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】

It seems to me that we all look at Nature too much, and live with her too little. I discern great sanity in the Greek attitude. They never chattered about sunsets, or discussed whether the shadows on the grass were really mauve or not. But they saw that the sea was for the swimmer, and the sand for the feet of the runner. They loved the trees for the shadow that they cast, and the forest for its silence at noon. The vineyard-dresser wreathed his hair with ivy that he might keep off the rays of the sun as he stooped over the young shoots, and for the artist and the athlete, the two types that Greece gave us, they plaited into garlands the leaves of the bitter laurel and of the wild parsley which else had been of no service to man.
We call ourselves a utilitarian age, and we do not know the uses of any single thing. We have forgotten that Water can cleanse, and Fire purify, and that the Earth is mother to us all. As a consequence our Art is of the Moon and plays with shadows, while Greek art is of the Sun and deals directly with things. I feel sure that in elemental forces there is purification, and I want to go back to them and live in their presence. 

【朱纯深译本】

对自然,我觉得我们似乎都远观过甚,而与之相处又太少。我从希腊人的态度中悟出了大智大慧。他们从来不为夕阳西下而喋喋不休,也不讨论草上的影子是否真是紫红色的。但他们看到了,大海是给人游泳的,沙地是给人奔跑的。他们喜欢树因为它撒下了绿荫,他们喜欢树林因为它午间的幽静。剪修葡萄园的人用长春藤编成发冠,好在他弓身照料幼苗时遮挡日晒,而艺术家和运动员,对这两类我们得之于希腊的人,他们献上用苦涩的桂叶和野欧芹编成的桂冠,要不这两样东西对人类就没别的用处了。
我们称我们的时代为注重实用的时代, 可没有一样东西的用途弄得明白。我们已经忘了,水可以洗濯洁净,火可以精炼提纯,大地是每个人的母亲。其结果是,我们的艺术关注的是月亮,玩的是影子,而古希腊的艺术关注的是太阳,处理的是实体。我确实感到自然力中蕴含着净化,我想回返它们当中, 在苍茫天地间生活。

【读书笔记】

1、sanity n.精神健全;明智;通情达理
【举例】No one could have come out of that disaster with his sanity. 
经过那场灾难,谁也不可能保持精神正常。
I question the sanity of huge amounts of money spent for defence. 
我怀疑把大笔的经费花在防务上是否明智。
【相关词汇】
sane a.心智健全的;精神正常的;明智的;合理的
insane a.精神错乱的;疯狂的;荒唐的
insanity n.精神错乱;疯狂;荒唐的事

2、wreathe v.把……编成花环;用花环装饰;环绕,缠绕
【举例】wreathe a garland 编花环
The inside of the house was wreathed in holiday decoration. 屋内装饰着节日的花环。
The hollow was wreathed in mist. 山谷里雾气萦绕。

3、stoop v.俯身;屈尊;堕落
【举例】stoop over a desk 俯身在书桌前
Don't stoop to argue with him. 别自降身份去跟他争吵。
She stooped to cheating. 她自甘堕落去行骗。

4、of service to 对……有用;对……有帮助
【举例】Can I be of any service to you? 我能帮你什么忙吗?
His professional knowledge has been of great service to us. 他的专业知识对我们大有裨益。

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