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By my rambling digressions I perceive myself to be grown old.
我唠唠叨叨地讲了许多离题的话，从这里我看出我已在逐渐衰老了。
I us'd to write more methodically. But one does not dress for private company as for a publick ball. 'Tis perhaps only negligence.
过去我写文章比现在条理清楚。但是在私人的团聚中，人们的衣着原不同于在公共的舞会。可能这只不过是疏懒罢了。
To return: I continued thus employed in my father's business for two years, that is, till I was twelve years old;
闲话休提，言归正传：我在我父亲的铺子里这样继续工作了两年，就是说，直到我十二岁的时候为止。
and my brother John, who was bred to that business, having left my father, married, and set up for himself at Rhode Island,
我哥哥约翰本来是学皂烛制造业的，这时已经离开了我父亲，成了家，在罗特岛独自做起生意来，
there was all appearance that I was destined to supply his place, and become a tallow-chandler.
很明显的我注定要接替他的位置，成为一个蜡烛制造匠了。
But my dislike to the trade continuing, my father was under apprehensions that if he did not find one for me more agreeable,
但是由于这时候我仍然不喜欢这个行业，我父亲害怕，假如他不替我找一个更合适的职业的话，
I should break away and get to sea, as his son Josiah had done, to his great vexation.
我会像他的儿子约赛亚一样地私自脱逃去航海，使他十分恼怒。
He therefore sometimes took me to walk with him, and see joiners, bricklayers, turners, braziers, etc. at their work,
因此他有时带我去散步，去观看细木匠、砖匠、旋工、铜匠等工作，
He therefore sometimes took me to walk with him, and see joiners, bricklayers, turners, braziers, etc. at their work, that he might observe my inclination.
因此他有时带我去散步，去观看细木匠、砖匠、旋工、铜匠等工作，以便观察我的志趣。
And it has been useful to me, having learnt so much by it as to be able to do little jobs myself in my house when a workman could not readily be got,
这种细心观察对我一直很有用：由于从观察中我学到了很多东西，所以当一时找不到工人的时候，我自己能够做我家里的小修理工作，
and to construct little machines for my experiments, while the intention of making the experiment was fresh and warm in my mind.
当做实验的兴致在我心里还是很新鲜强烈的时候，我能够替我自己的实验制造小小的机器。
My father at last fixed upon the cutler's trade, and my uncle Benjamin's son Samuel, who was bred to that business in London, being about that time established in Boston, I was sent to be with him some time on liking.
我父亲最后决定了制刀业，由于那时我伯父本杰明的儿子撒木耳在伦敦学了制刀业，在波士顿开了业，我就被送到他那里去，与他一起试试这个行业。
But his expectations of a fee with me displeasing my father, I was taken home again.
但是因为他希望从我身上获得一些报酬，触怒了我父亲，所以他又把我带回了家。
