经济学人23:政治家,演说家,改革推动者约翰·布莱特

 　　Books and Arts; Book Review;19th-century British politics;Third man;

　　文艺；书评；19世纪英国政坛;第三人;

　　John Bright: Statesman, Orator¹, Agitator².By Bill Cash.

　　《约翰·布莱特：政治家, 演说家, 改革推动者》;比尔·凯西。

　　Bill Cash, a Conservative British backbench politician, has written a book about another backbench politician, who also happens to be an ancestor. Mr Cash frets³ that his great-grandfather's cousin has been forgotten, but he hasn't really. No historian doubts the importance of John Bright; it is just that he has slipped out of the popular consciousness.

　　比尔·卡什(Bill Cash), 这个英国保守党普通议员为另一位普通议员写了一本书, 而其撰写的这个人物恰好是他的一位先人。卡什议员对于人们已经忘却了他的曾祖父的这位表兄感到不快, 但是其实他没有被忘记。 没有任何历史学家会怀疑约翰。布莱特(John Bright)的重要历史地位; 现今他只是从公众的视野中淡出了。

　　So, for the layman⁴, who was he? The very question, Mr Cash tells us, would have flabbergasted anyone in the 19th century. In 1878 Punch published a series of cartoons of the three Britons whom they deemed to be the greatest statesmen of the age—Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone and Bright. Born in 1811 and with a political career spanning nearly 50 years as a member of parliament for Durham, Manchester and Birmingham, Bright would be “the one contemporary statesman whose fame and accomplishments⁵ transcended⁶ the age,” according to Walter Bagehot, this newspaper's editor from 1860-77. A biography by G.M. Trevelyan, which came out in 1913, described him as “a rare example of the hero as politician”.

　　那么，对于我们这些门外汉来说, 这个约翰·布莱特究竟何方神圣？如果是在十九世纪, 卡什先生向我们提出的这个问题, 会令任何人感到诧异。 在1878年, Punch报纸出版了一系列的连载漫画, 讲述了被认为是这个国家最伟大的政治家的3个人, 他们当中有本杰明·迪斯累利(Benjamin Disreali)，威廉·格莱斯顿(William Gladstone), 还有一位就是约翰·布莱特。 曾于1860-1877年间担任该报主编的瓦尔特·伯格霍特(Walter.Bogehot)称赞这位生于1811年, 曾担任杜伦、曼切斯特和伯明翰地区议员,拥有跨越了50个年头政治生涯的老议员布莱特为“声誉和成就超越了本时代的当代政治家”。 在1913年为其出版的一本传记中, 该书作者也将布莱特描述为“一位罕见的能被称为英雄的政坛人物”。

　　A Quaker born in Rochdale, Bright made his name campaigning for the repeal⁷ of the protectionist Corn Laws, distinguishing himself, as Karl Marx testified, as “one of the most gifted orators⁸ that England has ever produced”. He was inspiring as well as courageous⁹, and his passion for free trade was allied¹⁰ to his passion for democracy. He crusaded against monopoly, aristocracy, slavery and more. It was Bright who said that “England is the mother of Parliaments”, a phrase that has passed into idiom. He fought tirelessly for the Reform Act of 1867 which gave the vote to working-class men. A radical¹¹ as well as a nonconformist, Bright was vocal¹² in his opposition¹³ to the Crimean war, which he believed to be un-Christian, a stance that eventually lost him his parliamentary seat.

　　作为来自于罗奇达尔(Rochdale)的公宜会信徒, 布莱特在针对保护主义者的玉米法案的反对运动中初次参加竞选活动, 就展现出超凡的演讲才能, 正如卡尔·马克思(Karl Marx)所言, 他是“英格兰有史以来最有天赋的演说家之一”。他的演讲大胆豪迈又鼓舞人心, 而他对自由贸易的激情又与其对民主自由的热忱紧紧结合。他严词讨伐垄断势力，贵族阶层和奴隶制度等不平等的制度，而今已成谚语的名言”英国是议会之母”就是出自其语。布莱特曾经为给予了劳工阶层投票权的1867年改革法案而不知疲倦的斗争。身为一个激进派的新教徒, 他也曾直言不讳的反对克里米亚战争(Crimean War)。布莱特认为这场战争是不符合基督教精神的，而这种立场最终让他丢掉了自己的议员席位。

　　Whether you rated him a hero or a villain¹⁴ depended on your point of view. His pugnacity¹⁵ fascinated and repelled¹⁶ people in equal measure. Early tales include a furious quarrel with a local Anglican vicar, both of them hollering from tombstones in the parish churchyard. He was, says Mr Cash, “an independent Radical by principle, with a persistent¹⁷ strain of innate¹⁸ conservatism. He was in the Liberal Party as it evolved but not always of, or evenwith, the Liberal Party”. His relationships with Gladstone and Disraeli were complex. He loathed¹⁹ Lord Palmerston, a former prime minister, and the feeling was mutual²⁰.

　　你认为布莱特是个英雄还是恶棍完全取决于你自己的好恶。他好斗的个性有多令人欣赏，同时就有多令人讨厌。他早期的轶事中就有一则关于一次他和一个圣公会的副主教暴吵了一架，两个人都在一个地区教堂的墓地里大喊大叫的故事。卡什先生说，布莱特是一个天生流着保守主义血液的自有原则的激进派；他始终都在自由党中, 但并不总是属于自由党, 甚至不见得总是支持自由党。布莱特和格莱斯顿以及迪斯累利的关系都很复杂。 他还极端厌恶前首相帕梅尔斯通(Palmerston), 而帕梅尔斯通对布莱特也没什么好感。

　　Mr Cash is a lawyer by training and a politician by profession. He has a sharp eye for detail and he presents a strong case. What he does not explain is how Bright slipped out of view. His own interest, he tells the reader, has increased “in inverse²¹ proportion to the decline in the vibrancy²², accountability and sovereignty of our Parliament”. But the underlying²³ lament²⁴, that Bright has been censored²⁵ out by fashion “as people became cynical²⁶ of moral and political certainties” is too marbled with nostalgia²⁷ to be believable.

　　卡什先生是法律专业出身, 但是现在是职业政治家。 他眼光犀利, 善于捕捉细节, 并能摆出有力的例证。 他并不想解释为什么布莱特从公众的关注中淡出了。 他在书中透露给读者, 与“英国议会的权威性、可信度和活跃度的每况愈下”, 他自己的影响力倒是与日俱增。但是那份对于”由于如今人们对道德和政治信仰已是不屑一顾”而导致布莱特被人淡忘的哀伤却显得过于有怀旧的意味而不足以令人信服。

　　Bright was a political force, but he never held high office, so he was rather like a midfielder who forever sets up the strikers: assists don't count as much as goals. A full- scale revival²⁸ of his reputation would have to rouse the reader's imagination. Mr Cash quotes Bright's dictum that “my life is in my speeches”, many of which are rhetorical masterpieces; but the reader wants more of the man, more of the life outside the speeches. Bright believed that biographies “are soon forgotten, and of no influence in the future”. Historians will enjoy this fine political portrait, but it is unlikely to make Bright famous again.

　　布莱特有相当的政治影响力, 但是却从未担任高官, 所以其实他更像是一个永远为前锋提供支持的中场队员：他的助攻不见得都能转化为得分。 要全面恢复布莱特的声望还有赖于唤起读者们的想象空间。 卡什先生引述了布莱特的一句格言”我的生命都在演讲中”, 布莱特的演讲的确很多都是修辞极佳的经典之作, 但是读者们恐怕想要更多的了解这个人, 了解这个人在演讲之外的生活中是什么样子。布莱特本人认为传记”都是容易被人遗忘的, 而且对未来也不会产生什么影响”。历史学家们应该会对这一部精致地描写了这个政治人物的著作很有兴趣, 但是这本书还是不太可能让布莱特再”火”起来。

1 orator   

n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• The orator gestured vigorously while speaking.这位演讲者讲话时用力地做手势。

2 agitator   

n.鼓动者；搅拌器

参考例句：

• Hitler's just a self-educated street agitator.希特勒无非是个自学出身的街头煽动家罢了。
• Mona had watched him grow into an arrogant political agitator.莫娜瞧着他成长为一个高傲的政治鼓动家。

3 frets   

基质间片； 品丝（吉他等指板上定音的）( fret的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The river frets away the rocks along its banks. 河水侵蚀了两岸的岩石。
• She frets at even the slightest delays. 稍有延误她就不满。

4 layman   

n.俗人，门外汉，凡人

参考例句：

• These technical terms are difficult for the layman to understand.这些专门术语是外行人难以理解的。
• He is a layman in politics.他对政治是个门外汉。

5 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 transcended   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• He wanted assurance that he had transcended what was inherently ambiguous. 他要证明，他已经超越了本来就是混淆不清的事情。
• It transcended site to speak to universal human concerns. 它超越了场所的局限，表达了人类共同的心声。

7 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

8 orators   

n.演说者，演讲家( orator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The hired orators continued to pour forth their streams of eloquence. 那些雇来的演说家继续滔滔不绝地施展辩才。 来自辞典例句
• Their ears are too full of bugles and drums and the fine words from stay-at-home orators. 人们的耳朵被军号声和战声以及呆在这的演说家们的漂亮言辞塞得太满了。 来自飘（部分）

9 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

10 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

11 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

12 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

13 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

14 villain   

n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因

参考例句：

• He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
• The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

15 pugnacity   

n.好斗，好战

参考例句：

• The United States approves of Mr Museveni's pugnacity and will coverextra cost of the AU mission. 美国不但赞同穆塞韦尼的粗暴政策，而且将为非盟任务的超支项目买单。 来自互联网

16 repelled   

v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开

参考例句：

• They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

17 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

18 innate   

adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的

参考例句：

• You obviously have an innate talent for music.你显然有天生的音乐才能。
• Correct ideas are not innate in the mind.人的正确思想不是自己头脑中固有的。

19 loathed   

v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢

参考例句：

• Baker loathed going to this red-haired young pup for supplies. 面包师傅不喜欢去这个红头发的自负的傻小子那里拿原料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Therefore, above all things else, he loathed his miserable self! 因此，他厌恶不幸的自我尤胜其它！ 来自英汉文学 - 红字

20 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

21 inverse   

adj.相反的，倒转的，反转的；n.相反之物；v.倒转

参考例句：

• Evil is the inverse of good.恶是善的反面。
• When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse.当直接方法失败时，他尝试相反的做法。

22 vibrancy   

n.活跃；震动

参考例句：

• I like the vibrancy of her character.我喜欢她的活泼性格。
• Tom felt himself being drawn towards her vibrant personality. 汤姆感觉自己被她充满朝气的个性所吸引。

23 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

24 lament   

n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹

参考例句：

• Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。
• We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。

25 censored   

受审查的，被删剪的

参考例句：

• The news reports had been heavily censored . 这些新闻报道已被大幅删剪。
• The military-backed government has heavily censored the news. 有军方撑腰的政府对新闻进行了严格审查。

26 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

27 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。

28 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。