Of the Standard of Taste.论趣味
的标准

The great variety of Taste, as well as of opinion, which prevails in the world, is too obvious not to have fallen under every one’s observation. Men of the most confined knowledge are able to remark a difference of taste in the narrow circle of their acquaintance, even where the persons have been educated under the same government, and have early imbibed the same prejudices. But those, who can enlarge their view to contemplate distant nations and remote ages, are still more surprised at the great inconsistence and contrariety. We are apt to call barbarous whatever departs widely from our own taste and apprehension: But soon find the epithet of reproach retorted on us. And the highest arrogance and self-conceit is at last startled, on observing an equal assurance on all sides, and scruples, amidst such a contest of sentiment, to pronounce positively in its own favour.

世间趣味与意见的巨大差异，是如此显而易见，人人都不可能未曾察觉。即便见识最有限的人，也能在自己狭小的交游圈中发现趣味的差别，哪怕这些人受同一种政体教化，自幼浸染着相同的偏见。至于那些能够放宽眼界、考察遥远国度与久远时代的人，就更会惊讶于趣味之间的矛盾与不相容。凡是大大偏离我们自身趣味与理解的事物，我们总容易称之为野蛮；然而很快便发现，对方也把同样的责骂还给我们。即使最傲慢、最自负的人，看到各方都同样信心十足，终于也会吃惊；面对这场感受的争执，他不免犹疑，难以断然认定只有自己正确。

As this variety of taste is obvious to the most careless enquirer; so will it be found, on examination, to be still greater in reality than in appearance. The sentiments of men often differ with regard to beauty and deformity of all kinds, even while their general discourse is the same. There are certain terms in every language, which import blame, and others praise; and all men, who use the same tongue, must agree in their application of them. Every voice is united in applauding elegance, propriety, simplicity, spirit in writing; and in blaming fustian, affectation, coldness and a false brilliancy: But when critics come to particulars, this seeming unanimity vanishes; and it is found, that they had affixed a very different meaning to their expressions. In all matters of opinion and science, the case it opposite: The difference among men is there oftener found to lie in generals than in particulars; and to be less in reality than in appearance. An explanation of the terms commonly ends the controversy; and the disputants are surprised to find, that they had been quarreling, while at bottom they agreed in their judgment.

这种趣味的多样性，连最漫不经心的研究者也看得出来；仔细考察之后，还会发现实际差异比表面所见更大。即使一般的说法相同，人们对于各种美与丑的感受也往往各不相同。每一种语言都有表示贬斥的词，也有表示赞扬的词；凡使用同一种语言的人，在如何使用这些词上必然一致。人人都赞扬文章的优雅、得体、简洁与生气，谴责浮夸、矫饰、冷淡与虚假的华丽；但批评家一旦谈到具体作品，这种表面的一致就消失了，人们才发现，他们赋予这些说法的含义大不相同。在意见与科学的问题上，情形恰好相反：分歧往往更多存在于一般表述，而非具体问题；实际差异也往往比表面看起来小。解释清楚术语，通常就能结束争论；争论者惊讶地发现，自己吵了半天，根本上的判断却原本一致。

Those who found morality on sentiment, more than on reason, are inclined to comprehend ethics under the former observation, and to maintain, that, in all questions, which regard conduct and manners, the difference among men is really greater than at first sight it appears. It is indeed obvious, that writers of all nations and all ages concur in applauding justice, humanity, magnanimity, prudence, veracity; and in blaming the opposite qualities. Even poets and other authors, whose compositions are chiefly calculated to please the imagination, are yet found, from HOMER down to FENELON, to inculcate the same moral precepts, and to bestow their applause and blame on the same virtues and vices. This great unanimity is usually ascribed to the influence of plain reason; which, in all these cases, maintains similar sentiments in all men, and prevents those controversies, to which the abstract sciences are so much exposed. So far as the unanimity is real, this account may be admitted as satisfactory: But we must also allow that some part of the seeming harmony in morals may be accounted for from the very nature of language. The word virtue, with its equivalent in every tongue, implies praise; as that of vice does blame: And no one, without the most obvious and grossest impropriety, could affix reproach to a term, which in general acceptation is understood in a good sense; or bestow applause, where the idiom requires disapprobation. HOMER’s general precepts, where he delivers any such will never be controverted; but it is obvious, that, when he draws particular pictures of manners, and represents heroism in ACHILLES and prudence in ULYSSES, he intermixes a much greater degree of ferocity in the former, and of cunning and fraud in the latter, than FENELON would admit of . The sage ULYSSES in the GREEK poet seems to delight in lies and fictions; and often employs them without any necessity or even advantage: But his more scrupulous son, in the FRENCH epic writer, exposes himself to the most imminent perils, rather than depart from the most exact line of truth and veracity.

那些更多把道德建立在情感、而非理性之上的人，倾向于把伦理学归入前一种情形。他们认为，在一切涉及行为与风俗的问题上，人与人之间的差别其实比乍看之下更大。诚然，各国各时代的作家，都一致赞扬正义、仁爱、宽宏、审慎与诚实，谴责与之相反的品质。甚至主要以愉悦想象为目的的诗人和其他作者，从荷马直到费内隆，也都灌输同样的道德训诫，赞扬和责备同样的美德与恶习。这种广泛一致，通常被归因于明白理性的影响：理性使人们在这些情形下保持类似的情感，避免抽象科学中常见的争执。只要这种一致确实存在，上述解释就可以认为令人满意；但我们也必须承认，道德领域中有些表面的和谐，可以由语言本身的性质来解释。“美德”一词，以及各语言中相应的词，都含有赞许之意；“恶德”则含有责备之意。把责备加在一个通常被理解为褒义的词上，或在语言习惯要求谴责的地方给予赞扬，都是最明显、最粗陋的失当。荷马一旦提出一般训诫，人们决不会反对；然而，当他描绘具体风俗，在阿喀琉斯身上表现英雄气概、在尤利西斯身上表现审慎时，显然在前者身上掺入了更多凶暴，在后者身上掺入了更多狡诈与欺骗，远非费内隆所能容许。在希腊诗人的笔下，睿智的尤利西斯似乎以谎言与虚构为乐，常常在毫无必要、甚至毫无好处时使用它们；而在法国史诗作家的笔下，他那更恪守原则的儿子，宁愿让自己陷入迫在眉睫的极大危险，也不愿稍稍偏离最严格的真实与诚实。

The admirers and follows of the ALCORAN insist on the excellent moral precepts interspersed throughout that wild and absurd performance. But it is to be supposed, that the ARABIC words, which correspond to the ENGLISH, equity, justice, temperance, meekness, charity, were such as, from the constant use of that tongue, must always be taken in a good sense; and it would have argued the greatest ignorance, not of morals, but of language, to have mentioned them with any epithets, besides those of applause and approbation. But would we know, whether the pretended prophet had really attained a just sentiment of morals? Let us attend to his narration; and we shall soon find, that he bestows praise on such instances of treachery, inhumanity, cruelty, revenge, bigotry, as are utterly incompatible with civilized society. No steady rule of right seems there to be attended to; and every action is blamed or praised, so far only as it is beneficial or hurtful to the true believers.

《古兰经》的赞美者和信徒，坚称这部狂乱而荒谬的作品中散布着卓越的道德训诫。然而可以推想，阿拉伯语中对应于英语“公平”“正义”“节制”“温顺”“仁爱”的词，由于该语言中的惯常用法，必然总是具有褒义。提及这些词时，若不用赞扬与认可的修饰语，就表明说话者极其无知；这种无知与其说关乎道德，不如说关乎语言。但若想知道，那位自称先知者是否真正具备正当的道德情感，就应注意他的叙述；我们很快就会发现，他赞扬的背信、残忍、暴虐、报复与狂热等事例，与文明社会完全不相容。其中似乎没有顾及任何稳定的正当准则；每种行为受到赞扬还是谴责，似乎只取决于它对真正的信徒有益还是有害。

The merit of delivering true general precepts in ethics is indeed very small. Whoever recommends any moral virtues, really does no more than is implied in the terms themselves. That people, who invented the word charity, and use it in a good sense, inculcated more clearly and much more efficaciously, the precept, be charitable, than any pretended legislator or prophet, who should insert such a maxim in his writings. Of all expressions, those, which, together with their other meaning, imply a degree either of blame or approbation, are the least liable to be perverted or mistaken.

提出正确的一般伦理训诫，其实没有多大功劳。一个人推荐任何道德美德，实际上只是说出了那些词本身已经包含的意思。创造“仁爱”一词并将其用作褒义的人，比任何在著作中写下“要仁爱”这句格言的所谓立法者或先知，都更明确、更有力地教导了这条训诫。在一切表达中，那些除了本身的其他含义，还包含某种谴责或赞许意味的词，最不容易遭到歪曲或误解。

It is natural for us to seek a Standard of Taste; a rule, by which the various sentiments of men may be reconciled; at least, a decision, afforded, confirming one sentiment, and condemning another.

我们自然会寻求一种趣味的标准：一种可以协调人们各种不同感受的规则；至少，也希望有一种裁断，能够肯定某一种感受，而否定另一种。

There is a species of philosophy, which cuts off all hopes of success in such an attempt, and represents the impossibility of ever attaining any standard of taste. The difference, it is said, is very wide between judgment and sentiment. All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it. But all determinations of the understanding are not right; because they have a reference to something beyond themselves, to wit, real matter of fact; and are not always conformable to that standard. Among a thousand different opinions which different men may entertain of the same subject, there is one, and but one, that is just and true; and the only difficulty is to fix and ascertain it. On the contrary, a thousand different sentiments, excited by the same object, are all right: Because no sentiment represents what is really in the object. It only marks a certain conformity or relation between the object and the organs or faculties of the mind; and if that conformity did not really exist, the sentiment could never possibly have being. Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty. One person may even perceive deformity, where another is sensible of beauty; and every individual ought to acquiesce in his own sentiment, without pretending to regulate those of others. To seek in the real beauty, or real deformity, is as fruitless an enquiry, as to pretend to ascertain the real sweet or real bitter. According to the disposition of the organs, the same object may be both sweet and bitter; and the proverb has justly determined it to be fruitless to dispute concerning tastes. It is very natural, and even quite necessary to extend this axiom to mental, as well as bodily taste; and thus common sense, which is so often at variance with philosophy, especially with the skeptical kind, is found, in one instance at least, to agree in pronouncing the same decision.

有一种哲学，断绝了这种尝试取得成功的一切希望，宣称我们永远不可能得到任何趣味的标准。据说，判断与感受之间有极大的差别。所有感受都是对的，因为感受不指向自身之外的任何东西；只要一个人意识到某种感受，它就总是真实存在的。然而，知性的裁断并不全都正确，因为它们指向自身之外的某种东西，即实际的事实，而它们并非总与这一标准相符。对于同一事物，千个人可能抱有一千种不同意见，其中正确而真实的却只有一种；唯一的难题，是把它确定下来。相反，同一对象所唤起的一千种不同感受，都是对的，因为感受并不表现对象中真实存在的某种东西。它只是标示对象与心灵的器官或能力之间的某种契合或关系；若这种契合并不实际存在，感受也就绝不可能产生。美并不是事物本身的一种性质；它只存在于观照事物的心灵之中，而每一颗心灵感知到的美都不同。一个人甚至可能在另一个人感到美的地方发现丑。每个人都应安于自己的感受，不要妄图支配别人的感受。寻求真正的美或真正的丑，就像企图确定真正的甜或真正的苦一样，是徒劳的探究。同一个对象，随着感官状态的不同，可能既甜又苦；因此，谚语认定争论口味是徒劳的，自有其道理。把这一格言由身体的口味扩展到心灵的趣味，不仅十分自然，而且确实必要。这样一来，那常常与哲学、尤其怀疑主义哲学不合的常识，至少在这一件事上，作出了与它相同的判决。

But though this axiom, by passing into a proverb, seems to have attained the sanction of common sense; there is certainly a species of common sense which opposes it, at least serves to modify and restrain it. Whoever would assert an equality of genius and elegance between OGILBY and MILTON, or BUNYAN and ADDISON, would be thought to defend no less an extravagance, than if he had maintained a mole-hill to be as high as TENERIFFE, or a pond as extensive as the ocean. Though there may be found persons, who give the preference to the former authors; no one pays attention to such a taste; and we pronounce without scruple the sentiment of these pretended critics to be absurd and ridiculous. The principle of the natural equality of tastes is then totally forgot, and while we admit it on some occasions, where the objects seem near an equality, it appears an extravagant paradox, or rather a palpable absurdity, where objects so disproportioned are compared together.

但是，这条格言虽然成为谚语，似乎已经获得常识的认可，却另有一种常识与之对立，至少会修正并限制它。谁若宣称奥格尔比与弥尔顿、班扬与艾迪生在天才和优雅方面不相上下，就会被认为是在为一种极端荒唐的说法辩护，正如声称鼹鼠丘与特内里费岛的高山一样高，池塘与海洋一样广阔。虽然可能有人更喜欢前面两位作者，但没有人会重视这样的趣味；我们会毫不犹豫地宣布，这些所谓批评家的感受荒谬可笑。于是，趣味天然平等这一原则便被彻底忘掉了。当对象看来相近时，我们有时还承认它；但若把差距如此悬殊的对象放在一起比较，它就成了一种极端的悖论，甚至一种显而易见的荒谬。

It is evident that none of the rules of composition are fixed by reasonings a priori, or can be esteemed abstract conclusions of the understanding, from comparing those habitudes and relations of ideas, which are eternal and immutable. Their foundation is the same with that of all the practical sciences, experience; nor are they any thing but general observations, concerning what has been universally found to please in all countries and in all ages. Many of the beauties of poetry and even of eloquence are founded on falsehood and fiction, on hyperboles, metaphors, and an abuse or perversion of terms from their natural meaning. To check the sallies of the imagination, and to reduce every expression to geometrical truth and exactness, would be the most contrary to the laws of criticism; because it would produce a work, which, by universal experience, has been found the most insipid and disagreeable. But though poetry can never submit to exact truth, it must be confined by rules of art, discovered to the author either by genius or observation. If some negligent or irregular writers have pleased, they have not pleased by their transgressions of rule or order, but in spite of these transgressions: They have possessed other beauties, which were conformable to just criticism; and the force of these beauties has been able to overpower censure, and give the mind a satisfaction superior to the disgust arising from the blemishes. ARIOSTO pleases; but not by his monstrous and improbable fictions, by his bizarre mixture of the serious and comic styles, by the want of coherence in his stories, or by the continual interruptions of his narration. He charms by the force and clearness of his expression, by the readiness and variety of his inventions, and by his natural pictures of the passions, especially those of the gay and amorous kind: And however his faults may diminish our satisfaction, they are not able entirely to destroy it. Did our pleasure really arise from those parts of his poem, which we denominate faults, this would be no objection to criticism in general: It would only be an objection to those particular rules of criticism, which would establish such circumstances to be faults, and would represent them as universally blameable. If they are found to please, they cannot be faults; let the pleasure, which they produce, be ever so unexpected and unaccountable.

显然，写作的规则没有一条由先验推理确定，也不能被看作知性通过比较那些永恒不变的观念关系而得出的抽象结论。它们的基础，与一切实践科学一样，都是经验；它们不过是一般性的观察，关乎各国各时代普遍发现能使人愉悦的东西。诗歌乃至雄辩中的许多美，都建立在不实与虚构、夸张、隐喻，以及对词语本义的滥用或变用之上。约束想象的奔放，使每一句话都还原为几何学式的真实与精确，最违背批评的法则；因为普遍经验表明，那样只会产生最乏味、最令人不快的作品。尽管诗歌绝不能服从严格的事实，它仍必须受艺术规则约束；这些规则，作者或凭天才、或凭观察而发现。一些疏忽或不守规矩的作家能够取悦读者，并不是由于他们违反规则与秩序，而是尽管他们违反了这些规则。他们具有其他符合正当批评的美；这些美的力量压过了责难，使心灵获得的满足，超过瑕疵所引起的厌恶。阿里奥斯托使人愉悦，却不是靠那些怪诞而不可信的虚构、严肃与滑稽文体的奇异混杂、故事缺乏连贯，或叙述的不断中断。他的魅力在于表达的有力与清晰，构思的敏捷与多样，以及对情感、特别是欢乐与爱情的自然描绘。虽然他的缺点减损我们的满足，却不能将其完全摧毁。即使我们的愉悦真的来自他诗中那些被我们称作缺点的部分，也不能由此反驳批评本身；这只能反驳某些特定批评规则——那些把这些情形定为缺点、认定它们应普遍受到谴责的规则。倘若事实表明它们使人愉悦，它们便不能算缺点，无论这种愉悦多么出人意料、多么难以解释。

But though all the general rules of art are founded only on experience and on the observation of the common sentiments of human nature, we must not imagine, that, on every occasion the feelings of men will be conformable to these rules. Those finer emotions of the mind are of a very tender and delicate nature, and require the concurrence of many favourable circumstances to make them play with facility and exactness, according to their general and established principles. The least exterior hindrance to such small springs, or the least internal disorder, disturbs their motion, and confounds the operation of the whole machine. When we would make an experiment of this nature, and would try the force of any beauty or deformity, we must choose with care a proper time and place, and bring the fancy to a suitable situation and disposition. A perfect serenity of mind, a recollection of thought, a due attention to the object; if any of these circumstances be wanting, our experiment will be fallacious, and we shall be unable to judge of the catholic and universal beauty. The relation, which nature has placed between the form and the sentiment will at least be more obscure; and it will require greater accuracy to trace and discern it. We shall be able to ascertain its influence not so much from the operation of each particular beauty, as from the durable admiration, which attends those works, that have survived all the caprices of mode and fashion, all the mistakes of ignorance and envy.

不过，虽然艺术的一切一般规则，仅建立在经验以及对人性共同情感的观察之上，我们也不能以为，人们的感受在每一种场合都会符合这些规则。心灵中那些更细微的情感，性质十分柔弱而精细；必须有许多有利条件相互配合，它们才能依照通常确定的原则，顺畅而准确地活动。这些细小机簧只要遇到最轻微的外界阻碍，或最微小的内部失调，其运动就会受到扰乱，整部机器的运作也会陷入混乱。我们若要做这种实验，检验某种美或丑的力量，就必须仔细选择适当的时间与地点，使想象处在合宜的情境与状态中。心境完全宁静、思绪集中、对对象保持适当关注，这些条件若缺少任何一个，我们的实验就会失真，无法判断普遍的、共同的美。自然在形式与感受之间建立的关系，至少会变得更加模糊，需要更精确的观察才能追踪和辨认。要确认这种关系的影响，与其考察每一个具体美感的作用，不如看那些经受住时尚反复、无知与嫉妒造成的种种误判，仍然长久获得赞赏的作品。

The same HOMER, who pleased at ATHENS and ROME two thousand years ago, is still admired at PARIS and at LONDON. All the changes of climate, government, religion, and language, have not been able to obscure his glory. Authority or prejudice may give a temporary vogue to a bad poet or orator, but his reputation will never be durable or general. When his compositions are examined by posterity or by foreigners, the enchantment is dissipated, and his faults appear in their true colours. On the contrary, a real genius, the longer his works endure, and the more wide they are spread, the more sincere is the admiration which he meets with. Envy and jealousy have too much place in a narrow circle; and even familiar acquaintance with his person may diminish the applause due to his performances. But when these obstructions are removed, the beauties, which are naturally fitted to excite agreeable sentiments, immediately display their energy and while the world endures, they maintain their authority over the minds of men.

两千年前曾使雅典与罗马人喜爱的那位荷马，今天仍受到巴黎与伦敦人的赞赏。气候、政体、宗教与语言的一切变化，都未能遮蔽他的光辉。权威或偏见可能使一个拙劣的诗人或演说家风行一时，但他的名声绝不会持久，也不会普遍。当后世或异国的人审视其作品时，魔力便消散了，他的缺点显出本来的面貌。相反，真正的天才，其作品流传越久、传播越广，所获得的赞赏就越真诚。在狭小的圈子里，嫉妒与猜忌占据太多空间；甚至与作者本人过于熟悉，也会减损其作品应得的赞扬。然而一旦这些障碍被排除，那些天然适于唤起愉快感受的美，就会立即显示其力量；只要世界仍然存在，它们就会保持对人类心灵的权威。

It appears then, that, amidst all the variety and caprice of taste, there are certain general principles of approbation or blame, whose influence a careful eye may trace in all operations of the mind. Some particular forms or qualities, from the original structure of the internal fabric, are calculated to please, and others to displease; and if they fail of their effect in any particular instance, it is from some apparent defect or imperfection in the organ. A man in a fever would not insist on his palate as able to decide concerning flavours; nor would one, affected with the jaundice, pretend to give a verdict with regard to colours. In each creature, there is a sound and a defective state; and the former alone can be supposed to afford us a true standard of a taste and sentiment. If, in the sound state of theorgan, there be an entire or considerable uniformity of sentiment among men, we may thence derive an idea of the perfect beauty; in like manner as the appearance of objects in daylight, to the eye of a man in health, is denominated their true and real colour, even while colour is allowed to be merely a phantasm of the senses.

因此，在趣味的一切变化与任性之中，似乎仍有某些普遍的赞扬或责备原则；细心观察的人，能够在心灵的各种活动中追踪它们的影响。由于心灵内部构造的原初性质，某些形式或特性适于使人愉悦，另一些则适于使人不快；如果它们在某个具体情形中未能发挥作用，那是感受器官存在某种明显缺陷或不完善之处。发烧的人不会坚持说，自己的味觉足以裁断各种味道；患黄疸的人也不会自称能够评判颜色。每一种生灵都有健全与有缺陷的状态，只有前一种状态才可以被认为能为趣味与感受提供真正的标准。如果在器官健全时，人们的感受完全或大体一致，我们就可以由此形成完美之美的观念。正如物体在日光下呈现于健康者眼中的色彩，被称为物体真实的颜色，即使我们承认颜色不过是感官中的一种表象，也是如此。

Many and frequent are the defects in the internal organs, which prevent or weaken the influence of those general principles, on which depends our sentiment of beauty or deformity. Though some objects, by the structure of the mind, be naturally calculated to give pleasure, it is not to be expected, that in every individual the pleasure will be equally felt. Particular incidents and situations occur, which either throw a false light on the objects, or hinder the true from conveying to the imagination the proper sentiment and perception.

内部感受器官的缺陷既多且常见；我们对于美丑的感受依赖某些一般原则，而这些缺陷会阻碍或削弱它们的影响。虽然心灵的构造使某些对象天然能够带来愉悦，却不能指望每个人都同样感受到这种愉悦。某些特定事件和处境，会使对象呈现出虚假的面貌，或阻止真实面貌向想象传达应有的感受与知觉。

One obvious cause, why many feel not the proper sentiment of beauty, is the want of that delicacy of imagination, which is requisite to convey a sensibility of those finer emotions. This delicacy every one pretends to: Every one talks of it; and would reduce every kind of taste or sentiment to its standard. But as our intention in this essay is to mingle some light of the understanding with the feelings of sentiment, it will be proper to give a more accurate definition of delicacy, than has hitherto been attempted. And not to draw our philosophy from too profound a source, we shall have recourse to a noted story in DON QUIXOTE.

许多人不能产生恰当美感，一个明显的原因，是缺乏想象力的细腻；要感受到那些更微妙的情绪，正需要这种细腻。人人都自称具备它，人人都谈论它，并想把一切趣味或感受归于它的标准。然而，这篇文章旨在将一些知性的光亮融入情感的感受之中，因此，我们有必要为“细腻”给出一个比以往更准确的定义。为了不使哲学的来源过于深奥，我们将求助于《堂吉诃德》中一个著名的故事。

It is with good reason, says SANCHO to the squire with the great nose, that I pretend to have a judgment in wine: this is a quality hereditary in our family. Two of my kinsmen were once called to give their opinion of a hogshead, which was supposed to be excellent, being old and of a good vintage. One of them tastes it; considers it; and after mature reflection pronounces the wine to be good, were it not for a small taste of leather, which he perceived in it. The other, after using the same precautions, gives also his verdict in favour of the wine; but with the reserve of a taste of iron, which he could easily distinguish. You cannot imagine how much they were both ridiculed for their judgment. But who laughed in the end? On emptying the hogshead, there was found at the bottom, an old key with a leathern thong tied to it.

桑丘对那个大鼻子的侍从说：“我自称会品酒，是有充分理由的；这种本领在我们家是祖传的。我的两个亲戚，有一次被请去评论一大桶酒。人们认为那酒很出色，因为它陈年已久，而且出自好年份。一个亲戚尝了尝，仔细考虑，深思熟虑之后说，这酒本来很好，只可惜他尝到了一点皮革味。另一个同样慎重地品尝之后，也判定这酒不错，不过有所保留，因为他很容易辨认出其中有一股铁味。你想象不到，他们两个的判断遭到多么厉害的嘲笑。可是，最后笑的是谁呢？酒桶倒空后，人们在桶底发现了一把旧钥匙，上面系着一根皮条。”

The great resemblance between mental and bodily taste will easily teach us to apply this story. Though it be certain, that beauty and deformity, more than sweet and bitter, are not qualities in objects, but belong entirely to the sentiment, internal or external; it must be allowed, that there are certain qualities in objects, which are fitted by nature to produce those particular feelings. Now as these qualities may be found in a smaller degree, or may be mixed and confounded with each other, it often happens, that the taste is not affected with such minute qualities, or is not able to distinguish all the particular flavours, amidst the disorder, in which they are presented. Where the organs are so fine, as to allow nothing to escape them; and at the same time so exact as to perceive every ingredient in the composition: This we call delicacy of taste, whether we employ these terms in the literal or metaphorical sense. Here then the general rules of beauty are of use; being drawn from established models, and from the observation of what pleases or displeases, when presented singly and in a high degree: And if the same qualities, in a continued composition and in a small degree, affect not the organs with a sensible delight or uneasiness, we exclude the person from all pretensions to this delicacy. To produce these general rules or avowed patterns of composition is like finding the key with the leathern thong; which justified the verdict of SANCHO’s kinsmen, and confounded those pretended judges who had condemned them. Though the hogshead had never been emptied, the taste of the one was still equally delicate, and that of the other equally dull and languid: But it would have been more difficult to have proved the superiority of the former, to the conviction of every by-stander. In like manner, though the beauties of writing had never been methodized, or reduced to general principles; though no excellent models had ever been acknowledged; the different degrees of taste would still have subsisted, and the judgment of one man had been preferable to that of another; but it would not have been so easy to silence the bad critic, who might always insist upon his particular sentiment, and refuse to submit to his antagonist. But when we show him an avowed principle of art; when we illustrate this principle by examples, whose operation, from his own particular taste, he acknowledges to be conformable to the principle; when we prove, that the same principle may be applied to the present case, where he did not perceive or feel its influence: He must conclude, upon the whole, that the fault lies in himself, and that he wants the delicacy, which is requisite to make him sensible of every beauty and every blemish, in any composition or discourse.

心灵的趣味与身体的口味极其相似，这很容易让我们懂得如何运用这个故事。虽然可以确定，美与丑同甜与苦一样，都不是对象本身的性质，而完全属于内部或外部的感受；但也必须承认，对象中确实存在某些天然适于产生这些特定感受的性质。由于这些性质可能只以较小程度存在，或彼此混合、交织，人们常常不能感受到这些微细特性，或无法在它们混杂呈现时辨别每一种具体滋味。如果感官足够精细，什么也逃不过它，同时又足够准确，能够察觉组合中的每一种成分，我们就称之为趣味的细腻；无论是在字面还是比喻意义上使用这些词，都是如此。在这里，美的一般规则便有用武之地。这些规则来自公认的典范，以及对于某些性质单独、鲜明地呈现时，究竟使人愉悦还是不悦的观察。如果同样的性质以较微弱的程度出现在一部完整作品中，却不能使某人的感官产生可觉察的愉悦或不安，我们就否认他自称具有这种细腻的资格。提出这些一般规则或公认的写作典范，就好比找到了系着皮条的钥匙：它证明了桑丘亲戚的判断正确，使那些谴责他们的所谓鉴赏家哑口无言。即使那桶酒从未倒空，前一类人的味觉仍同样细腻，后一类人的味觉也仍同样迟钝；只是要让所有旁观者都确信前者更优，就会更加困难。同样，即使文章的美从未被整理成体系、归纳为一般原则，即使从未有公认的优秀典范，趣味的高下仍然存在，一个人的判断仍可能优于另一个人的判断；只是更不容易使拙劣的批评家闭嘴，因为他总可以坚持自己特有的感受，拒绝服从对手。但是，当我们向他指出一条公认的艺术原则，用一些例子说明它，而且他依据自己的趣味也承认这些例子的效果符合该原则；当我们进一步证明，同一原则也适用于眼前这个他未曾察觉其影响的例子时，他就必须最终承认，问题出在他自己身上：他缺少那种必要的细腻，因而不能感知任何作品或论说中的每一处美与瑕疵。

It is acknowledged to be the perfection of every sense or faculty, to perceive with exactness its most minute objects, and allow nothing to escape its notice and observation. The smaller the objects are, which become sensible to the eye, the finer is that organ, and the more elaborate its make and composition. A good palate is not tried by strong flavours; but by a mixture of small ingredients, where we are still sensible of each part, notwithstanding its minuteness and its confusion with the rest. In like manner, a quick and acute perception of beauty and deformity must be the perfection of our mental taste; nor can a man be satisfied with himself while he suspects, that any excellence or blemish in a discourse has passed him unobserved. In this case, the perfection of the man, and the perfection of the sense or feeling, are found to be united. A very delicate palate, on many occasions, may be a great inconvenience both to a man himself and to his friends: But a delicate taste of wit or beauty must always be a desirable quality; because it is the source of all the finest and most innocent enjoyments, of which human nature is susceptible. In this decision the sentiments of all mankind are agreed. Wherever you can ascertain a delicacy of taste, it is sure to meet with approbation; and the best way of ascertaining it is to appeal to those models and principles, which have been established by the uniform consent and experience of nations and ages.

人们公认，每一种感官或能力的完善，都在于能够准确察觉最细微的对象，不让任何东西逃过自己的注意与观察。眼睛能感知的对象越小，这个器官就越精细，其构造也就越精巧。检验好味觉，靠的不是浓烈的味道，而是微小成分的混合：尽管每一种成分微弱且与其他成分混杂，我们仍能察觉各个部分。同样，迅速而敏锐地感知美丑，必定是心灵趣味的完善。一个人只要怀疑，自己漏掉了一篇论说中的某种长处或瑕疵，就不可能自我满足。在这里，人的完善与感官或感受的完善结合在一起。过于敏锐的味觉，在许多场合可能给自己和朋友带来很大不便；然而，对才智或美的细腻趣味，却始终是一种值得追求的品质，因为它是一切最精妙、最无害的愉悦的源泉，而这些愉悦正是人性所能享有的。全人类在这一判断上感受一致。只要细腻的趣味得到确认，就必定获得赞许；而确认它的最佳方法，是诉诸那些由各国各时代一致认可和共同经验所确立的典范与原则。

But though there be naturally a wide difference in point of delicacy between one person and another, nothing tends further to encrease and improve this talent, than practice in a particular art, and the frequent survey or contemplation of a particular species of beauty. When objects of any kind are first presented to the eye or imagination, the sentiment, which attends them, is obscure and confused; and the mind is, in a great measure, incapable of pronouncing concerning their merits or defects. The taste cannot perceive the several excellences of the performance; much less distinguish the particular character of each excellency, and ascertain its quality and degree. If it pronounce the whole in general to be beautiful or deformed, it is the utmost that can be expected; and even this judgment, a person, so unpracticed, will be apt to deliver with great hesitation and reserve. But allow him to acquire experience in those objects, his feeling becomes more exact and nice: He not only perceives the beauties and defects of each part, but marks the distinguishing species of each quality, and assigns it suitable praise or blame. A clear and distinct sentiment attends him through the whole survey of the objects; and he discerns that very degree and kind of approbation or displeasure, which each part is naturally fitted to produce. The mist dissipates, which seemed formerly to hang over the object: the organ acquires greater perfection in its operations; and can pronounce, without danger of mistake, concerning the merits of every performance. In a word, the same address and dexterity, which practice gives to the execution of any work, is also acquired by the same means in the judging of it.

尽管人与人之间在细腻程度上天然存在巨大差异，但没有什么比在某种特定艺术中的练习，以及经常观察、沉思某一类美，更能增进这种才能。某类对象最初呈现于眼前或想象中时，随之而来的感受是模糊而混乱的；心灵在很大程度上还不能判断它们的优劣。趣味无法察觉作品的种种长处，更不能分辨每种长处的特殊性质，确定其类别与程度。最多只能期望他笼统地说整个对象美或丑；即使作出这种判断，一个如此缺乏练习的人，也往往迟疑不决、保留重重。但让他积累关于这些对象的经验之后，他的感受就会变得更准确、更精细。他不仅察觉每个部分的美与缺陷，还能辨明每项品质所属的独特类别，给予适当的赞扬或责备。在观察对象的全过程中，他都伴随着清晰分明的感受，并能辨认每一个部分天然适于产生何种、何等程度的赞许或不快。先前仿佛笼罩对象的迷雾消散了，感官的运作更加完善，能够稳妥地评判各种作品的优劣。总之，练习赋予我们创作所需的灵巧与熟练，也以同样的方式赋予我们评判作品的能力。

So advantageous is practice to the discernment of beauty, that, before we can give judgment of any work of importance, it will even be requisite, that that very individual performance be more than once perused by us, and be surveyed in different lights with attention and deliberation. There is a flutter or hurry of thought which attends the first perusal of any piece, and which confounds the genuine sentiment of beauty. The relation of the parts is not discerned: The true characters of style are little distinguished: The several perfections and defects seem wrapped up in a species of confusion, and present themselves indistinctly to the imagination. Not to mention, that there is a species of beauty, which, as it is florid and superficial, pleases at first; but being found incompatible with a just expression either of reason or passion, soon palls upon the taste, and is then rejected with disdain, at least rated at a much lower value.

练习如此有助于辨识美，以至于在评判任何重要作品之前，我们甚至需要不止一次阅读这部作品本身，从不同角度加以专注而审慎的考察。初读任何作品时，思绪都难免躁动、急促，这会扰乱真正的美感。各部分之间的关系尚未看清，风格的真正特点也没有得到充分辨别，种种长处与缺点似乎裹在一团混乱之中，模糊地呈现于想象。更不用说，还有一种美，因为浮艳而浅表，乍看使人愉快；但不久便被发现与理性或情感的恰当表达不相容，于是很快令人厌倦，继而遭到鄙弃，至少被大大降低评价。

It is impossible to continue in the practice of contemplating any order of beauty, without being frequently obliged to form comparisons between the several species and degrees of excellence, and estimating their proportion to each other. A man, who has had no opportunity of comparing the different kinds of beauty, is indeed totally unqualified to pronounce an opinion with regard to any object presented to him. By comparison alone we fix the epithets of praise or blame, and learn how to assign the due degree of each. The coarsest daubing contains a certain lustre of colours and exactness of imitation, which are so far beauties, and would affect the mind of a peasant or Indian with the highest admiration. The most vulgar ballads are not entirely destitute of harmony or nature; and none but a person, familiarized to superior beauties, would pronounce their numbers harsh, or narration uninteresting. A great inferiority of beauty gives pain to a person conversant in the highest excellence of the kind, and is for that reason pronounced a deformity: As the most finished object, with which we are acquainted, is naturally supposed to have reached the pinnacle of perfection, and to be entitled to the highest applause. One accustomed to see, and examine, and weigh the several performances, admired in different ages and nations, can only rate the merits of a work exhibited to his view, and assign its proper rank among the productions of genius.

人不可能持续练习欣赏某一类美，而不经常需要比较各种长处的类别与程度，衡量它们彼此间的比例。一个人若没有机会比较不同种类的美，事实上就完全没有资格对呈现在他面前的任何对象发表判断。只有通过比较，我们才能确定赞扬或贬斥的称谓，学会给每一对象以适当程度的评价。最粗劣的涂抹，也包含某种色彩的光泽和模仿的准确性；这些毕竟也是美，足以使农民或印第安人的心灵产生极度赞赏。最庸俗的民谣也并非全无和谐与自然；唯有熟悉更高美的人，才会判定它们的韵律刺耳、叙事乏味。对熟知同类中最高成就的人而言，远逊于它的美会带来不快，因此被称为丑；相应地，我们所知最完善的对象，自然被认为已经达到完美的顶峰，有资格获得最高赞扬。只有习惯于观看、考察、权衡不同国家与时代所赞赏的各种作品的人，才能衡量眼前作品的价值，给它在天才的创造中确定恰当的位置。

But to enable a critic the more fully to execute this undertaking, he must preserve his mind free from all prejudice, and allow nothing to enter into his consideration, but the very object which is submitted to his examination. We may observe, that every work of art, in order to produce its due effect on the mind, must be surveyed in a certain point of view, and not be fully relished by persons, whose situation, real or imaginary, is not conformable to that which is required by the performance. An orator addresses himself to a particular audience, and must have a regard to their particular genius, interests, opinions, passions, and prejudices; otherwise he hopes in vain to govern their resolutions, and inflame their affections. Should they even have entertained some prepossessions against him, however unreasonable, he must not overlook this disadvantage; but, before he enters upon the subject, must endeavour to conciliate their affection, and acquire their good graces. A critic of a different age or notion, who should peruse this discourse, must have all these circumstances in his eye, and must place himself in the same situation as the audience, in order to form a true judgment of the oration. In like manner, when any work is addressed to the public, though I should have a friendship or enmity with the author, I must depart from this situation; and considering myself as a man in general, forget, if possible, my individual being and my peculiar circumstances. A person influenced by prejudice, complies not with this condition; but obstinately maintains his natural position, without placing himself in that point of view, which the performance supposes. If the work be addressed to persons of a different age or nation, he makes no allowance for their peculiar views and prejudices; but, full of the manners of his own age and country, rashly condemns what seemed admirable in the eyes of those for whom alone the discourse was calculated. If the work be executed for the public, he never sufficiently enlarges his comprehension, or forgets his interest as a friend or enemy, as a rival or commentator. By this means, his sentiments are perverted; nor have the same beauties and blemishes the same influence upon him, as if he had imposed a proper violence on his imagination, and had forgotten himself for a moment. So far his taste evidently departs from the true standard; and of consequence loses all credit and authority.

为了让批评家更充分地完成这项工作，他必须使心灵摆脱一切偏见，除了提交审视的对象本身之外，不让任何别的东西进入考虑。我们可以看到，每一件艺术作品，要对心灵产生应有的效果，都必须从某个特定角度来观看；如果一个人实际的或想象的处境，不符合该作品要求的处境，他就不能充分欣赏它。演说家面向特定的听众，必须顾及他们特有的性情、利益、意见、情感与偏见；否则，想支配他们的决心、激发他们的感情，便是徒劳。即使听众对他抱有某种成见，无论多么不合理，他也不能忽视这种不利处境，而必须在进入正题之前，努力赢得他们的好感与善意。另一个时代或国家的批评家阅读这篇演说时，要作出正确判断，就必须把这些情况全都考虑在内，并把自己置于听众的处境。同样，一部作品若是面向公众的，即使我与作者有友谊或仇怨，也必须摆脱这种关系，把自己看作一般意义上的人，尽可能忘掉自己的个体身份和特殊处境。受偏见影响的人不遵守这一条件，他固执地停留在自己原有的位置，不肯进入作品所预设的视角。如果作品写给另一个时代或国家的人，他就不体谅那些人特有的看法与偏见，而是满脑子自己时代与国家的习俗，轻率谴责那些在原定读者看来值得赞赏的东西。如果作品面向公众，他又不能充分扩大自己的理解，也不能忘记作为朋友、敌人、竞争者或评论者的利害关系。这样，他的感受便被扭曲；同样的美与瑕疵对他的影响，也就不同于他努力约束自己的想象、暂时忘却自己时的影响。在这一点上，他的趣味显然偏离了真正的标准，因而失去一切可信性与权威。

It is well known, that in all questions, submitted to the understanding, prejudice is destructive of sound judgment, and perverts all operations of the intellectual faculties: It is no less contrary to good taste; nor has it less influence to corrupt our sentiment of beauty. It belongs to good sense to check its influence in both cases; and in this respect, as well as in many others, reason, if not an essential part of taste, is at least requisite to the operations of this latter faculty. In all the nobler productions of genius, there is a mutual relation and correspondence of parts; nor can either the beauties or blemishes be perceived by him, whose thought is not capacious enough to comprehend all those parts, and compare then with each other, in order to perceive the consistence and uniformity of the whole. Every work of art has also a certain end or purpose, for which it is calculated; and is to be deemed more or less perfect, as it is more or less fitted to attain this end. The object of eloquence is to persuade, of history to instruct, of poetry to please by means of the passions and the imagination. These ends we must carry constantly in our view, when we peruse any performance; and we must be able to judge how far the means employed are adapted to their respective purposes. Besides, every kind of composition, even the most poetical, is nothing but a chain of propositions and reasonings; not always, indeed, the justest and most exact, but still plausible and specious, however disguised by the colouring of the imagination. The persons introduced in tragedy and epic poetry, must be represented as reasoning, and thinking, and concluding, and acting, suitably to their character and circumstances; and without judgment, as well as taste and invention, a poet can never hope to succeed in so delicate an undertaking. Not to mention, that the same excellence of faculties which contributes to the improvement of reason, the same clearness of conception, the same exactness of distinction, the same vivacity of apprehension, are essential to the operations of true taste, and are its infallible concomitants. It seldom, or never happens, that a man of sense, who has experience in any art, cannot judge of its beauty; and it is no less rare to meet with a man who has a just taste without a sound understanding.

众所周知，在一切交付知性裁断的问题上，偏见会破坏健全的判断，扭曲智力的各种活动；它同样违背良好的趣味，对美感的败坏也同样严重。在这两种情形中，抑制偏见的影响都是健全见识的职责。因此，无论在这一方面还是其他许多方面，理性即使并非趣味的本质组成部分，至少也是趣味得以运作的必要条件。在一切较高贵的天才作品中，各部分互相关联、彼此呼应；一个人的思想若不够宽广，不能把握所有部分并相互比较，以认识整体的一致与统一，就既不能察觉其美，也不能察觉其瑕疵。每一件艺术作品还都有某种预定的目标或用途；它在多大程度上适于实现这一目标，就在多大程度上应被视为完善。雄辩的目的在于说服，历史的目的在于教导，诗歌的目的在于通过情感与想象使人愉悦。阅读作品时，我们必须始终牢记这些目的，并且能够判断所用手段在多大程度上适合各自的目标。此外，每一类作品，即使最富诗意的作品，也无非是一连串命题与推理；它们固然不总是最正确、最严密的，但无论怎样被想象的色彩掩饰，仍然带有可信或似真的面貌。悲剧和史诗中的人物，必须依照其性格与处境来推理、思考、得出结论并采取行动。诗人若不在趣味和创造力之外还具备判断力，就绝无希望完成这样精细的工作。更不必说，有助于改进理性的那些卓越能力——清晰的观念、精确的区分、敏捷的领会——同样是正确趣味得以运作的必要条件，并且总是与之相伴。一个有见识的人，只要在某种艺术方面有经验，就几乎不可能不能判断它的美；同样，很少能见到一个人拥有正确的趣味，却没有健全的理解力。

Thus, though the principles of taste be universal, and, nearly, if not entirely the same in all men; yet few are qualified to give judgment on any work of art, or establish their own sentiment as the standard of beauty. The organs of internal sensation are seldom so perfect as to allow the general principles their full play, and produce a feeling correspondent to those principles. They either labour under some defect, or are vitiated by some disorder; and by that means, excite a sentiment, which may be pronounced erroneous. When the critic has no delicacy, he judges without any distinction, and is only affected by the grosser and more palpable qualities of the object: The finer touches pass unnoticed and disregarded. Where he is not aided by practice, his verdict is attended with confusion and hesitation. Where no comparison has been employed, the most frivolous beauties, such as rather merit the name of defects., are the object of his admiration. Where he lies under the influence of prejudice, all his natural sentiments are perverted. Where good sense is wanting, he is not qualified to discern the beauties of design and reasoning, which are the highest and most excellent. Under some or other of these imperfections, the generality of men labour; and hence a true judge in the finer arts is observed, even during the most polished ages, to be so rare a character; Strong sense, united to delicate sentiment, improved by practice, perfected by comparison, and cleared of all prejudice, can alone entitle critics to this valuable character; and the joint verdict of such, wherever they are to be found, is the true standard of taste and beauty.

所以，尽管趣味的原则具有普遍性，在一切人身上即使不完全相同，也几乎相同，然而有资格对艺术作品作出判断、或把自身感受确立为美的标准的人，却寥寥无几。内在感受的器官很少完善到足以让一般原则充分发挥作用，并产生与这些原则相应的感受。它们不是受某种缺陷妨碍，就是被某种失调败坏，从而激起一种可以被判为错误的感受。批评家如果缺少细腻，就会不加分辨地判断，只受对象较粗显、较易觉察的性质影响；精妙的笔触则无人留意、无人顾及。如果没有练习的帮助，他的裁断就伴随着混乱与迟疑。如果没有进行比较，他赞赏的便可能是最微不足道、甚至更应称作缺点的美。如果受到偏见影响，他一切天然感受都会被扭曲。如果缺少健全的见识，他便无资格辨别构思与推理中最高、最卓越的美。大多数人都受到这样或那样的缺陷困扰；因此，即使在最文雅的时代，真正能评判精美艺术的人也如此罕见。只有健全的见识与细腻的感受相结合，经由练习而改善，通过比较而完善，并清除一切偏见，才能使批评家配得上这一可贵的称号；无论这些人在哪里，他们的共同裁断，就是真正的趣味与美的标准。

But where are such critics to be found? By what marks are they to be known? How distinguish them from pretenders? These questions are embarrassing; and seem to throw us back into the same uncertainty, from which, during the course of this essay, we have endeavoured to extricate ourselves.

但是，这样的批评家到哪里去找？凭什么标志认出他们？又如何把他们与冒充者区分开来？这些问题令人困窘，似乎又把我们推回那种不确定之中，而整篇文章一直试图使我们摆脱它。

But if we consider the matter aright, these are questions of fact, not of sentiment. Whether any particular person be endowed with good sense and a delicate imagination, free from prejudice, may often be the subject of dispute, and be liable to great discussion and enquiry: but that such a character is valuable and estimable will be agreed in by all mankind. Where these doubts occur, men can do no more than in other disputable questions, which are submitted to the understanding: They must produce the best arguments, that their invention suggests to them; they must acknowledge a true and decisive standard to exist somewhere, to wit, real existence and matter of fact; and they must have indulgence to such as differ from them in their appeals to this standard. It is sufficient for our present purpose, if we have proved, that the taste of all individuals is not upon an equal footing, and that some men in general, however difficult to be particularly pitched upon, will be acknowledged by universal sentiment to have a preference above others.

然而，只要正确看待问题，就会发现这些是事实问题，而非感受问题。某个具体的人是否具备健全见识、细腻想象，并且没有偏见，常常可能引起争议，需要大量讨论与考察；但是，这种品格值得珍视与尊重，全人类都会同意。出现疑问时，人们能做的，与处理其他交付知性裁决的争议没有两样：他们必须提出自己所能想到的最佳论据；必须承认，在某处存在一种真实而有决定力的标准，即实际存在与事实；对于同样诉诸这一标准、却与自己看法不同的人，也必须宽容。如果我们已经证明，每个人的趣味并非处于同等地位，某些人总体上会被共同的感受承认优于其他人，尽管很难具体指出他们是谁，那么就足以达到眼下的目的。

But in reality the difficulty of finding, even in particulars, the standard of taste, is not so great as it is represented. Though in speculation, we may readily avow a certain criterion in science and deny it in sentiment, the matter is found in practice to be much more hard to ascertain in the former case than in the latter. Theories of abstract philosophy, systems of profound theology, have prevailed during one age: In a successive period, these have been universally exploded: Their absurdity has been detected: Other theories and systems have supplied their place, which again gave place to their successors: And nothing has been experienced more liable to the revolutions of chance and fashion than these pretended decisions of science. The case is not the same with the beauties of eloquence and poetry. Just expressions of passion and nature are sure, after a little time, to gain public applause, which they maintain for ever. ARISTOTLE, and PLATO, and EPICURUS, and DESCARTES, may successively yield to each other: But TERENCE and VIRGIL maintain an universal, undisputed empire over the minds of men. The abstract philosophy of CICERO has lost its credit: The vehemence of his oratory is still the object of our admiration.

实际上，即使在具体问题中，寻找趣味标准的困难也没有所说的那么大。虽然在思辨中，我们可能很容易承认科学有某种准则，却否认感受有准则；但在实践中，前者反而比后者更难确定。抽象哲学的理论、深奥神学的体系，曾在一个时代盛行；到了下一个时期，却被普遍抛弃，其荒谬被揭露，其他理论和体系取而代之，而它们又让位于后来者。经验表明，没有什么比这些所谓科学的裁断，更容易受到偶然与时尚变迁的摆布。雄辩和诗歌的美却并非如此。对情感与自然的恰当表达，经过一段时间，必定赢得公众赞赏，并永久保持这种赞赏。亚里士多德、柏拉图、伊壁鸠鲁和笛卡尔可能相继让位于彼此；但泰伦提乌斯和维吉尔却在人类心灵中保持着普遍而无争议的统治。西塞罗的抽象哲学已经失去信誉，他演说的雄健力量却仍是我们赞赏的对象。

Though men of delicate taste be rare, they are easily to be distinguished in society, by the soundness of their understanding and the superiority of their faculties above the rest of mankind. The ascendant, which they acquire, gives a prevalence to that lively approbation, with which they receive any productions of genius, and renders it generally predominant. Many men, when left to themselves, have but a faint and dubious perception of beauty, who yet are capable of relishing any fine stroke, which is pointed out to them. Every convert to the admiration of the real poet or orator is the cause of some new conversion. And though prejudices may prevail for a time, they never unite in celebrating any rival to the true genius, but yield at last to the force of nature and just sentiment. Thus, though a civilized nation may easily be mistaken in the choice of their admired philosopher, they never have been found long to err, in their affection for a favorite epic or tragic author.

虽然趣味细腻的人很少，却很容易在社会中被辨认出来，因为他们具有健全的理解力，能力也高于其他人。他们所获得的影响力，使他们对天才作品的热烈赞许得以广泛流传，并通常占据主导地位。许多人独自面对作品时，对于美只有微弱而不确定的感受；然而，只要有人为他们指出精妙之笔，他们仍有能力欣赏。每一个转而赞赏真正诗人或演说家的人，又会促使其他人发生这种转变。偏见虽可盛行一时，却从不长久地联合起来，去赞颂某个与真正天才相抗衡的对手；它们最终都会屈服于自然和正确感受的力量。因此，文明国家在选择所崇敬的哲学家时，尽管很容易犯错，却从未被发现会在偏爱某位史诗或悲剧作者的问题上长期犯错。

But notwithstanding all our endeavours to fix a standard of taste, and reconcile the discordant apprehensions of men, there still remain two sources of variation, which are not sufficient indeed to confound all the boundaries of beauty and deformity, but will often serve to produce a difference in the degrees of our approbation or blame. The one is the different humours of particular men; the other, the particular manners and opinions of our age and country. The general principles of taste are uniform in human nature: where men vary in their judgments, some defect or perversion in the faculties may commonly be remarked; proceeding either from prejudice, from want of practice, or want of delicacy; and there is just reason for approving one taste, and condemning another. But where there is such a diversity in the internal frame or external situation as is entirely blameless on both sides, and leaves no room to give one the preference above the other; in that case a certain degree of diversity in judgment is unavoidable, and we seek in vain for a standard, by which we can reconcile the contrary sentiments.

不过，尽管我们竭力确立趣味的标准、协调人们彼此冲突的理解，仍然有两种差异来源。它们确实不足以混淆美丑的一切界限，却往往会造成赞许或责备程度的不同。一种是个人气质的差别；另一种是我们所处时代与国家特有的风俗和观念。趣味的一般原则，在人性中是统一的；当人们的判断不同时，通常可以发现其能力存在某种缺陷或扭曲，来自偏见、缺少练习或缺少细腻感受；因而，我们有正当理由肯定一种趣味而否定另一种。但如果内在禀赋或外在处境的差异，使双方都完全无可责备，也没有理由认为一方优于另一方，那么判断中的一定差异就是不可避免的；在这种情况下，试图寻找一种标准来调和相反感受，只会徒劳。

A young man, whose passions are warm, will be more sensibly touched with amorous and tender images, than a man more advanced in years, who take pleasure in wise, philosophical reflections concerning the conduct of life and moderation of the passions. At twenty, OVID may be the favourite author; HORACE at forty; and perhaps TACITUS at fifty. Vainly would we, in such cases, endeavour to enter into the sentiments of others, and divest ourselves of those propensities, which are natural to us. We choose our favourite author as we do our friend, from a conformity of humour and disposition. Mirth or passion, sentiment or reflection; whichever of these most predominates in our temper, it gives us a peculiar sympathy with the writer who resembles us.

一个情感热烈的青年，对于爱情与柔情的形象，会比年长者受到更深的触动；年长者则更乐于欣赏关于处世和节制情感的明智、富于哲理的反思。二十岁时，最喜欢的作者可能是奥维德；四十岁时是贺拉斯；五十岁时也许是塔西佗。在这些情形中，我们若想进入他人的感受，摆脱自己天然的倾向，便是徒劳。我们选择心爱的作者，正如选择朋友，依据的是气质与性情的相合。欢快或激情，感受或沉思，无论哪一种在我们的性情中占据优势，都会使我们对与自己相似的作家产生特殊的共鸣。

One person is more pleased with the sublime; another with the tender; a third with raillery. One has a strong sensibility to blemishes, and is extremely studious of correctness: Another has a more lively feeling of beauties, and pardons twenty absurdities and defects for one elevated or pathetic stroke. The ear of this man is entirely turned towards conciseness and energy; that man is delighted with a copious, rich, and harmonious expression. Simplicity is affected by one; ornament by another. Comedy, tragedy, satire, odes, have each its partisans, who prefer that particular species of writing to all others. It is plainly an error in a critic, to confine his approbation to one species or style of writing, and condemn all the rest. But it is almost impossible not to feel a predilection for that which suits our particular turn and disposition. Such preferences are innocent and unavoidable, and can never reasonably be the object of dispute, because there is no standard, by which they can be decided.

一个人更喜欢崇高，另一个更喜欢温柔，第三个更喜欢诙谐。一个人对瑕疵非常敏感，极力追求严整；另一个人对美有更鲜明的感受，为了一处高妙或动人的笔触，愿意宽恕二十处荒唐与缺点。这个人的耳朵一心偏爱简练与力度，那个人却喜爱丰沛、华美而和谐的表达。有人追求朴素，有人偏爱装饰。喜剧、悲剧、讽刺诗、颂歌，各有拥护者，将自己喜爱的那一类作品置于其他一切之上。批评家若只赞许一种文类或风格、谴责所有其他类型，显然是错误；但对符合自身独特气质与性情的作品抱有偏爱，却几乎不可避免。这些偏爱是无害而不可避免的，也永远不应成为争论的对象，因为并不存在一种能够裁决它们的标准。

For a like reason, we are more pleased, in the course of our reading, with pictures and characters, that resemble objects which are found in our own age or country, than with those which describe a different set of customs. It is not without some effort, that we reconcile ourselves to the simplicity of ancient manners, and behold princesses carrying water from the spring, and kings and heroes dressing their own victuals. We may allow in general, that the representation of such manners is no fault in the author, nor deformity in the piece; but we are not so sensibly touched with them. For this reason, comedy is not easily transferred from one age or nation to another. A FRENCHMAN or ENGLISHMAN is not pleased with the ANDRIA of TERENCE, or CLITIA of MACHIA VEL; where the fine lady, upon whom all the play turns, never once appears to the spectators, but is always kept behind the scenes, suitably to the reserved humour of the ancient GREEKS and modern ITALIANS. A man of learning and reflection can make allowance for these peculiarities of manners; but a common audience can never divest themselves so far of their usual ideas and sentiments, as to relish pictures which in no wise resemble them.

出于类似的原因，我们在阅读时，对于那些与自身时代或国家的事物相似的形象和人物，会比对于描写另一套习俗的作品更感愉快。要接受古代风俗的质朴，看到公主从泉边提水、国王与英雄自己做饭，我们多少需要付出一些努力。一般说来，我们可以承认，对这些风俗的描写既不是作者的过错，也不是作品的丑处；但我们仍然不那么容易受到它们的触动。因此，喜剧不易从一个时代或国家移植到另一个。法国人或英国人不会喜欢泰伦提乌斯的《安德罗斯女子》或马基雅维利的《克丽齐娅》：整出戏都围绕着那位美丽女子展开，她却从未出现在观众面前，而是一直留在幕后，这符合古希腊人和近代意大利人拘谨的习性。有学识、肯思考的人，能够体谅这些风俗特点；但普通观众永远无法如此彻底地摆脱惯常的观念与感受，去欣赏与自己全然不同的形象。

But here there occurs a reflection, which may, perhaps, be useful in examining the celebrated controversy concerning ancient and modern learning; where we often find the one side excusing any seeming absurdity in the ancients from the manners of the age, and the other refusing to admit this excuse, or at least, admitting it only as an apology for the author, not for the performance. In my opinion, the proper boundaries in this subject have seldom been fixed between the contending parties. Where any innocent peculiarities of manners are represented, such as those above mentioned, they ought certainly to be admitted; and a man, who is shocked with them, gives an evident proof of false delicacy and refinement. The poet’s monument more durable than brass, must fall to the ground like common brick or clay, were men to make no allowance for the continual revolutions of manners and customs, and would admit of nothing but what was suitable to the prevailing fashion. Must we throw aside the pictures of our ancestors, because of their ruffs and fardingales? But where the ideas of morality and decency alter from one age to another, and where vicious manners are described, without being marked with the proper characters of blame and disapprobation; this must be allowed to disfigure the poem, and to be a real deformity. I cannot, nor is it proper I should, enter into such sentiments; and however I may excuse the poet, on account of the manners in his age, I never can relish the composition. The want of humanity and of decency, so conspicuous in the characters drawn by several of the ancient poets, even sometimes by HOMER and the GREEK tragedians, diminishes considerably the merit of their noble performances, and gives modern authors an advantage over them. We are not interested in the fortunes and sentiments of such rough heroes: We are displeased to find the limits of vice and virtue so much confounded: And whatever indulgence we may give to the writer on account of his prejudices, we cannot prevail on ourself to enter into his sentiments, or bear an affection to characters, which we plainly discover to be blameable.

不过，这里有一个思考，或许有助于考察关于古代与现代学问的那场著名争论。我们常见其中一方用时代风俗为古人一切表面的荒唐辩护，另一方则拒绝接受这种辩解，或者只接受它作为替作者开脱的理由，却不接受它替作品开脱。在我看来，争论双方很少为这个问题划定恰当界限。如果作品表现的只是某些无害的风俗特点，例如上面那些例子，就当然应当被接受；一个人若因此感到震惊，恰恰显露了虚假的细腻与精雅。如果人们丝毫不肯体谅风俗习惯的不断变迁，只承认符合当下时尚的东西，那么诗人那“比青铜更持久的纪念碑”，也一定会像普通砖土一样坍塌。难道我们应当仅仅因为祖先戴着皱领、穿着裙撑，就丢掉他们的肖像吗？但是，如果不同时代的道德与端正观念改变了，而作品描写邪恶的风俗，却没有给予应有的谴责与否定，那么我们必须承认，这会损害诗作，构成真正的丑处。我不能、也不应当进入那样的感受；无论我怎样依据诗人时代的风俗为他开脱，都无法欣赏这部作品。几位古代诗人所描绘的人物，甚至有时荷马与希腊悲剧作家笔下的人物，都明显缺乏仁爱与端正；这大大减损了他们高贵作品的价值，并使现代作者具有优势。我们对这些粗暴英雄的命运与感受不感兴趣；发现善恶的界限如此混淆，我们会感到不快。无论由于作家的偏见而给予他多少宽容，我们都无法强使自己进入他的感受，或喜爱那些被我们清楚看出应受责备的人物。

The case is not the same with moral principles, as with speculative opinions of any kind. These are in continual flux and revolution. The son embraces a different system from the father. Nay, there scarcely is any man, who can boast of great constancy and uniformity in this particular. Whatever speculative errors may be found in the polite writings of any age or country, they detract but little from the value of those compositions. There needs but a certain turn of thought or imagination to make us enter into all the opinions, which then prevailed, and relish the sentiments or conclusions derived from them. But a very violent effort is requisite to change our judgment of manners, and excite sentiments of approbation or blame, love or hatred, different from those to which the mind from long custom has been familiarized. And where a man is confident of the rectitude of that moral standard, by which he judges, he is justly jealous of it, and will not pervert the sentiments of his heart for a moment, in complaisance to any writer whatsoever.

道德原则与各类思辨意见的情形并不相同。思辨意见不断流转变化，儿子接受的体系不同于父亲；甚至几乎没有人能夸耀自己在这方面始终坚定一致。任何时代或国家的文学作品中，无论存在什么思辨上的错误，对作品价值的减损都很小。我们只需使思想或想象稍稍转个方向，就能进入当时盛行的各种意见，并欣赏由此引出的感受或结论。但是，要改变我们对于行为的判断，唤起与心灵长期习惯的赞许或责备、爱或恨不同的感受，就需要极其猛烈的努力。当一个人确信自己据以判断的道德标准是正当的，他理应警惕地维护它；他不会为了迁就任何作家，而把自己内心的感受歪曲哪怕片刻。

Of all speculative errors, those, which regard religion, are the most excusable in compositions of genius; nor is it ever permitted to judge of the civility or wisdom of any people, or even of single persons, by the grossness or refinement of their theological principles. The same good sense, that directs men in the ordinary occurrences of life, is not harkened to in religious matters, which are supposed to be placed altogether above the cognizance of human reason. On this account, all the absurdities of the pagan system of theology must be overlooked by every critic, who would pretend to form a just notion of ancient poetry; and our posterity, in their turn, must have the same indulgence to their forefathers. No religious principles can ever be imputed as a fault to any poet, while they remain merely principles, and take not such strong possession of his heart, as to lay him under the imputation of bigotry or superstition. Where that happens, they confound the sentiments of morality, and alter the natural boundaries of vice and virtue. They are therefore eternal blemishes, according to the principle above mentioned; nor are the prejudices and false opinions of the age sufficient to justify them.

在一切思辨错误中，与宗教相关的错误，在天才作品中最值得宽恕；我们绝不能依据神学原则的粗陋或精致，去判断一个民族、甚至一个人的文明程度或智慧。那种在人们日常生活中引导他们的健全见识，在宗教事务中往往无人听从，因为宗教被认为完全超出了人类理性的认识范围。正因如此，任何想对古代诗歌形成正确认识的批评家，都必须对异教神学体系中的种种荒谬加以宽容；我们的后代也必须以同样的宽容对待他们的祖先。只要宗教原则仍停留在原则层面，尚未如此强烈地占据诗人的心灵，以至于使他应被指为狂热或迷信，就绝不能把它归作他的过错。一旦发展到后面这种情形，它们就会混淆道德情感，改变善恶的自然界限。因此，按照前述原则，它们便构成永久的瑕疵；时代的偏见和错误意见，不足以使之正当化。

It is essential to the ROMAN catholic religion to inspire a violent hatred of every other worship, and to represent all pagans, mahometans, and heretics as the objects of divine wrath and vengeance. Such sentiments, though they are in reality very blameable, are considered as virtues by the zealots of that communion, and are represented in their tragedies and epic poems as a kind of divine heroism. This bigotry has disfigured two very fine tragedies of the FRENCH theatre, POLIEUCTE and ATHALIA; where an intemperate zeal for particular modes of worship is set off with all the pomp imaginable, and forms the predominant character of the heroes. ‘What is this,’ says the sublime JOAD to JOSABET, finding her in discourse with MATHAN, the priest of BAAL, ‘Does the daughter of DA VID speak to this traitor? Are you not afraid, lest the earth should open and pour forth flames to devour you both? Or lest these holy walls should fall and crush you together? What is his purpose? Why comes that enemy of God hither to poison the air, which we breath, with his horrid presence?’ Such sentiments are received with great applause on the theatre of PARIS; but at LONDON the spectators would be full as much pleased to hear ACHILLES tell AGAMEMNON, that he was a dog in his forehead, and a deer in his heart, or JUPITER threaten JUNO with a sound drubbing, if she will not be quiet.

罗马天主教的本质，在于激发对其他一切信仰的强烈仇恨，并把所有异教徒、穆斯林与异端描绘成神圣愤怒与报复的对象。这类感受虽然实际上很应受到责备，却被该教会的狂热者当作美德，并在他们的悲剧和史诗中被表现为某种神圣的英雄主义。这种狂热损害了法国戏剧中两部非常优秀的悲剧——《波利厄克特》与《阿达莉》；其中，对特定崇拜方式的过度热忱，被一切可以想象的华丽手段烘托，成为英雄人物的主要特征。那位崇高的约阿德，发现约撒伯正在与巴力的祭司玛坦交谈，便对她说：“这是怎么回事？大卫的女儿竟然同这个叛徒说话？你不害怕大地裂开，喷出火焰，把你们两个都吞噬吗？不害怕这些神圣的墙壁倒塌，把你们一同压碎吗？他想干什么？这个上帝的敌人为什么来到这里，用他可憎的存在毒害我们呼吸的空气？”这类感受在巴黎的剧场里得到热烈喝彩；但在伦敦，观众听到这些话时所感到的愉快，恐怕也不过如同听到阿喀琉斯对阿伽门农说，你长着狗的脸、却有鹿的心，或朱庇特威胁朱诺，如果她不安静，就狠狠揍她一顿。

RELIGIOUS principles are also a blemish in any polite composition, when they rise up to superstition, and intrude themselves into every sentiment, however remote from any connection with religion. It is no excuse for the poet, that the customs of his country had burthened life with so many religious ceremonies and observances, that no part of it was exempt from that yoke. It must for ever be ridiculous in PETRARCH to compare his mistress LAURA, to JESUS CHRIST. Nor is it less ridiculous in that agreeable libertine, BOCCACE, very seriously to give thanks to GOD ALMIGHTY and the ladies, for their assistance in defending him against his enemies.

当宗教原则发展成迷信，并且侵入每一种感受，即使那种感受与宗教全无关联，它们也会成为任何文学作品中的瑕疵。诗人不能用自己国家的风俗，使生活负担了如此多的宗教仪式与规条、以至于没有任何部分能免于这种束缚，来为自己辩解。彼特拉克把自己的爱人劳拉比作耶稣基督，这永远是可笑的。同样，那位可爱的放浪者薄伽丘，竟十分郑重地感谢全能的上帝与女士们，感谢他们帮助自己抵御敌人，也同样可笑。