科学的目标与界限

Robert Charles Winthrop，1809—1894，was a descendant of John Winthrop，the first Governor of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay.He was born in Boston，studied at the public Latin School，graduated at Harvard in 1828，and studied law with Daniel Webster.Possessing an ample fortune，he made little effort to practice his profession.In 1834 he was elected to the Legislature of his native state，and was reelected five times；three years he was Speaker of the House of Representatives.In 1840 he was chosen to Congress，and sat as Representative for ten years.In 1847 he was chosen Speaker of the House.He also served a short time in the Senate.His published writings are chiefly in the form of addresses and speeches；they are easy，finished，and scholarly.As a speaker，Mr.Winthrop was ready，full-voiced，and self-possessed.

There are fields enough for the wildest and most extravagant theorizings，within man's own appropriate domain，without overleaping the barriers which separate things human and divine.Indeed，I have often thought that modern science had afforded a most opportune and providential safety valve for the intellectual curiosity and ambition of man，at a moment when the progress of education，invention，and liberty had roused and stimulated him to a pitch of such unprecedented eagerness and ardor.Astronomy，Chemistry，and，more than all，Geology，with their incidental branches of study，have opened an inexhaustible field for investigation and speculation.Here，by the aid of modern instruments and modern modes of analysis，the most ardent and earnest spirits may find ample room and verge enough for their insatiate activity and audacious enterprise，and may pursue their course not only without the slightest danger of doing mischief to others，but with the certainty of promoting the great end of scientific truth.

Let them lift their vast reflectors or refractors to the skies，and detect new planets in their hiding places.Let them waylay the fugitive comets in their flight，and compel them to disclose the precise period of their orbits，and to give bonds for their punctual return.Let them drag out reluctant satellites from “their habitual concealments.”Let them resolve the unresolvable nebulae of Orion or Andromeda.They need not fear.The sky will not fall，nor a single star be shaken from its sphere.

Let them perfect and elaborate their marvelous processes of making the light and the lightning their ministers，for putting “a pencil of rays”into the hand of art，and providing tongues of fire for the communication of intelligence.Let them foretell the path of the whirlwind，and calculate the orbit of the storm.Let them hang out their gigantic pendulums，and make the earth do the work of describing and measuring her own motions.Let them annihilate human pain，and literally“charm ache with air，and agony with ether.”The blessing of God will attend all their toils，and the gratitude of man will await all their triumphs.

Let them dig down into the bowels of the earth.Let them rive asunder the massive rocks，and unfold the history of creation as it lies written on the pages of their piled up strata.Let them gather up the fossil fragments of a lost Fauna，reproducing the ancient forms which inhabited the land or the seas，bringing them together，bone to his bone，till Leviathan and Behemoth stand before us in bodily presence and in their full proportions，and we almost tremble lest these dry bones should live again！Let them put nature to the rack，and torture her，in all her forms，to the betrayal of her inmost secrets and confidences.They need not forbear.The foundations of the round world have been laid so strong that they can not be moved.

But let them not think by searching to find out God.Let them not dream of understanding the Almighty to perfection.Let them not dare to apply their tests and solvents，their modes of analysis or their terms of definition，to the secrets of the spiritual kingdom.Let them spare the foundations of faith.Let them be satisfied with what is revealed of the mysteries of the Divine Nature.Let them not break through the bounds to gaze after the Invisible.

译文　TRANSLATION

罗伯特·查尔斯·温斯洛普（1809—1894），其先祖为马萨诸塞湾殖民地第一任总督约翰·温斯洛普。罗伯特·查尔斯·温斯洛普出生于波士顿，曾就读于波士顿拉丁公学，1828年毕业于哈佛，师从丹尼尔·韦伯斯特攻读法律。罗伯特·查尔斯·温斯洛普家道殷实，无须为谋生辛劳。1834年，他当选马萨诸塞州州议员，五年后连任。他曾担任三年马萨诸塞州众议院院长。1840年，他进入国会，担任十年美国众议院议员。1847年，当选美国众议院院长。他还曾在参议院短期供职。罗伯特·查尔斯·温斯洛普是一位声情并茂、泰然自若、才思敏捷的演说家。

无须僭越人神之限，在人类适宜的领域，就有足够的疆土供最狂野、最恣肆的理论驰骋。的确，我一直认为，伴随着教育的进步以及发明和自由，人类空前的热忱与激情得以唤醒、勃发，而现代科学则为他们的雄心和知性的好奇提供了绝佳的天赐的安全阀。天文学、化学，乃至地质学，以及它们的各个分支学科，为人类开启了一个永不枯竭的探究与沉思的天地。在现代工具和分析模式的辅助下，即使那些最为热切、充满渴望的人们在科学领域也能找到满足他们无尽寻索与无畏探险的广阔空间。这样的追求不仅毫无损害他人之虞而且有助于发现伟大的科学真谛。

让他们将反射器和折射望远镜对准天空，找出那隐匿的新行星。让他们去拦截那些漂泊不定的彗星，迫使这些彗星披露精确的运行周期，并保证准时回归。让他们将那些不情不愿的卫星从“惯常的隐匿处”拖曳出来。让他们去溶解那不能溶解的猎户座和仙女座星云。他们不必担心。天空不会坠下，也没有哪颗星会从星宇摇落。

为将“光之笔”置于自己的巧手之中，为给智慧的交流提供火一般的语言，就让他们去完善、精密那想落天外的过程——让光与闪电成为他们的仆从。让他们去预言龙卷风的路径，去测算暴风雨的轨迹。让他们悬起硕大的钟摆，使地球描绘和度量自身的运动。让他们令人类的痛苦消失殆尽，切实做到“以空气魅惑疼痛，用乙醚麻醉烦恼”。上帝将为他们的辛劳赐福，人们则将满怀感恩恭候他们的凯旋。

让他们向地球深处开掘。让他们劈开巨石，展现写在岩层上的创世史。让他们搜集业已灭绝的动物群化石，再现那些曾出没于陆地与海洋中的古代动物，将它们的骸骨一块块地拼接起来，俾使那些庞然巨兽重新矗立于我们面前，而我们几乎股栗欲堕，唯恐具具尸骸当真复活！让他们将自然缚在刑架上，用尽酷刑地拷问“她”，以便迫她说出最深的秘密。他们不必克制。这世界的基础坚固如斯，已不可撼动。

但，让他们不要试图去发现上帝。让他们不要梦想能完全理解万能的主。让他们不要用实验、溶剂、分析模式、定义、术语来探研精神王国的奥秘。让他们不要触碰信仰的基石。让他们满足于神性所展现出的匪夷所思。让他们不要逾越边界去谛视那不可见者。