胡適留學日記卷九五、婉而謔之樂觀語

卷九五、婉而謔之樂觀語

　　（二月廿二日）

　　At the age of fifty we discover that not much is done in a lifetime, and yet that, not withstanding all the immeasurable ignorance and stupidity of the majority of the race, there is a gradual and sensible victory being gained over barbarism and wrong of every kind. I think we may, in some sort, console ourselves. If we cannot win as fast as we wish, we know that our opponents cannot in the long run win at all.

　　—Trevelyan's Life of John Bright, Page297.

　　〔中譯〕

　　年屆五十，吾輩始發覺自己一生碌碌無為。然就某種意義言，吾輩尚可自慰。雖然大多數國人麻木不仁、愚昧無知、野蠻粗俗、醜態百出，但是，對此吾人仍漸漸地取得了較為明顯的成績。如果我們不能很快獲得預期的成功，那麼，從長遠的觀點來看，我們的對手也終將一無所獲。

　　——約翰·布賴特：《特裡維廉的一生》，第279頁

　　上所錄亦是樂觀之語，而其言何婉而謔也！

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