1891年,处在写作生涯巅峰期的王尔德遇见了阿尔弗雷德·“波西”·道格拉斯(Alfred "Bosie" Douglas),两人很快成为了同性恋人。四年后,因为这段“不敢说出名字的爱”,王尔德被判“有伤 风化”罪而入狱。在狱中,王尔德开始反思从前的生活,思索痛苦和人生的意义,艺术和爱的真谛,最终将那些痛苦的泪水都化作优 美而深沉的文字,写成了这封名为"de profundis"(从深处)的长信。

作者简介:奥斯卡·王尔德(Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900),英国维多利亚时代著名作家,“唯美主义 运动”的领军人物,倡导“为艺术而艺术”(Art for art's sake)。他的代表作有戏剧《莎乐美》(Salome)《认真的 重要性》(The Importance of Being Earnest),童话《快乐王子》(The Happy Prince) 《夜莺与玫瑰》(The Nightingale and the Rose) ,小说《道连·格雷的画像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray),以及书信《自深深处》(De Profundis)等。

【原著选段】

Things in themselves are of little importance, have indeed—let us for once thank Metaphysics for something that she has taught us—no real existence. The spirit alone is of importance. Punishment may be inflicted in such a way that it will heal, not make a wound, just as alms may be given in such a manner that the bread changes to a stone in the hands of the giver. What a change there is—not in the regulations, for they are axed by iron rule, but in the spirit that uses them as its expression—you can realise when I tell you that had I been released last May, as I tried to be, I would have left this place loathing it and every official in it with a bitterness of hatred that would have poisoned my life. I have had a year longer of imprisonment, but Humanity has been in the prison along with us all, and now when I go out I shall always remember great kindnesses that I have received here from almost everybody, and on the day of my release will give my thanks to many people and ask to be remembered by them in turn.

【朱纯深译本】

事物本身算不了什么,的确——这一次就谢谢形而上学教给我们的道理吧——事物本身并没有真实的存在。只有精神才是重要的。实施惩罚的方式可以使惩罚治愈、而非制造创伤,正如施舍的方式可以让面包在施舍者手中变成石头那样。这一变有多大啊——变的不是规则,因为规则是铁定的,而是通过规则所表达的精神——我给你说了你就明白,假如我在去年五月获释,本想争取这样的,那离开时便会对这里以及这里的每一个官员破口大骂,那份刻骨仇恨将毒化我的一生。我又多关了一年,但这一年里人道精神陪伴着狱中的每一个人。现在获释,我将永远记住在这儿受到的几乎是来自每个人的善待,出狱那天将向许多人道谢,也请他们同样把我记住。

【读书笔记】

1、loathe v.厌恶;憎恨(现在分词形式为loathing)
【举例】It was a habit his wife loathed. 他的这一习惯让他的妻子生厌。
People tend to love him loathe him, and the middle ground is thinly populated. 人们要么热爱他,要么憎恶他,中间派人数很少。
【相关词汇】
loathful a.讨厌的,可憎的
loathsome a.讨厌的,可憎的
loathing n.厌恶;强烈的反感

2、poison v.给……下毒;使中毒;毒害;使受污染
【举例】Some people were poisoned by pesticides. 有些人农药中毒了。
He poisoned his wife. 他毒死了他的妻子。
Industrial wastes are poisoning the countryside. 工业废物在污染着乡村。

3、in turn 转而,反过来;依次地
【举例】Theory is based on practice and in turn serve practice. 理论以实践为基础。反过来又为实践服务。
We'll cross the bridge in trun. 我们将挨个过桥。

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