William Makepeace Thackeray
ON CHARITY AND HUMOR
1852
Besides contributing to our stock of happiness，toour harmless laughter and amusement，to ourscorn for falsehood and pretension，to our righ－teous hatred of hypocrisy，to our education in theperception of truth，our love of honesty，our knowledge of life，and shrewd guidance through the world，have not our humorous writers，our gay and kind week－day preachers，done much insupport of that holy cause which has assembled you in this place，and which you are all abetting，—the cause of love and charity，the cause of thepoor，the weak，and the unhappy； the sweet mis-sion of love and tenderness，and peace and goodwill toward men？ That same theme which is urgedupon you by the eloquence and example of good men to whom you are delighted listeners on Sab－bath days is taught in his way and acording to hispower by the humorous writer，the commentator on every-day life and manners.
And as you are here assembled for a charitablepurpose，giving your contributions at the door tobenefit deserving people who need them，I like tohope and think that the men of our calling have done something in aid of the cause of charity，andhave helped，with kind words and kind thoughts at least，to confer happiness and to do good.If thehumorous writers claim to be week-day preachers，have they conferred any benefit by their sermons？Are people happier，better，better disposed to theirneighbors，more inclined to do works of kindness，to love，forbear，forgive，pity，after reading inAddison，in Steele，in Fielding，in Goldsmith，inHood，in Dickens？ I hope and believe so，and fancythat in writing they are also acting charitably，con－tributing with the means which Heaven supplies them to forward the end which brings you，too，to－gether.
A love of the human species is a very vague and indefinite kind of virtue，sitting very easily ona man，not confining his actions at all，shining inprint，or exploding in paragraphs，after which ef－forts of benevolence the philanthropist is some－times said to go home and be no better than his neighbors.Tartuffe and Joseph Surface， Stigginsand Chadband，who are always preaching fine sen－timents and are no more virtuous than hundreds of those whom they denounce and whom they cheat，are fair objects of mistrust and satire； but theirhypocrisy，the homage，according to the old say-ing，which vice pays to virtue，has this of good init，that its fruits are good：a man may preach goodmorals tho he may be himself but a lax practition－er；a Pharisee may put pieces of gold into the char－ity-plate out of mere hypocrisy and ostentation，but the bad man's gold feeds the widow and the fa－therless as well as the good man's.The butcherand baker must needs look，not to motives，but tomoney，in return for their wares.
A literary man of the humoristic turn is prettysure to be of a philanthropic nature， to have agreat sensibility，to be easily moved to pain orpleasure，keenly to appreciate the varieties of tem－per of people round about him，and sympathize intheir laughter，love，amusement，tears.Such aman is philanthropic，man－loving by nature，as an－other is irascible，or red－h(huán)aired，or six feet high.And so I would arrogate no particular merit to lit－erary men for the possession of this faculty of do－ing good which some of them enjoy.It costs a gen－tleman no sacrifice to be benevolent on paper；andthe luxury of indulging in the most beautiful andbrilliant sentiments never makes any man a penny poorer.A literary man is no better than another，as far as my experience goes； and a man writing abook no better or no worse than one who keeps ac－counts in a ledger or follows any other occupation.Let us，however，give him credit for the good，atleast，which he is the means of doing，as we givecredit to a man with a million for the hundred which he puts into the plate at a charity－sermon.He never misses them.He has made them in a mo- ment by a lucky speculation，and parts with themknowing that he has an almost endless balance at his bank，whence he can call for more.But in es-teeming the benefaction we are grateful to the benefactor，too，somewhat； and so of men of ge－nius，richly endowed，and lavish in parting withtheir mind's wealth，we may view them at leastkindly and favorably，and be thankful for the bounty of which providence has made them the dis－pensers.
I have said myself somewhere，I do not knowwith what correctness（for definitions never arecomplete），that humor is wit and love； I am sure，at any rate，that the best humor is that which con-tains most humanity，that which is flavoredthroughout with tenderness and kindness.This love does not demand constant utterance or actualexpression，as a good father，in conversation withhis children or wife，is not perpetually embracingthem or making protestations of his love； as alover in the society of his mistress is not，at leastas far as I am led to believe，for ever squeezing herhand or sighing in her ear，“My soul's darling，Iadore you！” He shows his love by his conduct，byhis fidelity，by his watchful desire to make thebeloved person happy； it lightens from his eyeswhen she appears，tho he may not speak it ；it fillshis heart when she is present or absent；influencesall his words and actions； suffuses his whole be－ing； it sets the father cheerily to work through thelong day，supports him through the tedious laborof the weary absence or journey，and sends him happy home again，yearning toward the wife andchildren.
This kind of love is not a spasm，but a life.Itfondles and caresses at due seasons，no doubt； butthe fond heart is always beating fondly and truly，tho the wife is not sitting hand－in－h(huán)and with himor the children hugging at his knee.And so with aloving humor：I think，it is a genial writer's habitof being；it is the kind，gentle spirit's way of look－ing out on the world—that sweet friendliness which fills his heart and his style.You recognizeit，even tho there may not he a single point of wit，or a single pathetic touch in the page；tho you maynot be called upon to salute his genius by a laughor a tear.That collision of ideas，which provokesthe one or the other，must be occasional.Theymust be like papa's embraces，which I spoke ofanon，who only delivers them now and again，andcan not be expected to go on kissing the childrenall night.And so the writer's jokes and sentiment，his ebullitions of feeling，his outbreaks of highspirits，must not be too frequent.One tires of apage of which every sentence sparkles with points，of a sentimentalist who is always pumping the tears from his eyes or your own.One suspects thegenuineness of the tear，the naturalness of the hu-mor；these ought to be true and manly in a man，as everything else in his life should be manly andtrue；and he loses his dignity by laughing or weep－ing out of place，or too often.
威廉·麥克皮斯·薩克雷
論仁愛與幽默
1852年
我們的幽默作家們，這些不在安息日也照樣誨人不倦的布道者，除了幫助我們在生活中獲取樂趣，進行無害于人的嘻笑逗樂，摒斥虛假和矯飾，正義地鄙棄偽善，啟發(fā)我們認識真理，熱愛誠實，懂得生活，并且機敏地處世外，還一貫大力支持這個使你們聚集在此并為你們所擁護的神圣事業(yè)——愛心和仁慈的事業(yè)；窮人、弱者和不幸者的事業(yè)；一項出于愛心、和善、使人彼此和睦相處、善意相待的可愛的使命。
那些可敬的人在安息日以流利的口才和生動的事例向你們宣講的主題，幽默作家則以他自己的方式和魅力向你們講述，他們是日常生活和行為舉止的評論家。
你們抱著行善的目的聚集在這里，在門口為幫助那些應(yīng)該得到幫助的人捐款，因而我希望并相信，干我們這一行的人對慈善事業(yè)有所貢獻，至少是以友好的話語和思想，在予人幸福和做好事方面有所助益。幽默作家若以不在安息日也照樣布道的人自許，那么他們的布道是否已給人帶來好處？人們在讀過艾迪生、斯梯爾、菲爾丁、哥爾德斯密斯、胡德和狄更斯的作品后，與以前相比，是否更快樂些，為人更好些，與鄰居相處更和睦些，更愿做出于善心的工作，更愿待人寬厚，更有寬容精神和同情心？我希望如此，也相信確是如此，而且認為這些作家是以慈悲為懷而寫作的，是在以上帝賜予他們的本領(lǐng)來推動實現(xiàn)這個使你們聚集在一起的目標(biāo)。
對人的愛是一種十分空洞、模糊的品德，取得這種美名并不費事，而且一己行事之際完全不必因擔(dān)了這種名聲而收斂檢點，據(jù)說慈善家在外施恩行善，回家之后就一點也不比鄰居強。達爾杜弗之流不斷談?wù)摳呱星椴?，而其品德卻不比他們所指斥、所欺騙的人高尚，這類人物自然不配受到人們信任，而應(yīng)加以譏刺；可是，他們的偽善固然是一種市恩討好的行徑，卻又如一句老話所說，邪惡也會化為善舉，帶來好的結(jié)果。一個人可能孜孜然勸人為善而自己全不實行；一個法利賽人可能出于偽善和炫耀的目的而在施舍盤里放上幾塊金子，但是壞人的金子和好人的金子一樣都能養(yǎng)活孤兒寡婦。肉店老板和糕餅店店主關(guān)心的是主顧們的錢，而不是他們買肉買餅的動機。
一個具有幽默特性的文人必定具有慈善心腸，所以感情豐富，易受感動而苦惱、而欣喜，能敏銳地體察周圍人們種種不同的性情脾氣，與他們共享悲喜愛恨。比如，這一種人心地善良，生來能愛別人，而另一種人滿頭紅發(fā)，或者身材高大，難免暴躁易怒。
所以我不會硬說文人之具有行善的能力是什么特別的優(yōu)點，他們中有些人就是喜愛那樣做。一位紳士表面上擺出一副慈眉善目時完全不必作出任何犧牲，而沉溺于最美麗、最輝煌的豪情壯志雖是一種奢侈行為，但決不會使人損失一個便士。我從自己的經(jīng)驗得知，文人一點也不比別人強；寫過一本書的人不比一個管一本分戶帳或一個從事任何其他職業(yè)的人好或壞。不過，我們還是要稱贊他，至少他做了好事，就像我們稱贊一個百萬富翁在慈善布道會上向施舍盤放上一百英鎊一樣。他從來不放過賺錢的機會。通過一次順利的投機買賣，他轉(zhuǎn)手之間即可賺進一大筆錢，而在花錢時，他心里明白他在銀行里的存款余額幾乎用不完，而且付出這筆錢還可賺進更多。但是，在評價這項善舉時，我們對于行善者還是多少有點感激的；對于那些天才人物同樣如此，他們得天獨厚，在付出他們思想上的財富時十分大方，至少我們可以友好地、贊許地看待他們，并且感謝上帝的恩賜，他們不過是這種賜予物的分配者。
我曾在某處說過——盡管我不知道其正確性如何（因為不論什么定義都決不會是全面的）——幽默就是風(fēng)趣和愛；我確信，的幽默含有的人性，并以柔情和善意貫穿其中使之生色。這種愛并不要求不停地吐露和具體地表述，比如，一個好父親在和子女或妻子談話時，不會總是擁抱著他們或反復(fù)聲明他對他們的愛；又如，一個男人在與情婦交往時 ——至少就我所不得不相信的而言——不會總是緊握她的手，在她耳邊吟嘆：“我的心肝寶貝，我真愛你！”他用他的行為、他的忠誠和他要使自己所愛的人快樂的真摯愿望表現(xiàn)他的愛；在她出現(xiàn)時，他嘴上不說，雙眼卻閃出愛的光芒；她在場或不在場，這種愛都充溢于他心間；這種愛影響著他的全部言語和行動，布滿于他全身；這種愛使父親整天高高興興地工作，支持他在外出期間或旅行途中度過沉悶乏味的時光，并在對妻子兒女的思念中歡歡喜喜地回到家中。
這種愛不是突發(fā)一陣子，而是持續(xù)一輩子。毫無疑問，它使人在合適的時候親吻愛撫；但是真情的心總是深情地、忠實地跳動著，盡管妻子不是手拉著手坐在他身旁，或孩子們緊挨在他膝邊。出于愛心的幽默也正是這樣：我認為，這就是一個真誠的作家的生存習(xí)慣，就是這個仁慈的、溫和的靈魂觀察世界的方法——洋溢于他心中和表現(xiàn)于他風(fēng)格中的甜甜的友情。盡管在某一頁上也許看不出什么風(fēng)趣或激起情感的機智，盡管并不要求你以哭或笑來贊揚他的天才，你還是認出了它。引起這個人或那個人激動的那種觀念的撞擊必定是偶然的。它們必然像我剛才說過的爸爸的擁抱那樣，只能是間或為之的，不能指望他整夜親吻著子女。作家的笑話和情趣，他的感情奔放，他的靈氣勃發(fā)，必然不會過于頻繁。對于每一個句子都閃射出思想火花的一頁，對于經(jīng)常從他的眼睛里或你的眼睛里像使用水泵那樣抽出眼淚來的感傷主義者，人們會感到厭煩的。人們會懷疑這種眼淚的真假，這種幽默是否自然；一個人的眼淚和幽默都應(yīng)該是真實的、誠懇的，就像他生活中的每一件事都應(yīng)該是真實的、誠懇的一樣；無論哭笑，如果不在其時或過于頻繁，都會令人失去尊嚴。
何百華 譯
ON CHARITY AND HUMOR
1852
Besides contributing to our stock of happiness，toour harmless laughter and amusement，to ourscorn for falsehood and pretension，to our righ－teous hatred of hypocrisy，to our education in theperception of truth，our love of honesty，our knowledge of life，and shrewd guidance through the world，have not our humorous writers，our gay and kind week－day preachers，done much insupport of that holy cause which has assembled you in this place，and which you are all abetting，—the cause of love and charity，the cause of thepoor，the weak，and the unhappy； the sweet mis-sion of love and tenderness，and peace and goodwill toward men？ That same theme which is urgedupon you by the eloquence and example of good men to whom you are delighted listeners on Sab－bath days is taught in his way and acording to hispower by the humorous writer，the commentator on every-day life and manners.
And as you are here assembled for a charitablepurpose，giving your contributions at the door tobenefit deserving people who need them，I like tohope and think that the men of our calling have done something in aid of the cause of charity，andhave helped，with kind words and kind thoughts at least，to confer happiness and to do good.If thehumorous writers claim to be week-day preachers，have they conferred any benefit by their sermons？Are people happier，better，better disposed to theirneighbors，more inclined to do works of kindness，to love，forbear，forgive，pity，after reading inAddison，in Steele，in Fielding，in Goldsmith，inHood，in Dickens？ I hope and believe so，and fancythat in writing they are also acting charitably，con－tributing with the means which Heaven supplies them to forward the end which brings you，too，to－gether.
A love of the human species is a very vague and indefinite kind of virtue，sitting very easily ona man，not confining his actions at all，shining inprint，or exploding in paragraphs，after which ef－forts of benevolence the philanthropist is some－times said to go home and be no better than his neighbors.Tartuffe and Joseph Surface， Stigginsand Chadband，who are always preaching fine sen－timents and are no more virtuous than hundreds of those whom they denounce and whom they cheat，are fair objects of mistrust and satire； but theirhypocrisy，the homage，according to the old say-ing，which vice pays to virtue，has this of good init，that its fruits are good：a man may preach goodmorals tho he may be himself but a lax practition－er；a Pharisee may put pieces of gold into the char－ity-plate out of mere hypocrisy and ostentation，but the bad man's gold feeds the widow and the fa－therless as well as the good man's.The butcherand baker must needs look，not to motives，but tomoney，in return for their wares.
A literary man of the humoristic turn is prettysure to be of a philanthropic nature， to have agreat sensibility，to be easily moved to pain orpleasure，keenly to appreciate the varieties of tem－per of people round about him，and sympathize intheir laughter，love，amusement，tears.Such aman is philanthropic，man－loving by nature，as an－other is irascible，or red－h(huán)aired，or six feet high.And so I would arrogate no particular merit to lit－erary men for the possession of this faculty of do－ing good which some of them enjoy.It costs a gen－tleman no sacrifice to be benevolent on paper；andthe luxury of indulging in the most beautiful andbrilliant sentiments never makes any man a penny poorer.A literary man is no better than another，as far as my experience goes； and a man writing abook no better or no worse than one who keeps ac－counts in a ledger or follows any other occupation.Let us，however，give him credit for the good，atleast，which he is the means of doing，as we givecredit to a man with a million for the hundred which he puts into the plate at a charity－sermon.He never misses them.He has made them in a mo- ment by a lucky speculation，and parts with themknowing that he has an almost endless balance at his bank，whence he can call for more.But in es-teeming the benefaction we are grateful to the benefactor，too，somewhat； and so of men of ge－nius，richly endowed，and lavish in parting withtheir mind's wealth，we may view them at leastkindly and favorably，and be thankful for the bounty of which providence has made them the dis－pensers.
I have said myself somewhere，I do not knowwith what correctness（for definitions never arecomplete），that humor is wit and love； I am sure，at any rate，that the best humor is that which con-tains most humanity，that which is flavoredthroughout with tenderness and kindness.This love does not demand constant utterance or actualexpression，as a good father，in conversation withhis children or wife，is not perpetually embracingthem or making protestations of his love； as alover in the society of his mistress is not，at leastas far as I am led to believe，for ever squeezing herhand or sighing in her ear，“My soul's darling，Iadore you！” He shows his love by his conduct，byhis fidelity，by his watchful desire to make thebeloved person happy； it lightens from his eyeswhen she appears，tho he may not speak it ；it fillshis heart when she is present or absent；influencesall his words and actions； suffuses his whole be－ing； it sets the father cheerily to work through thelong day，supports him through the tedious laborof the weary absence or journey，and sends him happy home again，yearning toward the wife andchildren.
This kind of love is not a spasm，but a life.Itfondles and caresses at due seasons，no doubt； butthe fond heart is always beating fondly and truly，tho the wife is not sitting hand－in－h(huán)and with himor the children hugging at his knee.And so with aloving humor：I think，it is a genial writer's habitof being；it is the kind，gentle spirit's way of look－ing out on the world—that sweet friendliness which fills his heart and his style.You recognizeit，even tho there may not he a single point of wit，or a single pathetic touch in the page；tho you maynot be called upon to salute his genius by a laughor a tear.That collision of ideas，which provokesthe one or the other，must be occasional.Theymust be like papa's embraces，which I spoke ofanon，who only delivers them now and again，andcan not be expected to go on kissing the childrenall night.And so the writer's jokes and sentiment，his ebullitions of feeling，his outbreaks of highspirits，must not be too frequent.One tires of apage of which every sentence sparkles with points，of a sentimentalist who is always pumping the tears from his eyes or your own.One suspects thegenuineness of the tear，the naturalness of the hu-mor；these ought to be true and manly in a man，as everything else in his life should be manly andtrue；and he loses his dignity by laughing or weep－ing out of place，or too often.
威廉·麥克皮斯·薩克雷
論仁愛與幽默
1852年
我們的幽默作家們，這些不在安息日也照樣誨人不倦的布道者，除了幫助我們在生活中獲取樂趣，進行無害于人的嘻笑逗樂，摒斥虛假和矯飾，正義地鄙棄偽善，啟發(fā)我們認識真理，熱愛誠實，懂得生活，并且機敏地處世外，還一貫大力支持這個使你們聚集在此并為你們所擁護的神圣事業(yè)——愛心和仁慈的事業(yè)；窮人、弱者和不幸者的事業(yè)；一項出于愛心、和善、使人彼此和睦相處、善意相待的可愛的使命。
那些可敬的人在安息日以流利的口才和生動的事例向你們宣講的主題，幽默作家則以他自己的方式和魅力向你們講述，他們是日常生活和行為舉止的評論家。
你們抱著行善的目的聚集在這里，在門口為幫助那些應(yīng)該得到幫助的人捐款，因而我希望并相信，干我們這一行的人對慈善事業(yè)有所貢獻，至少是以友好的話語和思想，在予人幸福和做好事方面有所助益。幽默作家若以不在安息日也照樣布道的人自許，那么他們的布道是否已給人帶來好處？人們在讀過艾迪生、斯梯爾、菲爾丁、哥爾德斯密斯、胡德和狄更斯的作品后，與以前相比，是否更快樂些，為人更好些，與鄰居相處更和睦些，更愿做出于善心的工作，更愿待人寬厚，更有寬容精神和同情心？我希望如此，也相信確是如此，而且認為這些作家是以慈悲為懷而寫作的，是在以上帝賜予他們的本領(lǐng)來推動實現(xiàn)這個使你們聚集在一起的目標(biāo)。
對人的愛是一種十分空洞、模糊的品德，取得這種美名并不費事，而且一己行事之際完全不必因擔(dān)了這種名聲而收斂檢點，據(jù)說慈善家在外施恩行善，回家之后就一點也不比鄰居強。達爾杜弗之流不斷談?wù)摳呱星椴?，而其品德卻不比他們所指斥、所欺騙的人高尚，這類人物自然不配受到人們信任，而應(yīng)加以譏刺；可是，他們的偽善固然是一種市恩討好的行徑，卻又如一句老話所說，邪惡也會化為善舉，帶來好的結(jié)果。一個人可能孜孜然勸人為善而自己全不實行；一個法利賽人可能出于偽善和炫耀的目的而在施舍盤里放上幾塊金子，但是壞人的金子和好人的金子一樣都能養(yǎng)活孤兒寡婦。肉店老板和糕餅店店主關(guān)心的是主顧們的錢，而不是他們買肉買餅的動機。
一個具有幽默特性的文人必定具有慈善心腸，所以感情豐富，易受感動而苦惱、而欣喜，能敏銳地體察周圍人們種種不同的性情脾氣，與他們共享悲喜愛恨。比如，這一種人心地善良，生來能愛別人，而另一種人滿頭紅發(fā)，或者身材高大，難免暴躁易怒。
所以我不會硬說文人之具有行善的能力是什么特別的優(yōu)點，他們中有些人就是喜愛那樣做。一位紳士表面上擺出一副慈眉善目時完全不必作出任何犧牲，而沉溺于最美麗、最輝煌的豪情壯志雖是一種奢侈行為，但決不會使人損失一個便士。我從自己的經(jīng)驗得知，文人一點也不比別人強；寫過一本書的人不比一個管一本分戶帳或一個從事任何其他職業(yè)的人好或壞。不過，我們還是要稱贊他，至少他做了好事，就像我們稱贊一個百萬富翁在慈善布道會上向施舍盤放上一百英鎊一樣。他從來不放過賺錢的機會。通過一次順利的投機買賣，他轉(zhuǎn)手之間即可賺進一大筆錢，而在花錢時，他心里明白他在銀行里的存款余額幾乎用不完，而且付出這筆錢還可賺進更多。但是，在評價這項善舉時，我們對于行善者還是多少有點感激的；對于那些天才人物同樣如此，他們得天獨厚，在付出他們思想上的財富時十分大方，至少我們可以友好地、贊許地看待他們，并且感謝上帝的恩賜，他們不過是這種賜予物的分配者。
我曾在某處說過——盡管我不知道其正確性如何（因為不論什么定義都決不會是全面的）——幽默就是風(fēng)趣和愛；我確信，的幽默含有的人性，并以柔情和善意貫穿其中使之生色。這種愛并不要求不停地吐露和具體地表述，比如，一個好父親在和子女或妻子談話時，不會總是擁抱著他們或反復(fù)聲明他對他們的愛；又如，一個男人在與情婦交往時 ——至少就我所不得不相信的而言——不會總是緊握她的手，在她耳邊吟嘆：“我的心肝寶貝，我真愛你！”他用他的行為、他的忠誠和他要使自己所愛的人快樂的真摯愿望表現(xiàn)他的愛；在她出現(xiàn)時，他嘴上不說，雙眼卻閃出愛的光芒；她在場或不在場，這種愛都充溢于他心間；這種愛影響著他的全部言語和行動，布滿于他全身；這種愛使父親整天高高興興地工作，支持他在外出期間或旅行途中度過沉悶乏味的時光，并在對妻子兒女的思念中歡歡喜喜地回到家中。
這種愛不是突發(fā)一陣子，而是持續(xù)一輩子。毫無疑問，它使人在合適的時候親吻愛撫；但是真情的心總是深情地、忠實地跳動著，盡管妻子不是手拉著手坐在他身旁，或孩子們緊挨在他膝邊。出于愛心的幽默也正是這樣：我認為，這就是一個真誠的作家的生存習(xí)慣，就是這個仁慈的、溫和的靈魂觀察世界的方法——洋溢于他心中和表現(xiàn)于他風(fēng)格中的甜甜的友情。盡管在某一頁上也許看不出什么風(fēng)趣或激起情感的機智，盡管并不要求你以哭或笑來贊揚他的天才，你還是認出了它。引起這個人或那個人激動的那種觀念的撞擊必定是偶然的。它們必然像我剛才說過的爸爸的擁抱那樣，只能是間或為之的，不能指望他整夜親吻著子女。作家的笑話和情趣，他的感情奔放，他的靈氣勃發(fā)，必然不會過于頻繁。對于每一個句子都閃射出思想火花的一頁，對于經(jīng)常從他的眼睛里或你的眼睛里像使用水泵那樣抽出眼淚來的感傷主義者，人們會感到厭煩的。人們會懷疑這種眼淚的真假，這種幽默是否自然；一個人的眼淚和幽默都應(yīng)該是真實的、誠懇的，就像他生活中的每一件事都應(yīng)該是真實的、誠懇的一樣；無論哭笑，如果不在其時或過于頻繁，都會令人失去尊嚴。
何百華 譯