内容导读
和谐是什么？一千个人可能会有一千种不同的理解。但确定无疑的一点是，它是所有美好事物的必备要素。在托马斯·布朗心中，和谐便是音乐；或者说，凡是和谐所在之处，便有音乐相伴相随。音乐是神圣的，阳春白雪如此，下里巴人亦如是。
英文正文
It is my temper,and Ilike it the better,to affect aharmony;and sure there is music even in the beauty,and the silent note which Cupid[2]strikes,far sweeter than the sound of an instrument.For there is amusic wherever there is aharmony,order,or proportion;and thus we may maintain the music of the spheres;for those well-ordered motions and regular paces,though they give no sound unto the ear,yet to the understanding they strike anote most full of harmony.Whatsoever is harmonically composed delights in harmony;which makes the much distrust the symmetry of those heads which declaim against all Church music.For myself,not only from my obedience but my particular genius,I do embrace it;for even that vulgar and Tavern Music,which makes one man merry,another mad,strikes in me adeep fit of devotion,and aprofound contemplation of the first Composer:there is something in it of Divinity more than the ear discovers.It is ahieroglyphical and shadowed lesson of the whole world and Creatures of God,such amelody to the ear as the whole world,well understood,would afford the understanding.In brief,it is asensible fit of that Harmony which intellectually sounds in the ears of God.
中文译文
论和谐——托马斯·布朗
我生性耽爱一切之和谐，于此，我颇以自得；确实，在美之内、在丘比特奏放的无声音籁之中，无不有音乐的存在，其音之佳妙迥出一般乐器之上。盖因为，凡存和谐、秩序与比例匀称之处，必有音乐；因此我们也可接受星际乐声之说：其秩序井然之动作，节拍分明之步调，虽悄无声息，然在颖慧者听来，却是饱含和谐之声。大凡和谐构成之物，必喜和谐，因而，彼辈攻击一切教堂音乐者，其心中是否尚有匀称之感实在令人怀疑。我自己对上述音乐服膺无已，此固与信仰有关，亦系我的特殊禀赋所致；即便通常旅店之俚俗音乐，所叙不出嬉乐激切之情，亦能激发我对上帝的仰慕之忱与遥深之想；其中圣洁处非人耳所能察觉。它是茫茫世界芸芸众生的一篇佶屈恢诡的天启，是下土尘寰彻悟之后供识者聆赏的一阕悠扬的妙乐。简言之，它合理地展现了天庭仙籁中的无上和谐。
词汇速记
temper n. 性情；脾气
sphere n. 天体；范围
declaim v. 抨击；抗议
tavern n. 酒馆
hieroglyphical n. 象形文字
美句欣赏
For there is amusic wherever there is aharmony,order,or proportion.盖因为，凡存和谐、秩序与比例匀称之处，必有音乐。