A Little Great Man
小小的大人物

中国当代文学大师木心曾说：“一个人的知名度来自于对他的误解。”当一个人成名之后，和他有关的一切都很容易被自动加上神秘的色彩。这样，他的名气会越来越大，以至于神乎其神，甚至可能和他实际的情况相去甚远。无论“大人物”是否名副其实，作为平凡人的我们，既不用去追逐虚名，也不需要盲目崇拜这些大人物。

Oliver Goldsmith
奥利弗·哥德史密斯

I have visited many countries, and have been in cities without number, yet never did I enter a town which could not produce ten or twelve of those little great men; all fancying themselves known to the rest of the world, and complimenting each other upon their extensive reputation. It is amusing enough when two of those domestic prodigies of learning mount the stage of ceremony, and give and take praise from each other. I have been present when a German doctor, for having pronounced a panegyric upon a certain monk, was thought the most ingenious man in the world; till the monk soon after divided this reputation by returning the compliment; by which means they both marched off with universal applause.

The same degree of underserved adulation that attends our great man while living, often also follows him to tomb. It frequently happens that one of his little admirers sits down big with the important subject, and is delivered of the history of his life and writings. This may properly be called the revolutions of a life between the fireside and the easy chair. In this we learn, the year in which he was born, at what an early age he gave symptoms of uncommon genius and application, together with some of his smart sayings, collected by his aunt and mother, while yet but a boy. The next book introduces him to the university, where we are informed of his amazing progress in learning, his excellent skill in darning stockings, and his new invention for papering books to save the covers. He next makes his appearance in the republic of letters, and publishes his folio. Now the colossus is reared, his works are eagerly bought up by all the purchasers of scarce books. The learned societies invite him to become a member; he disputes against some foreigner with a long Latin name, conquers in the controversy, is complimented by several authors of gravity and importance, is excessively fond of egg sauce with his pig, becomes president of a literary club, and dies in the meridian of his glory. Happy they, who thus have some little faithful attendant, who never forsakes them, but prepares to wrangle and to praise against every opposer; at once ready to increase their pride while living, and their character when dead. For you and I, my friend, who have no humble admirer thus to attend us, we, who neither are, nor ever will be great men, and who do not much care whether we are great men or no, at least let us strive to be honest men, and to have common sense.

我去过很多国家，到过的城市也不计其数，但是我还从来没见过一座不能诞生十或十二个小小的大人物的城市；他们都自以为闻名于世，也相互恭维彼此声名远扬。如果两个当地博学的天才登台庆贺，相互吹捧，场面肯定相当有趣。我就见过一个德国医生，因为称颂某位僧侣而被视为世上最聪明的人，不久后这位僧侣反过来也称赞了他，两个人就以这种方式赢得了全世界的喝彩。

对这些大人物的过分赞誉经常伴随其一生，乃至死后。我们频繁见到大人物的某个小小崇拜者怀揣远大目标，静心坐于桌前编撰大人物的生平及著作。我们可以恰当地称之为炉火边和安乐椅之间的人生革命。我们就这样知道了大人物于何年出生，如何在年纪轻轻的时候就表现出不同寻常的天分和努力，以及他的姑姑和母亲收集的大人物小时候说的至理名言。下一本书就该介绍他上大学的经历，包括在学习上突飞猛进，缝补袜子的高超手艺，以及用纸包书皮儿来保护封面的新发明。紧接着就是他在文坛的亮相，并出版了对开本图书。至此，我们的伟人算培养出来了，珍本收藏者们争先购买他的作品。学术团体邀请他入会；他和多名有着很长的拉丁文名字的外国人辩论，并最终获胜；数位重量级的作家赞扬他；他酷爱吃猪肉蘸蛋黄酱；他当选文学社团的主席，并在获得至高荣誉后与世长辞。他们多幸福啊，有忠实的小小追随者不离不弃，时刻准备着与每一位反对者辩论，并在他们生前为其增添自豪感，死后为其美化形象。我的朋友，你和我都没有仰慕者相伴，无论如何也都成不了大人物。虽然我们不在乎自己是不是大人物，但至少我们要努力成为一个诚实的人，一个能明辨是非的人。

巧记词汇

prodigy [ˈprɒdədʒi] n. 奇才，天才

【拓】genius [ˈdʒiːnɪəs] n. 天才

mount [maʊnt] v. 登上，爬上

【拓】amount [əˈmaʊnt] n. 数量

panegyric [ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk] n. 赞颂，颂词

【拓】compliment [ˈkɒmplɪmənt] n. 赞美

ingenious [ɪnˈdʒiːniəs] a. 有才华的

【拓】talented [ˈtæləntɪd] a. 有才能的

adulation [ˌædjuˈleɪʃn] n. 奉承

【拓】flattery [ˈflætəri] n. 奉承

darn [dɑːn] v. 织补

【拓】knit [nɪt] v. 编织

folio [ˈfəʊliəʊ] n. 对开本的书

【拓】foil [fɔɪl] v. 挫败；阻挠

colossus [kəˈlɒsəs] n. 重要的人或事物

【拓】somebody [ˈsʌmbədi] n. 大人物

meridian [məˈrɪdiən] n. 顶点

【拓】peak [piːk] n. 顶点，高峰

forsake [fəˈseɪk] v. 放弃

【拓】for the sake of 为了

wrangle [ˈræŋgl] v. 争论

【拓】argue [ˈɑːɡjuː] v. 争吵

趣学短语

be fond of 喜爱，爱好

【例】Once they are fond of a girl and have respect for her, they will never disappoint her under any circumstances. 一旦他们喜欢上一个女孩并且尊重她，那么在任何情况下他们都不会让她失望。