LESSON 32

PITT’S REPLY TO SIR ROBERT WALPOLE

皮特对罗伯特·沃尔浦尔爵士的答复

William Pitt, 1708—1778, one of the ablest statesmen and orators of his time, was born in Cornwall, and educated at Eton and Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1735, and became a formidable opponent of the ministry of Sir Robert Walpole. He gained great reputation by his wise and vigorous management of military affairs in the last years of the reign of George II. He opposed the “Stamp Act” with great earnestness, as well as the course of the ministry in the early years of the American Revolution. In 1778, he rose from a sick bed to make his celebrated speech, in the House of Lords, in opposition to a motion to acknowledge the independence of America. At its close, he fell in an apoplectic fit, and was borne home to die in a few weeks afterward. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. Mr. Pitt possessed a fine personal presence and a powerful voice; he was very popular with the people, and is often called the “Great Commoner.” He was created “Earl of Chatham” in 1766.

The atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honorable gentleman has, with such spirit and decency, charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with hoping that I may be one of those whose follies cease with their youth, and not of that number who are ignorant in spite of experience. Whether youth can be imputed to a man as a reproach, I will not assume the province of determining; but surely age may become justly contemptible, if the opportunities which it brings have passed away without improvement, and vice appears to prevail when the passions have subsided. The wretch, who, after having seen the consequences of a thousand errors, continues still to blunder, and whose age has only added obstinacy to stupidity, is surely the object either of abhorrence or contempt, and deserves not that his gray hairs should secure him from insult. Much more is he to be abhorred, who, as he has advanced in age, has receded from virtue, and become more wicked—with less temptation; who prostitutes himself for money which he can not enjoy, and spends the remains of his life in the ruin of his country.

But youth is not my only crime; I am accused of acting a theatrical part. A theatrical part may either imply some peculiarity of gesture, or a dissimulation of my real sentiments, and an adoption of the opinions and language of another man. In the first sense, the charge is too trifling to be confuted, and deserves only to be mentioned that it may be despised. I am at liberty, like every other man, to use my own language; and though, perhaps, I may have some ambition to please this gentleman, I shall not lay myself under any restraint, nor very solicitously copy his diction or his mien, however matured by age, or modeled by experience.

But, if any man shall, by charging me with theatrical behavior, imply that I utter any sentiments but my own, I shall treat him as a calumniator and a villain; nor shall any protection shelter him from the treatment he deserves. I shall, on such an occasion, without scruple, trample upon all those forms with which wealth and dignity intrench themselves, nor shall anything but age restrain my resentment; age,—which always brings one privilege, that of being insolent and supercilious, without punishment.

But, with regard to those whom I have offended, I am of opinion that, if I had acted a borrowed part, I should have avoided their censure: the heat that offended them was the ardor of conviction, and that zeal for the service of my country which neither hope nor fear shall influence me to suppress. I will not sit unconcerned while my liberty is invaded, nor look in silence upon public robbery. I will exert my endeavors, at whatever hazard, to repel the aggressor, and drag the thief to justice, whoever may protect him in his villainies, and whoever may partake of his plunder.

【中文阅读】

这位深孚众望的绅士用这样的心情和礼仪指责我说，这是一个年轻人令人震惊的犯罪。对此，我既不打算辩解也不想否认。不过，我很高兴自己或许可以成为一位在年轻时不再做愚蠢的事情的人，不是那种碍于经验而表现得很无知的人。不论对一个人而言是否可以把错误归咎于年轻，我都不愿意假装自己有支配别人的权责；但可以肯定的是，如果年龄赋予的机会在没有任何改善的情况下悄悄溜走的话，年龄或许成为遭到轻蔑的正当理由，当激情冷静下来时堕落开始崭露头角。在目睹一千个过错产生的恶果后，这个可怜的人会继续错上加错，他的年龄只不过会令他的愚蠢更加顽固，他当然成了厌恶或轻蔑的对象，他的灰头发不应该确保他免受攻讦。更有甚者，尽管他在年龄上逐渐增长，可是在德性上却愈发退步，变得更加邪恶——更加经不起诱惑。这个为了金钱而甘愿出卖自己的人，尽管没有带来欢乐，却用自己的余生毁掉了自己的国家。

但是，年轻不是我唯一的罪过；我被指责为扮演有威胁的角色。所谓有威胁的角色要么暗示姿态具有某种特征，要么暗示我在掩饰自己的真正情感。这一指责太过轻佻，不值一驳，只配受到鄙视时才会提及。同其他人一样，随意使用自己习惯的语言。尽管我或许在某种程度上有取悦这位绅士的渴望，但我不会将自己置于任何束缚之下，更不会热衷于模仿他的举止言行，不论年龄上的成熟，还是经验。

但是，倘若有人想通过指责我有威胁性行为来暗示我只不过在宣泄自己的愤怒的话，我会视其为诽谤者和无赖。对这样的人，不配有任何避风港。在这种情况下，我不会顾及良心上不安，决然践踏财富和尊严固守的所有那些形式，年龄不会约束我泄愤；年龄——始终赋予一种侮慢和高傲的特权，而不受任何惩罚！

但是，对于被我冒犯的那些人，我的想法是，如果我扮演的是虚伪的角色，想必我会回避他们的苛责：冒犯他们所带来的激动实际上是对信仰抱有的热情，服务于自己国家的热忱既不是我所希望的，也不是我所担心的，影响到我刻意压抑自己的情感。我不会对我的自由被侵犯无动于衷，也不会对公开抢劫保持缄默。不管是否冒险，我都会竭尽全力赶走入侵者，让首犯交给大众，究竟谁将自己的恶行掩藏起来，究竟谁参与了抢劫。