本文格式为Word版，下载可任意编辑熊海虹主编《高等学校研究生英语综合教程 Unit Seven ON HUMAN NATURE Frank and Lydia Hammer 我对人类的了解越多，对他们的期望就越低和以前相比，我现在往往以较宽松的标准把一个人叫做好人 ——塞缪尔·约翰逊博士 论人性 弗兰克，莉迪亚·汉默尔 1 Human nature is the basis of character, the temperament and disposition; it is that indestructible matrix upon which the character is built, and whose shape it must take and keep throughout life. This we call a person's nature. 1人性是性格、气质和性情的根基，性格正是基于这种牢不成破的基质之上的，它务必以这种基质的形式存在，并将它留存终生，这种基质，我们称之为一个人的本性。
2 The basic nature of human beings does not and cannot change. It is only the surface that is capable of alteration, improvement and refinement; we can alter only people's customs, manners, dress and habits. A study of history reveals that the people who walked this earth in antiquity were moved by the same fundamental forces, were swayed by the same passions, and had the same aspirations as the men and women of today. The pursuit of happiness still engrosses mankind the world over. 2人类的本性不会也不能变更，只有一些外观特征才会变化、改善和进一步提升；我们可以变更人们的风格、举止、衣着和习惯。
一项历史研究说明，曾经行走在地球上的古人们和今天的男男女女们受着同样的根本气力驱使，被同样的激情左右并有着同样的抱负，时至今日，对幸福的追求依旧是全世界人类全身心投入的事业 3 Moreover no one wishes his nature to change. One may covet the position of President or King, but would not change places with them unless, it meant the continuance of his own identify. Each man sees himself as unique, and so far as he is concerned the hub of the universe, different from any other individual. Apologies are in order when Mr. Smith is mistaken for Mr. Jones. 3此外，没有人梦想变更自己的本性，有人可能会觊觎总统或国王的职位，但不会和他们交换位置，除非那意味着他自己身份的持续。
每个人都把自己看成是独特个体，而且，就他而言，他就是宇宙的中心，有别于其他任何人假设有人把史密斯先生误认作琼斯先生，这人就该赔罪 4 Every man unfolds a distinct character over which circumstances and education have only the most limited control. No two people will ever draw the same conclusions from the same experiences, but each must interpret events and fit them into the mosaic of his own life's pattern. Human nature is ever true itself, not to systems of faith or education. Each holds to the structure of the mold into which the soul was cast at the time of its individualization. The qualities born in one remain as potentials whether they have a chance to develop or not. Under pressure, or change of interest, they can partially or wholly disappear from view, tor considerable periods of time; but nothing can permanently modify them, nothing can obliterate them. 4每个人都表现出一种与众不同的性格，而环境和教导对性格的影响都极其有限。
两个人从一致的体验中也不会得出一致的结论，但是两个人会各自分析这些事情并将它们融合到自己丰富的生活模式中去人性总是忠于它本身，而不受信仰或教导体制左右一个人的天性和他独特的天性在出世时就已经形成了，而且不会变更一个人与生俱来的品质，无论是否有机遇进展，都保持为潜力在遭遇压力或兴趣变化的处境下，他们会片面或全部地消散相当一段时间，但是没有什么能永久地变更他们，也没有什么能把他们抹去 5 The constancy of human nature is proverbial, as no one believes that a man can fundamentally change his nature. This is why it is so difficult for one who has acquired an unsavory reputation to re-establish himself in public confidence. People know from experience that an individual who in one year displays knavish characteristics- seldom in the next becomes any different. Nor does a thief become a trustworthy employee, or a miser a philanthropist. Nor does a man change and become a liar, coward or traitor at fifty or sixty; if he is one then, he has been one ever since his character was formed. Big criminals are first little criminals, just as giant oaks are first little acorns. 5人性的恒定性是众所周知的，由于没有人相信一个人能够从根本上变更他的本性。
这就是为什么一个恶名远扬的人很难重建公众对他的信仰人们凭阅历知道某一年中表现出无赖性格的人不太可能在其次年有任何改观小偷也不会变成值得相信的员工吝啬鬼也不成能变成慈善家而且，一个人不会在五六十岁的时候变成谎话精、懦夫或叛徒，假设那时候他是，那么早在他性格形成的时候他就已经是了大罪犯最初都是小罪犯，正如大橡树最初都是小橡果 6 Although man is potentially perfect he is far from being actually so. If he were actually perfect there would be nothing for preachers and humanitarians to do; no use for churches, schools, courts and prisons. Therefore while it is impossible to change human nature, it can be studied, controlled and directed, and this should be the supreme function of our religious, educational and social institutions. 6尽管人类有完备的潜质，但事实上他远远没有达成完备。
假设事实上他已经是完备的，那么那些神父、教师和人道主义者便会无事可做；那些教堂、学校、法庭和监狱便会无所用处因此虽然人性是不成能变更的，但是人们可以研究它、操纵它和引导它而且这理应是我们的宗教机构、教导机构和社会机构的最高职能 7 Man is perfect as a seed is perfect, germinally. The spirit is perfect, but when it inhabits human structures, it participates in the imperfections of the later; and during its association with matter takes on the mortal weakness, desires and limitations. But the spirit, the inner man, remains untouched and undefiled by evil. Only the outer man- the personality and the physical body- becomes imperfect, due to ignorance, wrong thinking and violation of the law of being. The outer man, too, was originally perfect, but man has so desecrated and abused it that today it is a far cry from the original model. 7人类在胚胎期是完备的，就好比一粒种子，在幼芽期是完备的一样。
精神是完备的，但它栖居到人类肉体布局中后，便参与其中，表现出后者的不完备在它与物质的联系过程中呈现出凡人的弱点、欲望和局限但是精神，也就是人的内在，却仍能免遭邪恶的染指和玷污只有外在的人——天性和躯体，由于无知、思想错误和违反自然规律而变得不完备外在的人，原本也是完备的，但是由于人类如此的。