万物简史 第555期:达尔文的非凡见解(4)

 In every other respect, however, the Beagle voyage was a triumph. 不过，在其他所有方面，“贝格尔”号航行是一次成功之旅。

Darwin experienced adventure enough to last a lifetime and accumulated a hoard¹ of specimens² sufficient to make his reputation and keep him occupied for years. 达尔文在远洋航行中所锻炼出来的冒险精神贯穿了他的一生，而在此期间他所收集的数量众多的标本足以供他研究一辈子，并且以此确立了他的声望。

He found a magnificent trove³ of giant ancient fossils, including the finest Megatherium known to date; survived a lethal⁴ earthquake in Chile; 他发现了许多十分珍贵的大型古代化石，其中包括迄今为止最为完好的大地懒属；在智利，他经历了一次险些致命的地震；

discovered a new species of dolphin (which he dutifully named Delphinus fitzroyi; 他还发现了一种新的海豚（他非常恭敬地将它命名为菲茨罗伊海豚）；

conducted diligent⁵ and useful geological investigations⁶ throughout the Andes; 他对整个安第斯山脉作了详尽而有用的地质考察，

and developed a new and much-admired theory for the formation of coral atolls, which suggested, not coincidentally, 并且提出了一种有关珊瑚礁成因的新理论。他在这一备受世人推崇的理论中提出，

that atolls could not form in less than a million years — the first hint of his long-standing attachment⁷ to the extreme antiquity⁸ of earthly processes. 珊瑚礁不可能形成于100万年以内——特别要指出的是，这是他第一次显露出他一贯认为地球上生命的演进过程是极其古老的。

In 1836, aged⁹ twenty-seven, he returned home after being away for five years and two days. He never left England again. 1836年，在离开家乡五年零两天之后，达尔文重新回到了家乡。此时他已27岁，从此他再未离开英格兰。

One thing Darwin didn't do on the voyage was propound¹⁰ the theory (or even a theory) of evolution. 在远洋考察期间，达尔文并没有提出进化论（抑或任何理论）。

For a start, evolution as a concept was already decades old by the 1830s. 进化论作为一个概念到19世纪30年代已经存在了几十年，

Darwin's own grandfather, Erasmus, had paid tribute to evolutionary¹¹ principles in a poem of inspired mediocrity called "The Temple of Nature" years before Charles was even born. 达尔文的祖父伊拉兹马斯在一首水平不高、名为《自然的神殿》的诗中，曾对进化理论发出由衷的赞美，当时达尔文还没有出生。

 

1 hoard   

n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积

参考例句：

• They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
• How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

2 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 trove   

n.被发现的东西，收藏的东西

参考例句：

• He assembled a rich trove of Chinese porcelain.他收集了一批中国瓷器。
• The gallery is a treasure trove of medieval art.这个画廊是中世纪艺术的宝库。

4 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

5 diligent   

adj.勤勉的，勤奋的

参考例句：

• He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。
• She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

7 attachment   

n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附

参考例句：

• She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
• She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。

8 antiquity   

n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹

参考例句：

• The museum contains the remains of Chinese antiquity.博物馆藏有中国古代的遗物。
• There are many legends about the heroes of antiquity.有许多关于古代英雄的传说。

9 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

10 propound   

v.提出

参考例句：

• Zoologist Eugene Morton has propounded a general theory of the vocal sounds that animals make.动物学家尤金·莫顿提出了一个有关动物发声的概括性理论。
• we propound the proposal for building up the financial safety area.我们提出了创建金融安全区的构想。

11 evolutionary   

adj.进化的；演化的，演变的；[生]进化论的

参考例句：

• Life has its own evolutionary process.生命有其自身的进化过程。
• These are fascinating questions to be resolved by the evolutionary studies of plants.这些十分吸引人的问题将在研究植物进化过程中得以解决。