they suck\'d in/Richard Cumberland1812

2023-09-25 14:09

https://books.google.com/books?id=2V5DAQAAMAAJ

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There are several authors named Richard Cumberland. Here are a few examples: 1. Richard Cumberland (1631-1718) - An English philosopher and bishop who wrote on moral and political philosophy. 2. Richard Cumberland (1732-1811) - An English dramatist and philosopher known for his plays, including "The West Indian" and "The Fashionable Lover." 3. Richard Cumberland (1848-1926) - An American playwright and novelist who wrote popular works such as "The Money Spinner" and "The American Girl." 4. Richard Cumberland (1880-1966) - An English author and playwright who wrote novels like "The Abyss" and "The Great Affair." 5. Richard Cumberland (born 1948) - A contemporary British author known for his novels and plays, including "The Glass Bathyscaphe" and "Words with Music." Please specify which Richard Cumberland you are referring to for a more accurate answer.

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一本1812年的小書（转）

一本1812年的小書

楊道還 9/24/2023

我的藏書中，有本1812年的小書，Retrospection: A Poem in Familiar Verse,作者Richard Cumberland.

這本書是很偶然購得的。賣書的白人老太太，不像是讀這種書的人，大概是她先生留給她的。我拿書付錢，她望著我，說：「你會讀嗎？」

這個問題，以前買書時我是遇到過的。那是個樂呵呵的白人中年婦女書商。我不時在她那裏買書，一來二去混得臉熟了。有一次，這樣問，我開玩笑說：「No, for decoration only。」這是個很難回答的問題，原因有二。一，這些老書禁不起太多翻閱，小心翼翼地翻頁，怎麽讀？二，講到讀，我得能看得懂才行。看不懂，怎麽能叫讀？

老太太顯然沒有我這麽多想法，所以我只好老老實實地講：「這本書我只會有時翻翻。我希望這就符合了它的功用。」從她的笑容看，這個回答大概超出了她的期望。

Dutifully，回家后我就翻了翻這本書。還好，是本小書，只有76頁；更好的是，每頁只印了十到十五行。但不好的是，作者是誰，不是那麽清楚。

英國的Richard Cumberland（s），有兩個。一個是功利主義哲學家，一個是他的孫子，以劇作家聞名。這很混亂，但想起法國的路易若幹，也還罷了。我私下以為，因為人名的問題，法國史不比中國史容易讀：能找到的路易還好，名不見經傳的那些路易，怎麽辦？

這兩個人名下Wiki，都沒這本書。用谷歌深度搜索，才解決了這個問題。有人在上個世紀初，研究了這個劇作家，Richard Cumberland： His Life and Dramatic Works （Stanley Thomas Williams， 1917）。這本書在書後的作品列表中。我手上这本書是美國出版的，英國第一版是在1811年。

這本書的內容是作者的回憶錄。但，是本情感、感思回憶錄，沒有具體的年月人，多有自心的歷程——回憶錄還可以這樣！因此dutifully之上，我又happily地盡我所能讀了讀這本書，不能盡懂，裏面夾雜著些法語和古英語。然而讀書遭遇朦朧，自有妙享难言。

開卷有益。Cumberland不很厚道地寫到：

I found how many men were only great,

When seen at distance, owing all their bulk

And stature to the magnifying mist:

……

The operation of that subtle gas,

…… they suck'd in,

……

…… sets the ladder for the Knave to mount.

FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 336
When seen at distance , owing all their bulk And stature to the magnifying mist : For , on a nearer view , I chiefly saw The operation of that subtle gas , Which flattery introduc'd , and they suck'd in , Till , gorg'd and swollen with ...
此段是節錄，原文可見https://books.google.com/books?id=2V5DAQAAMAAJ 。

思及於此，作文記之。

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来源: 文学城-TJKCB