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Already they have attained a force in the more civilized portions of the globe sufficient to be felt by all governments, even the most absolute and despotic.
新闻媒体在最初的推波助澜中发挥巨大影响。这些社会进步在世界上更文明的地区已经形成一种力量，足以被所有政府所认识，哪怕是最专制独裁的政府也盖莫例外。
But, as great as they now are, they have, as yet, attained nothing like their maximum force.
但是，尽管现在社会实现巨大飞跃，然而尚未发挥最大程度的影响力。
It is probable that not one of the causes which have contributed to their formation and influence, has yet produced its full effect;
也许没有哪一种有助于它们形成和发挥影响的社会进步，能产生完美的结果。
while several of the most powerful have just begun to operate; and many others, probably of equal or even greater force, yet remain to be brought to light.
其中几种最有影响力的社会进步刚刚开始应用，许多其他的社会进步，也许具有同样甚至更大的影响力，尚不为世人所知。
When the causes now in operation have produced their full effect, and inventions and discoveries shall have been exhausted—if that may ever be—
当正在应用的社会进步开始产生完美的结果，而发现和发明将被耗尽时——如果在某个阶段出现这种情形——
they will give a force to public opinion, and cause changes, political and social, difficult to be anticipated.
将会赋予公众舆论一种力量，导致社会和政治变革，这些都是难以预料的。
What will be their final bearing, time only can decide with any certainty.
它们终极是什么，只有时间能给出确切的答案。
That they will, however, greatly improve the condition of man ultimately, it would be impious to doubt;
然而，这些社会进步终将极大改善人类的生存条件，对此加以怀疑是没有信仰的表现。
it would be to suppose that the all-wise and beneficent Being, the Creator of all, had so constituted man as that the employment of the high intellectual faculties with which He has been pleased to endow him,
可以设想的所有睿智和仁慈的生命，万物之主，欣然赋予人们充分运用高级智力的能力，
in order that he might develop the laws that control the great agents of the material world,
以便人们开发出能操控物资世界强大代理人的法则。
and make them subservient to his use, would prove to him the cause of permanent evil, and not of permanent good.
使得人们听命于他，向他证明永恒的恶业，而不是永恒的善业。
