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Our city, tho' laid out with a beautiful regularity, the streets large, straight, and crossing each other at right angles, had the disgrace of suffering those streets to remain long unpav'd,
虽然我们的城市规划得美观整齐，我们的街道既宽又直，并且相互交错成直角形，但是不幸的是这些街道长期未经修铺路面，
and in wet weather the wheels of heavy carriages plough'd them into a quagmire, so that it was difficult to cross them; and in dry weather the dust was offensive.
每逢雨季沉重的马车轮却把它们翻掘成泥沼，使人裹足不前，在晴天则尘土飞扬，令人难以忍受。
I had liv'd near what was call'd the Jersey Market, and saw with pain the inhabitants wading in mud while purchasing their provisions.
我曾经一度住在以前的泽西市场附近，当我看到市民在购买食物时跋涉污泥中的情形，颇感不安。
A strip of ground down the middle of that market was at length pav'd with brick, so that, being once in the market, they had firm footing, but were often over shoes in dirt to get there.
后来在市场中央的一长条地方终于铺上了砖，所以市民们一到市场，就可以脚踏实地了，但是市场外面的街道往往泥泞不堪。
By talking and writing on the subject, I was at length instrumental in getting the street pav'd with stone between the market and the brick'd foot-pavement, that was on each side next the houses.
我跟人讨论过这件事，我也为它写过文章，我终于使得从市场到住宅前面的砖人行道这一段街道铺上了石板。
This, for some time, gave an easy access to the market dry-shod;
在某些时间内，这就使得人们可以不弄脏鞋子顺利地到达市场了。
but, the rest of the street not being pav'd, whenever a carriage came out of the mud upon this pavement, it shook off and left its dirt upon it, and it was soon cover'd with mire, which was not remov'd, the city as yet having no scavengers.
但是因为这条街的其他地方都未经铺路，所以每当一辆马车从泥路走上石路时，把它的泥土震动下来，堆在石板上，不久石路上也沾满了泥泞，又没有人去清除这些污泥，因为这时城里还没有清道夫。
After some inquiry, I found a poor, industrious man, who was willing to undertake keeping the pavement clean, by sweeping it twice a week, carrying off the dirt from before all the neighbours' doors, for the sum of sixpence per month, to be paid by each house.
经过了一番调查以后，我找到一个贫穷勤劳的人，他愿意做清道工作，每周扫街两次并把每家门前的垃圾搬走，每家每月出资六便士。
I then wrote and printed a paper setting forth the advantages to the neighbourhood that might be obtain'd by this small expense;
接着我就写了一张传单，把它印了出来，指出这一笔小小的费用可能替邻近的人们带来的好处。
the greater ease in keeping our houses clean, so much dirt not being brought in by people's feet; the benefit to the shops by more custom, etc., etc., as buyers could more easily get at them; and by not having, in windy weather, the dust blown in upon their goods, etc., etc.
例如，由人们脚上带进来的泥泞减少了，我们家里就可以比较容易弄干净了；街道清洁后，顾客更容易到店铺来，顾客增多可以增加商店的营业等；在刮风的时候，灰沙不致吹到他们的货物上去等等。
I sent one of these papers to each house, and in a day or two went round to see who would subscribe an agreement to pay these sixpences; it was unanimously sign'd, and for a time well executed.
我每家分发一张传单，一两天后我跑到各家去访问，看究竟有多少人愿意签订合同支付这六便士。各家毫无例外地都签了合同，在一个时期内这个计划进行得顺利。
All the inhabitants of the city were delighted with the cleanliness of the pavement that surrounded the market, it being a convenience to all, and this rais'd a general desire to have all the streets paved, and made the people more willing to submit to a tax for that purpose.
全市居民对于市场附近街道的清洁，因为它便利了大家，都感到很高兴，这就使得人们普遍地要求把所有街道都修铺起来，同时也使得他们更愿意为铺路而纳税。
After some time I drew a bill for paving the city, and brought it into the Assembly.
过了一些时候，我起草了一个替费城铺路的议案，并在州议会中提了出来。
It was just before I went to England, in 1757, and did not pass till I was gone, and then with an alteration in the mode of assessment, which I thought not for the better, but with an additional provision for lighting as well as paving the streets, which was a great improvement.
这件事发生在1757年，刚在我去英国之前，等我离开美洲后，这议案才获得通过，当时在估定税额的方式方面做了某些变更，这些变动我认为是不好的，但通过的议案还附有关于路灯的条款，这倒是一个很大的改进。
It was by a private person, the late Mr. John Clifton, his giving a sample of the utility of lamps, by placing one at his door, that the people were first impress'd with the idea of enlighting all the city.
一个普通老百姓，已故的约翰·克利夫敦先生，曾经把一盏灯装在他门口，这样他就用实际的榜样说明了路灯的效用，人们是从他的实例中首先想到在全城各处点灯的念头的。
The honour of this public benefit has also been ascrib'd to me, but it belongs truly to that gentleman.
有人把首创这一件公益事业的光荣归于我，但实在是属于那位先生的。
I did but follow his example, and have only some merit to claim respecting the form of our lamps, as differing from the globe lamps we were at first supply'd with from London.
我只是模仿了他的榜样，我只是在改进路灯的形状方面略有微功，我们的路灯跟起初我们从伦敦买来的球状路灯是不同的。
Those we found inconvenient in these respects: they admitted no air below; the smoke, therefore, did not readily go out above, but circulated in the globe, lodg'd on its inside, and soon obstructed the light they were intended to afford;
这些圆形的路灯有下列缺点：空气不能从下面进去，因此烟煤不能迅速地从上面出去，烟煤只在圆球内打转，黏附在球壁上，不久就阻塞了路灯应发的光线，
giving, besides, the daily trouble of wiping them clean; and an accidental stroke on one of them would demolish it, and render it totally useless.
而且每天需要去擦拭灯罩，如果一不小心碰一下就破了，整个灯罩就变成无用了。
I therefore suggested the composing them of four flat panes, with a long funnel above to draw up the smoke, and crevices admitting air below, to facilitate the ascent of the smoke;
因此我建议用四块平玻璃拼凑起来，上面装一长烟囱以便烟煤上升，灯下开裂缝以便空气进去，促进烟煤的上升。
by this means they were kept clean, and did not grow dark in a few hours, as the London lamps do, but continu'd bright till morning, and an accidental stroke would generally break but a single pane, easily repair'd.
这样，灯罩就可保持干净，不至于像伦敦的路灯那样，在几小时内就变成昏暗无光了，路灯就可以不断地光明灿烂直到天明，即使偶然碰一下，一般也只敲破一块玻璃，重配也很方便。
I have sometimes wonder'd that the Londoners did not, from the effect holes in the bottom of the globe lamps us'd at Vauxhall have in keeping them clean, learn to have such holes in their street lamps.
伦敦伏克斯可花园的球状灯底下的孔洞使得灯罩干净，我有时候觉得很奇怪为什么伦敦市民没有想到在他们的路灯底下同样地也开几个孔，果然他们的路灯底下也有孔。
But, these holes being made for another purpose, viz., to communicate flame more suddenly to the wick by a little flax hanging down thro' them, the other use, of letting in air, seems not to have been thought of;
但是这些孔洞是别有用途的，那就是，用麻线穿过这些孔洞悬挂下来，使得火焰能够迅速地传递到灯心，至于放入空气的用途，他们好像并没有想到。
and therefore, after the lamps have been lit a few hours, the streets of London are very poorly illuminated.
因此，路灯点了几小时以后，伦敦街上已经暗淡无光了。
