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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.
说实在话，我发现我在秩序这方面的习惯是难以矫正的，现在我老了，我的记忆变坏了，我非常清楚地感到缺少这种习惯的不便。
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;
但是整个说来，虽然我从来没有达到我原先雄心勃勃地想要达到的完善境界，而且差得很远，我靠着这方面的努力却使我比做这种尝试前要好得多快乐得多了。
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 endeavour, and is tolerable while it continues fair and legible.
这正像临摹帖本的人，他们的目的是要获得完美的书法，虽然他们永远也达不到他们所希望的像帖本那样卓越的书法，但是在临摹帖本时他们的书法却改善了，字也写得不但整洁易读，而且相当不错了。
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.
我的后裔应当晓得他们的祖先一生中持久不变的幸运，直到他七十九岁写本文时为止，全靠这一小小的方法和上帝的祝福。
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.
我的晚年会遇见什么挫折，那是在未定之天，但是假如碰到什么不幸，对往日快乐当更足以使他听天由命了。
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;
他把他长期的健康和他那迄今还强健的结实体格归功于节制；他早年境遇的安适和他的财产的获得和一切使他成为一个有用公民和使他在学术界得到一些声誉的知识，这一切当归功于勤勉和俭朴。
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.
国家对他的信任和国家给他的光荣的职位当归功于诚恳和公正。他的和气和他谈话时的愉快爽直当归功于全部这些品德的总影响，即使他不能达到尽善尽美的境地，由于他谈话时的愉快爽直，即使在晚年他还颇受人们的欢迎，甚至年轻的友人们也喜欢与他交往。
I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit.
因此，我希望我子孙中会有人步我的后尘，获得良好的效果。
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.
应当注意的是：虽然我这一计划并不是完全没有宗教，但是其中却没有任何教派的特殊教条的迹象。
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 anything in it that should prejudice anyone, of any sect, against it.
我故意避免这些教条，因为我深信我的方法是有用而极优秀的，对于信仰各种教派的人都可能有用，并且我早晚打算把它发表，因此我不愿意它包含任何足以引起任何教派的人反对的东西。
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;
我曾打算替每一条美德写一些说明，指出获得这种品德的好处和与它相反的恶习的危害性。
and I should have called my book The Art of Virtue, because it would have shown the means and manner of obtaining virtue, which would have distinguished it from the mere exhortation to be good,
我原打算称这本书为《道德的艺术》，因为它会指出养成这些美德的方法和方式，这就使它与那些仅仅劝人为善的书籍有所区别。
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.
这种空洞的理论不教诲人，也不指出方法，但是正像那个使徒的口头慈善家一样，不向赤身裸体的和饥饿的人指出怎样或何处他们可以找到衣服或食物，而只是劝告他们吃饱穿暖。
