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My elder brothers were all put apprentices to different trades.
我的哥哥们都拜师学了各种不同的行业。
I was put to the grammar-school at eight years of age, my father intending to devote me, as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the Church.
我父亲打算把我当作儿子中的什一捐奉献给教会，所以在八岁上就把我送到语法学校去念书。
My early readiness in learning to read (which must have been very early, as I do not remember when I could not read),
我早年读书颖悟（我一定很早就识字，因为我记不起我曾经有过不识字的时期），
and the opinion of all his friends, that I should certainly make a good scholar, encouraged him in this purpose of his.
他的朋友们又都说我将来读书一定很有成就，这一切都鼓励了我父亲把我送到学校去念书。
My uncle Benjamin, too, approved of it, and proposed to give me all his short-hand volumes of sermons, I suppose as a stock to set up with, if I would learn his character.
我伯父本杰明也赞成我念书，并且提议把他全部说教的速记本赠送给我（我想大概是作为开业的资本罢），如果我肯学习他的速记术的话。
I continued, however, at the grammar-school not quite one year, though in that time I had risen gradually from the middle of the class of that year to be the head of it,
但是我在语法学校里念了不到一年，虽然在这一年中我逐步地从该班的中等生升到全班的优等生，
and farther was removed into the next class above it, in order to go with that into the third at the end of the year.
接着就升入了二年级，好让我在那年年终随班升入三年级。
But my father, in the meantime, from a view of the expense of a college education, which having so large a family he could not well afford,
但是这时候我父亲因为家庭人口多，负担不起大学求学的费用，
and the mean living many so educated were afterwards able to obtain -- reasons that he gave to his friends in my hearing -- altered his first intention,
同时他看到许多受过大学教育的人日后穷困潦倒（这是他在我面前对他的朋友们讲的），他改变了他原先的主张，
took me from the grammar-school, and sent me to a school for writing and arithmetic,
叫我离开语法学校，把我送到一所书算学校去，
kept by a then famous man, Mr. George Brownell, very successful in his profession generally, and that by mild, encouraging methods.
这所学校是当时著名的乔治·布朗纳先生主持的，一般说来他办学很有成绩，并且能够循循善诱，春风化雨。
Under him I acquired fair writing pretty soon, but I failed in the arithmetic, and made no progress in it.
在他的教导之下，我很快地学会了一手清晰的书法，但是算术我考不及格，并且毫无进步。
At ten years old I was taken home to assist my father in his business, which was that of a tallow-chandler and sope-boiler;
在十岁上我父亲把我接回家来，帮助他营业，他经营的是油烛和肥皂制造业。
a business he was not bred to, but had assumed on his arrival in New England, and on finding his dyeing trade would not maintain his family, being in little request.
这原不是他的本行，但是到了新英格兰，他发现染色业生意清淡，不能维持一家的生活，所以改了皂烛业。
Accordingly, I was employed in cutting wick for the candles, filling the dipping mould and the moulds for cast candles, attending the shop, going of errands, etc.
因此我父亲就叫我做剪烛芯、灌烛模、管店铺、出差等工作。
I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination for the sea, but my father declared against it;
我厌恶这个行业，同时我非常想去航海，但是我父亲不赞成，
however, living near the water, I was much in and about it, learnt early to swim well, and to manage boats;
可是因为住在沿海，我常到水中和海边去，我很早就擅长游泳，也学会了划船，
and when in a boat or canoe with other boys, I was commonly allowed to govern, especially in any case of difficulty;
当我和其他小孩在大小船上的时候，他们平常总是听我的命令，特别是在处境困难的时候。
and upon other occasions I was generally a leader among the boys, and sometimes led them into scrapes,
在其他场合我一般也是孩子们的头儿，有时候我使他们陷入窘境，
of which I will mention one instance, as it shows an early projecting public spirit, tho' not then justly conducted.
我想举其中的一个例子，因为这件事显示了我早年突出的热心公益的精神，虽然当时这件事是做得不对的。
There was a salt-marsh that bounded part of the mill-pond, on the edge of which, at high water, we used to stand to fish for minnows.
在水车贮水池的一边有一个盐泽，在涨潮的时候，我们时常站在盐泽的边上钓鲦鱼。
By much trampling, we had made it a mere quagmire.
由于践踏得多了，我们把盐泽的边沿弄成一个泥沼了。
My proposal was to build a wharf there fit for us to stand upon,
我提议在那里修筑一个我们可以站立的码头，
and I showed my comrades a large heap of stones, which were intended for a new house near the marsh, and which would very well suit our purpose.
我把一大堆石块指点给我的同伴们看，这些石块原是为了在盐泽边上建筑一所新屋预备的，它们却很符合我们的需要。
Accordingly, in the evening, when the workmen were gone, I assembled a number of my playfellows,
因此在晚上当工人们已经离开的时候，我召集了几个同伴，
and working with them diligently like so many emmets, sometimes two or three to a stone, we brought them all away and built our little wharf.
我们像一群蚂蚁似的不辞劳苦地工作着，有时候两三个人搬一块石头，我们终于把石块全搬来了，修好了我们的小码头。
The next morning the workmen were surprised at missing the stones, which were found in our wharf.
第二天早晨工人们不见了石块大为惊异，后来才在我们的码头上找到了。
Inquiry was made after the removers; we were discovered and complained of; several of us were corrected by our fathers;
他们查究这是谁干的。接着他们发现了这是我们的把戏，就向我们的家长告状，我们中有几个就因此受到了父亲的责备，
and, though I pleaded the usefulness of the work, mine convinced me that nothing was useful which was not honest.
虽然我辩解说这桩事是有益的，但是我父亲使我深信：不诚实的事是不会有益的。
