什么是爱情,什么是友情?是球、苹果、玩偶——是什么可以信手拈来、随意送人的实物吗?它是没有深刻的意义、不能交流的吗?凯米斯勋爵用激情的特殊体现来为爱情下定论,但这种爱只是肉欲,只是情欲——是荒唐透顶的逢场作戏。这种爱是寻欢作乐,而非幸福之道。这种爱以自我为中心,自私自利,它只为自己的利益着想,是嫉妒的源泉,霸占追求的玩物才是它的目的所在,其本质是私心、独占。这种爱的某些表现也是对爱的亵渎,使纤纤弱草般的爱荡然无存。但我们崇拜的爱,是美德、天意和无私的象征,一句话,真情是能感觉到的,它与远方山间的云朵息息相关。它追求所有人的幸福——首先是对方的幸福,不只是因为对方赋予自己欢乐,也不仅因为对方让自己幸福,而是因为这种爱真正问心无愧,因为它有力量、有情感,并能倾其所有,因为美德的可爱而爱美德——不是因为怕下地狱或想进天堂而为他人祈福,是出于质朴单纯的美德。你会很快再收到我的信。再见了,我最亲爱的朋友。请你继续相信这一点:什么时候我不忠于您的美德,我便不复存在。
你的最诚挚和至死不渝的
波西·比希·雪莱
1811年11月12日 星期二
于凯斯韦克·栗村
sink [sik] v. 下沉;使沉没;减少(斯诺克)击球入袋
I shall either sink of swim.
我的成败就在此一举。
predominate [pridmineit] v. 占优势;占主导地位
Knowledge will always predominate over ignorance.
知识总是会胜过无知。
sacrifice [s鎘rifais] n. 牺牲;祭祀祭品
Love is forgiveness and sacrifice.
爱是对别人的宽容和牺牲。
jealousy [delsi] n. 妒忌;猜忌;警惕
Love is never without jealousy.
无妒不成爱。
我认为我们将永远不会停止彼此的交往,这种交往给我带来了生命的曙光,这温暖的阳光洒在我清冷而漫长的人生之旅上。
只要还有一口气在,就永不屈服,决不低头;即使生命将尽,人间情侣也要相聚在天堂。
但我们崇拜的爱,是美德、天意和无私的象征,一句话,真情是能感觉到的,它与远方山间的云朵息息相关。
I answer it according to our agreement, which shall be inviolable.
according to:依据;按照;取决于;据……所载
I pour out my whole soul to you.
pour out:(感情或说话)奔涌;迸发
亨利八世致安妮·博林
Henry Ⅷ to Anne Boleyn
英国国王亨利八世(1491—1547),结婚13年后,爱上女侍从安妮·博林(1507—1536)。与教皇经过11年艰辛斗争后,亨利八世终于实现自己的愿望,得以离婚再娶,于1533年与安妮·博林成婚。这是亨利八世致安妮·博林的一封情书。
Myne Sweetheart,
This shall be to advertise you of the great ellingness that I find here since your departing, for I ensure you, me thinketh the Tyme longer since your departing now last than I was wont to do a whole Fortnight; I think your Kindness and my Fervence of Love causeth it, for otherwise I would not thought it possible, that for so little a while it should have grieved me, but now that I am coming toward you, me thinketh my Pains by half released, and also I am right well comforted, in so much that my Book maketh substantially for my Matter, in writing where of I have spent above four Hours this Day, which caused me now write the shorter Letter to you at this Tyme, because of some Payne in my Head, wishing myself (specially an Evening) in my Sweethearts Armes whose pretty Duckys, I trust shortly to kysse. Write with the Hand of him that was, is, and shall be yours by his will.
H.R.
我的甜心:
我之所以写这封信,是想向你诉说你走后我所忍受的无边的寂寞。真的,从你离开到现在已有半个月,我觉得这比往常的任何半个月都要长。我想这种感觉源于你的善良温柔和我炽热的爱情,否则,如此短暂的别离,不可能让我如此痛苦。就要起程到你那里去了,我的痛苦随即减轻了一半,还有另外一件事让我感到非常欣慰,那就是我通过写作大大缓解了实际的痛苦。今天,我已经用四个多小时写作,所以,到这个时候才给你写这封短笺。我的头有些痛,因此,我渴望(尤其是晚上)躺在爱人的怀里,相信很快就可以亲吻到你那对迷人的小宝贝了。
甘愿属于你的人 H.R.
邀请信
邀请信是邀请亲朋好友或知名人士、专家等参加某项活动时所发的请约性书信。在国际交往以及日常的各种社交活动中,这类书信使用很广泛。但要注意,写作宜简洁明了,看懂就行,不要太多文字。
depart [dip:t] v. 起程;离开;违反
Change ten thousand times without departing from the original aim.
万变不离其宗。
fortnight [f:tnit] n. 两星期;十四日;半个月
The fortnight at Venice passed quickly and sweetly.
在威尼斯的半个月过得很快,很惬意。
grieve [ri:v] v. 悲伤;悲痛;伤心
I grieve very much for what I have done.
我为自己的行为感到痛心。
release [rili:s] v. 释放;松开;发泄
Unlock your heart, release your love!
打开你的心锁,释放你的爱!
我想这种感觉缘于你的善良温柔和我炽热的爱情,否则,如此短暂的别离,不可能让我如此痛苦。
就要起程到你那里去了,我的痛苦随即减轻了一半。
还有另一件事让我感到非常欣慰,那就是我通过写作大大缓解了实际的痛苦。
I was wont to do a whole Fortnight.
wont to:习惯于
I think your kindness and my fervence of love cause it, for otherwise I could not thought it possible, that for so little a while it should have grieved me .
for a while:一段时间;一会儿
卡尔·马克思致燕妮·马克思
Karl Marx to Jenny Marx
卡尔·马克思(1818—1883),德国著名的思想家、社会活动家,马克思主义的创始人,第一国际的组织者和领导者,全世界无产阶级和劳动人民的伟大导师,著有《资本论》等巨著。1843年5月,在莱茵省的小镇克罗茨纳赫,他与童年时代的女友燕妮·冯·威斯特华伦结婚。从此,她成了马克思志同道合、患难与共的亲密伴侣和战友。
My heart's beloved,
I am writing you again, because I am alone and because it troubles me always to have a dialogue with you in my head, without your knowing anything about it or hearing it or being able to answer. Poor as your photograph is, it does perform a service for me, and I now understand how even the "Black Madonna", the most disgraceful portrait of the Mother of God, could find indestructible admirers, indeed even more admirers than the good portraits. In any case, those Black Madonna pictures have never been more kissed, looked at, and adored than your photograph, which, although not black, is morose, and absolutely does not reflect your darling, sweet, kissable dolce face. But I improve upon the sun's rays, which have painted falsely, and find that my eyes, so spoiled by lamplight and tobacco, can still paint, not only in dream but also while awake. I have you vivaciously before me, and I carry you on my hands, and I kiss you from head to foot, and I fall on my knees before you, and I groan, "Madame, I love you." And I truly love you, more than the Moor of Venice ever loved. The false and worthless world views virtually all terary characters falsely and worthlessly. Who of my many slanderers and snake-tongued enemies had ever reproached me that I am destined to play the role of chief lover in a second-class theater? And yet it is true. If the scoundrels had had wit, they would have painted "the production and direction" on one side, and me lying at your feet on the other. Look to this picture and to that in English-hey would have written underneath. But dumb scoundrels they are and dumb they will remain, in all eternity.