英国人的性格

William Hickling Prescott，1796—1859，the historian，was born in Salem，Massachusetts，graduated at Harvard University in 1814，and died in Boston.His works are： “The Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella，”“The Conquest of Mexico，”“The Conquest of Peru，”“The Reign of Philip Ⅱ，”and a volume of “Miscellanies.”He had not completed the history of Philip at the time of his death.As a writer of history，Mr.Prescott ranks with the first for accuracy，precision，clearness，and beauty of style.As a man，he was genial，kind-hearted and even-tempered.

On the whole，what I have seen raises my preconceived estimate of the English character.It is full of generous，true，and manly qualities；and I doubt if there ever was so high a standard of morality in an aristocracy which has such means for self-indulgence at its command，and which occupies a position that secures it so much deference.In general，they do not seem to abuse their great advantages.The respect for religion—at least for the forms of it—is universal，and there are few，I imagine，of the great proprietors who are not more or less occupied with improving their estates，and with providing for the comfort of their tenantry，while many take a leading part in the great political movements of the time.There never was an aristocracy which combined so much practical knowledge and industry with the advantages of exalted rank.

The Englishman is seen to most advantage in his country home.For he is constitutionally both domestic and rural in his habits.His fireside and his farm—these are the places in which one sees his simple and warmhearted nature more freely unfolded.There is a shyness in an Englishman，—a natural reserve，which makes him cold to strangers，and difficult to approach.But once corner him in his own house，a frank and full expansion will be given to his feelings that we should look for in vain in the colder Yankee，and a depth not to be found in the light and superficial Frenchman，—speaking of nationalities，not of individualities.

The Englishman is the most truly rural in his tastes and habits of any people in the world.I am speaking of the higher classes.The aristocracy of other countries affect the camp and the city.But the English love their old castles and country seats with a patriotic love.They are fond of country sports.Every man shoots or hunts.No man is too old to be in the saddle some part of the day，and men of seventy years and more follow the hounds，and，take a five-barred gate at a leap.The women are good whips，are fond of horses and dogs，and other animals.Duchesses have their cows，their poultry，their pigs，—all watched over and provided with accommodations of Dutch-like neatness.All this is characteristic of the people.It may be thought to detract something from the feminine graces which in other lands make a woman so amiably dependent as to be nearly imbecile.But it produces a healthy and blooming race of women to match the hardy Englishman，—the finest development of the physical and moral nature which the world has witnessed.For we are not to look on the English gentleman as a mere Nimrod.With all his relish for field sports and country usages，he has his house filled with collections of art and with extensive libraries.The tables of the drawingrooms are covered with the latest works，sent down by the London publisher.Every guest is provided with an apparatus for writing，and often a little library of books for his own amusement.The English country gentleman of the present day is anything but a Squire Western，though he does retain all his relish for field sports.

The character of an Englishman，under its most refined aspect，has some disagreeable points which jar unpleasantly on the foreigner not accustomed to them.The consciousness of national superiority，combined with natural feelings of independence，gives him an air of arrogance，though it must be owned that this is never betrayed in his own house，—I may almost say in his own country.But abroad，when he seems to institute a comparison between himself and the people he is thrown with，it becomes so obvious that he is the most unpopular，not to say odious，person in the world.Even the open hand with which he dispenses his bounty will not atone for the violence he offers to national vanity.

There are other defects，which are visible even in his most favored circumstances.Such is his bigotry，surpassing everything in a quiet passive form，that has been witnessed since the more active bigotry of the times of the Spanish Philips.Such，too，is the exclusive，limited range of his knowledge and conceptions of all political and social topics and relations.The Englishman，the cultivated Englishman，has no standard of excellence borrowed from mankind.His speculation never travels beyond his own little—great little—island.That is the world to him.True，he travels，shoots lions among the Hottentots，chases the grizzly bear over the Rocky Mountains，kills elephants in India and salmon on the coast of Labrador，comes home，and very likely makes a book.But the scope of his ideas does not seem to be enlarged by all this.The body travels，not the mind.And，however he may abuse his own land，he returns home as hearty a John Bull，with all his prejudices and national tastes as rooted，as before.The English—the men of fortune—all travel.Yet how little sympathy they show for other people or institutions，and how slight is the interest they take in them！They are islanders，cut off from the great world.But their island is，indeed，a world of its own.With all their faults，never has the sun shone—if one may use the expression in reference to England—all a more noble race，or one that has done more for the great interests of humanity.

译文　TRANSLATION

威廉·希克林·普雷斯科特（1796—1859），历史学家。生于马萨诸塞州萨勒姆，卒于波士顿。1814年毕业于哈佛大学。普雷斯科特的著作有《费尔迪南和伊莎贝拉王朝》《征服墨西哥》《征服秘鲁》《菲利普二世》和一卷《随笔》。作为一名历史学家，普雷斯科特笔致华美，雅洁精切；其为人热心、温和、儒雅。

整体而言，我亲见的英人性格比我的预估要高。慷慨、真诚、富于男子气概；我甚至怀疑一个可以肆意放纵、稳居高位受人尊崇的贵族阶层会有这样高的道德水准。一般说来，他们似乎并未滥用特权。对宗教的尊重——至少对其形式的尊重——是普遍的，而且我觉得，不为改善自己的庄园操心，不想给佃户提供便利的大业主简直少之又少，而在当时的政治运动中起领导作用的大业主则颇多。从未有哪个贵族阶层像他们那样将练达、勤勉与显赫集于一身。

一个英国人在乡居之时最具风采。因为他本质上就具有乡野的习性。在壁炉边或农庄里，他淳朴、热心的天性能更自如地展现。英国人身上有一种羞涩，一种与生俱来的矜持，这让他在陌生人面前显得淡漠，难于接近。但一旦身处家中，他的情感就会沛然而出，有在更其冷漠的扬基佬身上找不到的畅达，和轻薄、肤浅的法国人所没有的深刻——这里指的是国民性而不是个性。

在世界各民族中，英国人的品位和习惯最为村野。我这里所指的是贵族阶层。其他国家的贵族影响的是野营和城市；而英国人爱的则是古堡和庄园，个中凝结着一种家国情怀。他们酷好乡间运动。每个人都射击或狩猎。多老的人都要在一天里骑骑马，年届古稀甚或耄耋之年的老翁也会跟着猎犬，骑马越过五道闩的大门。女人们亦长于挥鞭，喜欢马、狗及其他动物。公爵夫人们也饲养牛、猪和家禽——亲自照管并给它们提供整洁的荷兰式的栏舍。这是一种民族性格。也许有人会认为这有损女性的优雅——那种优雅使别的国度里的女性娇媚依人，近于低能。但这却使英国女性健康，蓬勃，与强壮的英国汉子正相匹配——那是这个世界上体格与品行最完美的发展。我们不要把英国绅士仅仅看作一个好猎手，虽然他热爱农事和乡间运动，但家中也满是艺术收藏和典籍。在客厅桌子上摆着伦敦新近出版的著作。每位访客也都配有一份文具和一些合乎他口味的书籍。现在英国乡绅绝不是西部的地主，尽管他仍抱持对野外运动的喜好。

英国人的性格尽管优点多多，但也有一些特质令不熟悉他们的外国人觉得难以接受。民族优越感加上特立独行的天性令他们显得傲慢，尽管这些特质在他自己的家中甚或可以说在他自己的国家里都不会显山露水。但当他们到了国外，在将自己与周边的人群相比时，这些特质是那么明显，以致他们成为世界上最不受欢迎甚至最令人憎恶的人。甚至他大方的施予也无从弥补他对虚妄的民族自豪感的伤害。

英国人还有一些缺点甚至在其最可爱时也无法掩饰。譬如偏执，英国人的偏执外表恬退无为，实际却无人能及，相比之下，西班牙人那种更其奔放的偏执只是小巫而已。再如排外、褊狭，他对政治、社会话题及其相互关联的知识和见地都极为有限。英国人，即使很有教养的英国人，也不会博采众长。他的思维绝不会越出他那小小的岛国一步。英伦三岛就是他的整个世界。的确，他可以在霍屯督人中间旅行，射狮；可以跨越落基山脉追逐北美灰熊；可以在印度猎象；在拉布拉多海岸捕鲑鱼，但之后还是回国，并很可能将这段经历写成一本书。但他思想的领域并未得以拓展。旅行的是他的身体，而不是心灵。纵使他对故国有千般不满，归来的还是一个彻头彻脚的约翰·牛，根深蒂固的偏见和民族趣味一点儿没变。英国人——这群幸运的人——都在旅行。但是，他们对别的民族和体制却绝少同情，亦不感兴趣。他们是岛民，孤悬海外，但他们的岛却又自成世界。尽管他们缺点良多，但如果可以这样说的话，那么，太阳下没有哪个民族比他们更高尚，也没有哪个民族比他们为人类做出的贡献更伟大。