精美英文欣赏:绅士的定义（在线收听）

Hence it is, that it is almost a definition of a gentleman, to say he is one who never inflicts pain. This description is both refined and, as far as it goes, accurate. He is mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and unembarrassed action of those about him; and he concurs with their movements rather than takes the initiative himself.

His benefits may be considered as parallel to what are called comforts or conveniences in arrangements of a personal nature: like an easy chair or a good fire, which do their part in dispelling cold and fatigue, though nature provides both means of rest and animal heat without them.

He is never mean or little in his disputes, never takes unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments or insinuates evil which he dare not say out.

From a long-sighted prudence, he observes the maxim of the ancient sage, that we should ever conduct ourselves towards our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend.

He has too much good sense to be affronted at insults, he is too well employed to remember injuries, and too engaged to bear malice. He is patient,tolerant, and resigned, on philosophical principles; he submits to pain,because it is inevitable,to the death of family members, because it is irreparable,and to death, because it is his destiny.

If he engages in controversy of any kind, his disciplined intellect preserves him from the blundering discourtesy of better, though less educated minds; who, like blunt weapons,tear and hack instead of cutting clean, who mistake the point in argument,waste their strength on trifles, misconceive their adversary, and leave the question more involved than they find it.

He may be right or wrong in his opinion, but he is too clear-headed to be unjust; he is as simple as he is forcible, and as brief as he is decisive. Nowhere shall we find greater candor, consideration, indulgence: he throws himself into the minds of his opponents, he accounts for their mistakes. He knows the weakness of human reason as well as its strength, its province and its limits.

绅士，他是一个从不使别人遭受痛苦的人。这几乎就是为一个有修养的人所下的定义。这样描述是精妙的，而且，就其本身而言，也是准确的。他主要是致力于为他周围的人们排除妨碍他们进行自由而拘谨的活动时索面临的障碍；他附和他们的行动，而不是自己采取主动。

他这样做的好处可以看作类似于所谓人们相互之间作安排时索带来的舒适和便利：就象一把安乐椅或者一个温暖的炉火，它们能驱散寒冷和疲倦，虽然，没有它们，大自然也能提供休息和增加体温的方法。

与人有了争端，他从不刻薄，也不小气，从不乘人之危，从不为了争辩而误解别人的人格或说尖利的言辞，或者暗示那些他不敢说出口的邪恶的事情。

他从有远见的审慎的观点出发，遵守古代圣贤的座右铭：我们应该这样对待我们的敌人，好像他终有一天会成为我们的朋友。

他很明智，不因受辱而感到被冒犯，他忙于自己的事情，顾不上对自己所受到的伤害耿耿于怀，也懒于为此而心怀恶意。在哲学的原则上，他表现出耐心、宽容和顺从；他正视痛苦，因为痛苦不可避免，他忍受丧亲之痛，因为失去的亲人不可挽回，他屈从于死亡，因为死亡是他最终的归宿。

假入他与人进行争论，他那训练有素的智力使他避免犯那些智力更强然而却缺乏教育的人们常犯的粗鲁和失礼，那些人如同粗钝的武器，乱劈乱砍，而不是公正地争论，他们曲解论点，在枝节问题上浪费精力，他们误解对手，把问题弄得比原来更复杂。

他的意见可能是对的，也可能是错的，但是，他的头脑非常清醒，不至于不公正；正像他强劲一样，他很朴素，正像他果断一样，他很简洁。