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I had begun in 1733 to study languages; I soon made myself so much a master of the French as to be able to read the books with ease.
在1733年我开始学习外国语了，不久我获得了足够的法语知识，使我能够顺利地阅读法语书籍。
I then undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also learning it, us'd often to tempt me to play chess with him.
接着我学习意大利语。我有一个朋友，当时也在学意大利语，他常常怂恿我和他下棋。
Finding this took up too much of the time I had to spare for study, I at length refus'd to play any more, unless on this condition, that the victor in every game should have a right to impose a task, either in parts of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the vanquish'd was to perform upon honour, before our next meeting.
当我发现下棋过多地占用了我原定学习的时间时，我终于拒绝再跟他下棋了，除非在这样的一个条件之下，那就是：每盘棋的胜利者有权指定一种作业，不论是语法部分的背诵或是翻译，失败的一方要保证在我们下次会晤之前做好作业。
As we play'd pretty equally, we thus beat one another into that language.
因为我们的棋艺不相上下，这样我们就相互地把意大利语灌输到各人的头脑中去了。
I afterwards with a little painstaking, acquir'd as much of the Spanish as to read their books also.
以后我花了一点苦功去学西班牙语，我也获得了阅读西班牙语书籍所需要的知识。
I have already mention'd that I had only one year's instruction in a Latin school, and that when very young, after which I neglected that language entirely.
我在上文中已经提过，我在幼年时曾在拉丁学校中学过一年拉丁文，以后我就完全把它置之脑后了。
But, when I had attained an acquaintance with the French, Italian, and Spanish, I was surpris'd to find, on looking over a Latin Testament, that I understood so much more of that language than I had imagined, which encouraged me to apply myself again to the study of it, and I met with more success, as those preceding languages had greatly smooth'd my way.
但是当我熟悉了法语、意大利语和西班牙语以后，翻阅一本拉丁文《圣经》时，我出乎意料地发现，我所懂得的拉丁文远较我想象的为多，这就鼓励了我再去专心学习拉丁文，我的收获很大，因为以前学过的几种语言替我大大地铺平了道路。
From these circumstances, I have thought that there is some inconsistency in our common mode of teaching languages.
从这种情况看来，我认为我们普通教外国语的方式有些不合理的地方。
We are told that it is proper to begin first with the Latin, and, having acquir'd that, it will be more easy to attain those modern languages which are deriv'd from it; and yet we do not begin with the Greek, in order more easily to acquire the Latin.
有人说我们应当先从拉丁文开始，在学会了拉丁文以后，再学习由拉丁文演变出来的现代语言就容易得多了,但是为了更顺利地学习拉丁文，我们却为什么不从希腊文学起呢。
It is true that, if you can clamber and get to the top of a staircase without using the steps, you will more easily gain them in descending; but certainly, if you begin with the lowest you will with more ease ascend to the top;
当然，假如你能不用台阶而攀登到顶点，然后在下来时就更容易走了，但是无疑地，假如你先从最低的梯级开始，那就更容易达到顶点了。
and I would therefore offer it to the consideration of those who superintend the education of our youth, whether, since many of those who begin with the Latin quit the same after spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and what they have learnt becomes almost useless, so that their time has been lost, it would not have been better to have begun with the French, proceeding to the Italian, etc.;
有许多人学拉丁文，学了几年后就毫无成绩地把它丢弃了，他们过去所学的几乎完全无用，因此他们的光阴是白花了，既然如此，我请主管我们青年教育的当局考虑是否应当先从法语开始，然后学意大利语等等，
for, tho', after spending the same time, they should quit the study of languages and never arrive at the Latin, they would, however, have acquired another tongue or two, that, being in modern use, might be serviceable to them in common life.
因为即使在学习了同样的年数以后，他们不再学习外国语因而从未达到学拉丁文的阶段，但是到那时他们已经学会了一种或两种外国语，因为这些是现代通用的语言，所以它们可以在日常生活中有用。
After ten years' absence from Boston, and having become easy in my circumstances, I made a journey thither to visit my relations, which I could not sooner well afford.
我离开波士顿已经十年了，现在我的生活也优裕了，因此我到波士顿去旅行了一趟，去探访我的亲戚，在这以前我没有充裕的财力来做这样的旅行。
In returning, I call'd at Newport to see my brother, then settled there with his printing-house.
在归途中，我到新港去看我的哥哥，他这时已经把他的印刷铺搬到那里去了。
Our former differences were forgotten, and our meeting was very cordial and affectionate.
我们过去的旧嫌已经冰释了，我们的会晤是十分热烈和恳挚的。
He was fast declining in his health, and requested of me that, in case of his death, which he apprehended not far distant, I would take home his son, then but ten years of age, and bring him up to the printing business.
他的健康正在很快的衰退中，他请求我在他死后（他恐怕他的死期不远了），把他当时仅十岁的儿子领到我家里来，使习印刷业。
This I accordingly perform'd, sending him a few years to school before I took him into the office.
这个我照办了，我先送他上学校读了几年书，然后叫他学印刷业。
His mother carried on the business till he was grown up, when I assisted him with an assortment of new types, those of his father being in a manner worn out.
他母亲继续经营印刷所的业务，直到他成年时为止，他成人后，我送给他一套新铅字，因为他父亲的铅字有点磨损了。
Thus it was that I made my brother ample amends for the service I had depriv'd him of by leaving him so early.
这样我充分地赔偿了我哥哥由于我提早离开他所受的损失。
