LESSON 22 AN ELEGY ON MADAM BLAIZE 布莱兹夫人的挽歌
Oliver Goldsmith (b.1728, d.1774) was born at Pallas, or Pallasmore, in the parish of Forney, Ireland.He received his education at several schools, at Trinity College, Dublin, at Edinburgh, and at Leyden.He spent some time in wandering over continental Europe, often in poverty and want.In 1756 he became a resident of London, where he made the acquaintance of several celebrated men, among whom were Dr.Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds.His writings are noted for their purity, grace, and f luency.His fame as a poet is secured by “The Traveler,” and “The Deserted Village;” as a dramatist, by “She Stoops to Conquer;” and as a novelist, by “The Vicar of Wakef ield.” His reckless extravagance always kept him in f inancial dif f iculty, and he died heavily in debt.His monument is in Westminster Abbey.
1.Good people all, with one accord[1],
Lament for Madam Blaize,
Who never wanted a good word—
From those who spoke her praise.
2.The needy seldom passed her door,
And always found her kind;
She freely lent to all the poor—
Who left a pledge[2] behind.
3.She strove the neighborhood to please,
With manner wondrous winning:
She never followed wicked ways—
Unless when she was sinning.
4.At church, in silks and satin new,
With hoop of monstrous size,
She never slumbered in her pew—
But when she shut her eyes.
5.Her love was sought, I do aver,
By twenty beaux and more;
The king himself has followed her—
When she has walked before.
6.But now, her wealth and fi nery fl ed,
Her hangers-on[3] cut short all,
Her doctors found, when she was dead—
Her last disorder mortal[4].
7.Let us lament, in sorrow sore;
For Kent Street well may say,
That, had she lived a twelvemonth more—
She had not died today.
【中文阅读】
奥利弗·戈德史密斯（1728—1774）出生于爱尔兰福尼教区的帕拉斯村，又称帕拉斯莫村。他曾在都柏林的三一学院、爱丁堡大学和莱顿大学等处接受教育。尽管经常窘困不堪，他仍游历了整个欧洲大陆。1756年，他定居伦敦，并在那里结识了不少有名望的人，包括约翰逊博士和约舒亚·雷诺兹爵士。他的作品语言纯净优雅，行文流畅。戈德史密斯兼诗人、剧作家和小说家于一身，《旅行者》和《荒村》两首诗奠定了他作为诗人的声望，《屈身求爱》使他以剧作家的身份成名，而《威克菲尔德牧师传》则是他最著名的小说。他花钱挥霍无度，常使自己捉襟见肘，以至于死后仍负债累累。英国威斯敏斯特大教堂矗有他的纪念碑。
1.善良的人们，异口同声地
为布莱兹夫人哀悼。
生前，她从未期待过赞誉——
尽管，人们总是发自内心地称道。
2.需要帮助的人很少从她门前走过，
但总能得到她善意的救助；
她施舍众生，为人慷慨——
借贷者，甚至只留下极少许诺。
3.她竭尽所能，造福乡邻，
心有谋略，变通灵活；
她为人坦荡，心底无私——
除非，偶尔难以顾及。
4.她总是穿着崭新衣裳，
漂亮裙子，去教堂敬拜；
她从未在长椅上打盹走神——
直到她悄然去世。
5.我敢说，许多男人都曾追求过，
她的芳心青睐；
就连国王也曾为她倾心，
当她从他面前娉婷走过。
6.如今，她财富散尽美貌不再，
那些追随者也日渐稀疏，
待最后离世，医生才发现——
她的体内早已重疾难愈。
7.悲哀深深，让我们为她哀悼，
她曾住过的肯特大街，也许见证，
要是她多活一年，该有多好——
她走得实在太早。
【注释】
[1] Accord, agreement of opinion, consent.
[2] Pledge, personal property delivered to another as a security for a debt.
[3] Hangers-on, followers.
[4] Mortal, destructive to life.