicity of his life, down to his 79th year, in which this is written. What reverses may attend the remainder is in the hand of Providence; but, if they arrive, the reflection on past happiness enjoy’d ought to help his bearing them with more resignation. To Temperance he ascribes his long-continued health, and what is still left to him of a good constitution; to Industry and Frugality, the early easiness of his circumstances and acquisition of his fortune, with all that knowledge that enabled him to be a useful citizen, and obtained for him some degree of reputation among the learned; to Sincerity and Justice, the confidence of his country, and the honorable employs it conferred upon him; and to the joint influence of the whole mass of the virtues, even in the imperfect state he was able to acquire them, all that evenness of temper, and that cheerfulness in conversation, which makes his company still sought for, and agreeable even to his younger acquaintance. I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit.我的子孙们应该明白，正是以上这个小小的方法，再加上上帝的庇佑，才使你们祖先的一生能如此幸运，并在活到七十九岁高龄时还能写自传。有生之年，我的命运会发生什么样的逆转，只有上帝知道。即使厄运来袭，只要想想往日的幸福快乐，便能坦然面对。“节制”使他常年健康，至今体格健朗；“勤勉”和“节俭”使他早年一改窘境，之后积攒下丰厚的资产；拥有知识使他成为一个有用之人，并在学术界受到广泛的赞誉；“真诚”和“公正”使他赢得国家的信任，得以担当国之重任。尽管这些道德还未曾达到完美的境界，但总体上影响了他的性情，使他变得心平气和，谈吐令人愉悦，让他在同伴中深受欢迎，甚至连青年朋友也乐于同他交往。因此，我希望我的子孙也会以我为榜样，从中获益。

It will be remark’d that, tho’ my scheme was not wholly without religion, there was in it no mark of any of the distinguishing tenets of any particular sect. I had purposely avoided them; for, being fully persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, and that it might be serviceable to people in all religions, and intending some time or other to publish it, I would not have any thing in it that should prejudice any one, of any sect, against it. I purposed writing a little comment on each virtue, in which I would have shown the advantages of possessing it, and the mischiefs attending its opposite vice; and I should have called my book The Art of Virtue, [8] because it would have shown the means and manner of obtaining virtue, which would have distinguished it from the mere exhortation to be good, that does not instruct and indicate the means, but is like the apostle’s man of verbal charity, who only without showing to the naked and hungry how or where they might get clothes or victuals, exhorted them to be fed and clothed.— James ii. 15, 16.值得一提的是，我在计划中竭力避免宗教问题。事实上，我的计划中并非完全没有涉及宗教，但也绝没有出现任何一个特定教派的明显教义。我相信我的方法有它一定的效果和优越性，能够为不同的教派人士所用，而且我早就计划要将我的这一方法公诸于世，所以更不能因为教派问题而使它有争议并招致反对。 我曾设想，要对每一种道德都作出点评，指出它的好处以及抛弃它所带来的坏处。这本书当命名为《道德的艺术》，因为它告诉我们如何获得道德，这跟单独劝人从善的说教完全不同，那种方法既不会给人以启示，又不会指明方法。正像《圣经》里的那个使徒一样，不过是个口头慈善家，他不告诉那些挨饿受冻的人该如何或在哪里获取衣服和食物，而只是告诫他们要吃饱穿暖。

[8: Nothing so likely to make a man’s fortune as virtue.— [Marg. note.]]

But it so happened that my intention of writing and publishing this comment was never fulfilled. I did, indeed, from time to time, put down short hints of the sentiments, reasonings, etc., to be made use of in it, some of which I have still by me; but the necessary close attention to private business in the earlier part of thy life, and public business since, have occasioned my postponing it; for, it being connected in my mind with a great and extensive project, that required the whole man to execute, and which an unforeseen succession of employs prevented my attending to, it has hitherto remain’d unfinish’d.我打算写作和发表的计划却一直未能实现，但我确实一直在为此做着准备，我不断地记下一些简短的感想或推论，以备写作之用,至今这些东西还保留着一部分。可是在早期的生活中, 我不得不忙于个人事务，后来又效力于国家事务，写作计划便一直耽搁了下来。我认为这应该是一项庞大的工程，需要全身心投入进去才能完成。可是万万没想到，一连串的事务让我无暇脱身，使得计划拖延至今。

In this piece it was my design to explain and enforce this doctrine, that vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are hurtful, the nature of man alone considered; that it was, therefore, every one’s interest to be virtuous who wish’d to be happy even in this world; and I should, from this circumstance (there being always in the world a number of rich merchants, nobility, states, and princes, who have need of honest instruments for the management of their affairs, and such being so rare), have endeavored to convince young persons that no qualities were so likely to make a poor man’s fortune as those of probity and integrity.在本篇中,我想强调这样一个理论: 如果单单考虑人的本性，不道德行为是因为受到禁止才没有产生危害，之所以受到禁止，正是因为它们是有害的。因此，每个人都有尝尚高尚的一面，都想在这个世界上获得幸福和快乐。从这种情况来看，我想尽力让年轻人相信，没有什么能比诚实、正直等道德品质更能令人发家致富的了(世上如此多的富商贵族、王孙贵族，他们都需要用诚实来处理事务，然而这样的人实在是凤毛麟角 )。

My list of virtues contain’d at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show’d itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point, but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which he convinc’d me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavouring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list, giving an extensive meaning to the word.那些道德项目，起初我只列出了十二项。当时，有一位教友会的朋友出于善意告诉我，说人们认为我很自负，这种自负经常在我的言谈中表现出来，例如在讨论问题时，我并不只限于证明我的正确，而是盛气姿人地压倒对方，有时候甚至吊员通人。为了证我相信这一点，他还举了一些例子。从那时起，我便决心克服这种愚蠢而狂妄的行为, 因此在道德项目中又加了一项“谦虚”，并赋予它更为广泛的含义。

I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the reality of this virtue, but I had a good deal with regard to the appearance of it. I made it a rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of others, and all positive assertion of my own. I even forbid myself, agreeably to the old laws of our Junto, the use of every word or expression in the language that imported a fix’d opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly, etc., and I adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so or so; or it so appears to me at present. When another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny’d myself the pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some absurdity in his proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in certain cases or circumstances his opinion would be right, but in the present case there appear’d or seem’d to me some difference, etc. I soon found the advantage of this change in my manner; the conversations I engag’d in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos’d my opinions procur’d them a readier reception and less contradiction; I had less mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevail’d with others to give up their mistakes and join with me when I happened to be in the right.我不能自我吹咕，说自己在道德上已经取得了实质性的进展，但我至少在表面上已经做得很好了。我给自己立下了一条规则，即不许当面直接表达和别人相反的意见，不可断然肯定自己的意见。我甚至延续了“君托社”所定的老规矩，禁止自己使用绝对肯定的词语和句子, 例如“当然”“毫无疑问” 等，取而代之为“我猜想”“我估计”“我想某件事可能是这样”或者“就目前情况看，我觉得……”当我认为别人提出的意见是错误的时候，我不会针锋相对地驳斥他，也不会马上指出其荒雇之处。在我回答他时，我会先肯定对方的观点在某些情况下是正确的，然后指出它在目前这种状况下“似乎”“好像”有些不同，等等。很快，我就发现了这种说话风格所带来的好处，这让我跟别人的谈话比之前更加融洽了。 由于我总是谦逊地提出自己的见解, 人们便很容易接受，很少反驭。这样一来，即便是我说错话的时候，也不会感到羞愧和人愧悔; 而当碰巧说对了的时候，就更能说服别人放弃他们的错误观点，进而站到我这边来。

And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical expression escape me. And to this habit (after my character of integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or alterations in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I became a member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet I generally carried my points.起初，我觉得这种做法很别扭，因为它不符合我的本性，但最后竟然逐渐变得习以为常了，以至于在过去的五十年中，人们不曾从我嘴里听到过一句武断的话。我之所以在建立新制度和废除旧制度的提议中获得广大市民的支持，乃至后来成为议员，并在议会中拥有如此大的影响力，都要归功于这一习惯 ( 除了我正直的品格外 )。因为我不善辞令，更不是一个能说会辩的演说家，讲话时吻踊而又不甚准确，但我仍然能获得人们的广泛支持。

In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.事实上，在我们天生的种种品性中，疏怕没有比“骄做”更难克服的了。尽管我们试图将它乔装打扮，拼命与它斗争，甚至想把它打入十八层地狱，但它仍然不会销声匿迹，时常会露出本来面目。也许就在这本自传中，你也能经常看到它的身影，尽管我自以为已经将这个坏家伙完全期灭。看, 我现在似乎又在骄傲了。

[Thus far written at Passy, 1784.](一七八四年写于巴西 )