A Great Friendship

A Great Friendship

-- Thomas Jefferson and James Madison

                 

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison met in 1776. Could it have been any other year? They worked together starting then to ¹⁾further the American Revolution and later to shape the new ²⁾scheme of government. From that work sprang a friendship perhaps ³⁾incomparable in ⁴⁾intimacy¹ and the trustfulness of ⁵⁾collaboration² and ⁶⁾indurations. It lasted 50 years. It included pleasure and ⁷⁾utility but over and above them, there were shared purpose, a common end and an enduring goodness on both sides. Four and a half months before he died, when he was ⁸⁾ailing³, debt-ridden, and worried about his ⁹⁾impoverished⁴ family, Jefferson wrote to his longtime friend. His words and Madison's reply remind us that friends are friends until death. They also remind us that sometimes a friendship has a bearing on things larger than the friendship itself, for has there ever been a friendship of greater public ¹⁰⁾consequence than this one?

"The friendship which has ¹¹⁾subsisted between us now half a century, the harmony of our political ¹²⁾principles and pursuits have been sources of constant happiness to me through that long period. It's also been a great ¹³⁾solace⁶ to me to believe that you're ¹⁴⁾engaged in ¹⁵⁾vindicating to ¹⁶⁾posterity⁷ the course that we've pursued for preserving to them, in all their purity, their blessings⁸ of self-government, which we had assisted in acquiring for them. If ever the earth has beheld⁹ a system of administration ¹⁷⁾conducted with a single and ¹⁸⁾steadfast¹⁰ eye to the general interest and happiness of those committed to it, one which, protected by truth, can never know ¹⁹⁾reproach, it is that to which our lives have been devoted¹¹. Myself, you have been a ²⁰⁾pillar of support throughout life. Take care of me when dead and be assured that I shall leave with you my last ²¹⁾affections." (Feb 17, 1826)

A week later Madison replied--

"You cannot look back to the long period of our private friendship and political harmony with more ²²⁾affecting ²³⁾recollections than I do. If they are a source of pleasure to you, what aren't they not to be to me? We cannot ²⁴⁾be deprived of the happy ²⁵⁾consciousness of the pure devotion to the public good with which we ²⁶⁾discharge the trust committed to us and I ²⁷⁾indulge a confidence that ²⁸⁾sufficient evidence will find its way to another generation to ensure, after we are gone, whatever of justice may be ²⁹⁾withheld ³⁰⁾whilst we are here."

   

 

杰斐逊参加起草的《独立宣言》宣告了美国的成立，麦迪逊提出三权分立的原则，被美国人称为“宪法之父”。这两届美国总统之间还有一份深厚的友情，不但影响了美国历史的进程，更令彼此终生受益。

 

伟大的友谊

                  ——托马斯·杰斐逊和詹姆斯·麦迪逊

托马斯·杰斐逊和詹姆斯·麦迪逊相识于1776年。为什么偏偏是这一年呢？当时他们开始共同努力推动美国革命，后来又一同为政府拟订新草案。在这些合作中孕育出的友谊是亲密无间、信诚以托、坚不可摧的。这份友谊维持了五十年。当中包含有欢乐，有协作，他们更志同道合地朝共同的目标迈进，历经多年从不间断地令彼此受益。在离开人世前四个半月时，杰斐逊重病在身，债台高筑，并为家庭的贫困感到忧心如焚，于是他提笔给这位知交好友写了封信。从他的信以及麦迪逊的回复中，我们可以看到：这两个朋友是一生之交；并且有时候，他们之间的友情意义之大更超越了友情本身，这份友谊给大众带来的深远影响是前所未有的。

“你我之间的友谊迄今已经走过了半个世纪，我们在政治原则与追求上取得的协调在过去的漫漫岁月中为我带来了源源不断的快乐。我感到一大安慰的是，我相信你还在兢兢业业地致力于造福子孙后代的事业——这份事业我们曾为他们争取过，我们也努力要把他们透明自治的优良体制流传下去。希望这世界上有一种治理制度，在执行的时候专门有坚定不移的一只眼睛来审视它，监护大众利益和为之奋斗者的幸福，建立在真理基础上的制度将永远与责难无缘，我们一生所致力的也正在这里。我自己，还有你，毕生都为此鼎力支持。请你照顾我的身后之事，也请相信，我的友情永远和你同在。”（1826年2月17日）

一个星期后，麦迪逊写了回信——

“在过去的漫长岁月中，你我的友谊与一致的政治观，总令我在回想时心中无比感动。它们为你带来欢乐，对我又何尝不是如此？我们肩负人民的信任，为大众福利鞠躬尽瘁，从中获得的幸福感是难以泯灭的。我坚信，无论当前对我们的评判怎样，我们的一切贡献，身后的下一代人必将给予公断。”

 

注释:

1) further [5fE:TE] v. 促进

2) scheme [ski:m] n. 计划，方案

3) incomparable [in5kCmpErEbl] a.无与伦比的

4) intimacy [5intimEsi] n. 亲密

5) collaboration [kE7lAbE5reiFEn] n. 协作

6) indurations [5indjuEreiFEns] n. 坚固，硬化

7) utility [ju:5tiliti] n. 效用，利用

8) ailing [5eiliN] a. 生病的，景况不佳的

9) impoverished [Im5pCvErIFt] a. 穷困的

10) consequence [5kCnsikwEns] n. 结果

11) subsist⁵ [sEb5sist] v. 存在

12) principle [5prinsEpl] n. 原则，法则

13) solace [5sClEs] n. 安慰

14) engage in 从事于，参加

15) vindicate¹² [5vindikeit] v. 维护，表白

16) posterity [pCs5teriti] n. 子孙，后裔

17) conduct [5kCndQkt] v. 管理，引导

18) steadfast [5stedfEst] a. 坚定的

19) reproach [ri5prEutF] n. 责难

20) pillar [5pilE] n. 重要的支持者

21) affection [E5fekFEn] n. 友爱

22) affecting [E5fektiN] a. 感动的

23) recollection [7rekE5lekFEn] n. 回忆

24) be deprive of 被剥夺

25) consciousness [5kCnFEsnis] n. 意识，知觉

26) discharge [dis5tFB:dV] v. 履行，放出

27) indulge [in5dQldV] v. 沉溺，放纵

28) sufficient [sE5fiFEnt] a. 充分的

29) withhold¹³ [wiT5hEuld] v. 抑制，阻止

30) whilst [waIlst] conj. 同时

1 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

2 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

3 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 subsist   

vi.生存，存在，供养

参考例句：

• We are unable to subsist without air and water.没有空气和水我们就活不下去。
• He could subsist on bark and grass roots in the isolated island.在荒岛上他只能靠树皮和草根维持生命。

6 solace   

n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和

参考例句：

• They sought solace in religion from the harshness of their everyday lives.他们日常生活很艰难，就在宗教中寻求安慰。
• His acting career took a nosedive and he turned to drink for solace.演艺事业突然一落千丈，他便借酒浇愁。

7 posterity   

n.后裔，子孙，后代

参考例句：

• Few of his works will go down to posterity.他的作品没有几件会流传到后世。
• The names of those who died are recorded for posterity on a tablet at the back of the church.死者姓名都刻在教堂后面的一块石匾上以便后人铭记。

8 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

10 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

11 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

12 vindicate   

v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确

参考例句：

• He tried hard to vindicate his honor.他拼命维护自己的名誉。
• How can you vindicate your behavior to the teacher?你怎样才能向老师证明你的行为是对的呢？

13 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。