《英语散文》论和谐——托马斯-布朗

It is my temper, and I like it the better, to affect all harmony: and sure there is musick even in the beauty, and the silent note which Cupid strikes, far sweeter than the sound of an instrument. For there is a musick where ever there is a harmony, order, or proportion: and thus far we may maintain the music of the Sphears; for those well-ordered motions, and regular paces, though they give no sound unto the ear, yet to the understanding they strike a note most full of harmony. Whatsoever is harmonically composed delights in harmony; which makes me much distrust the symmetry of those heads which declaim against all Church-Musick. For my self, not only for my obedience, but my particular Genius, I do embrace it: for even that vulgar and Tavern-Musick, which makes one man merry, another mad, strikes in me a deep fit of devotion, and a profound contemplation of the First Composer. There is something in it of Divinity more than the ear discovers: it is an Hieroglyphical and shadowed lesson of the whole World, and creatures of GOD; such a melody to the ear, as the whole World, well understood, would afford the understanding. In brief, it is a sensible fit of that harmony which intellectually sounds in the ears of GOD.

　　注释：

　　1、harmony：n. 融洽、和谐、协调
　　2、temper：n. 性情、脾气
　　3、note：n. 音符
　　4、Cupid：爱神丘比特
　　5、whatsoever：无论什么
　　6、compose：v. 著、撰、组成
　　7、distrust：v. 不信任
　　8、symmetry：n. 对称、匀称
　　9、obedience：n. 服从、顺从
　　10、contemplation：n. 沉思
　　11、divinity：n. 神、神性
　　12、hieroglyphical：n. 象形文字
　　13、melody：n. 悦耳的音调

　　中文：　　

　　我生性耽爱一切之和谐，于此，我且颇以自得；确实，甚至在鸩彼得所奏放的无声音籁之中与美感之内，无不有音乐的存在，其吐音之佳妙迥出一般乐器之上。此亦缘音乐即在和谐、秩序与比例匀称之中，而星际乐声一说至少可以此为部分依据；其秩序井然之动作，节拍分明之步武，此在常人耳中虽悄无声息，然在颖慧者听来，确乃和谐无艺之妙乐。大凡和谐构成之物，必喜和谐，据此，则彼辈攻击一切教堂音乐者，其头脑之中是否尚有匀称二字，我实不能不深致疑虑。至于我自己，我对上述之音乐确实服膺无已，此固与我之虔诚信仰有关，亦系我的特殊禀赋所致；甚即通常旅店之俚俗音乐，所叙不出嬉乐激切之情，尚能使我对那最初制曲人于胸臆之中顿生仰慕之忱与遥深之想；其中圣洁处有非人耳所能察觉者。它是茫茫世界芸芸众生的一篇佶屈恢诡的天启，使上下尘寰彻悟之后捧供识者聆赏的一阙悠扬的妙乐。要言之，它是上彻天听的玲珑曼妙的仙籁的阵阵和谐。

　　（高健 译）

　　注：本段文字节选自Thomas Browne的名著——《一位医生的信仰》（Religio Medici）的第二章第二节。

※本文作者：佚名※