“If we work marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds and instill into them just principles, we are then engraving upon tablets which no time will efface, but will brighten and brighten to all eternity.”
— Daniel Webster, Statesman
「我们若在大理石动工,它会自然损坏;我们若在铜器动工,时间也会将之抹去;我们若建造庙宇,它也会崩裂为尘土。我们若在不死的心灵动工,并灌输公平的原则,这如同在石板上雕刻,它不会被时间抹去,且将永远发光发亮。」– 丹尼尔‧韦伯斯特 (政治家)
- perish (v.) 损坏,腐烂。rear (v.) 养育,建立。例:It’s not a good place to rear children. (这不是抚养小孩的好地方。) crumble (v.) 崩溃,碎裂。例:The cracker crumbled in my hand. (饼干在我手里碎裂。) instill (v.) 逐渐灌输、教导。例:It is the coach’s job to instill confidence into his players. (给予选手自信是教练的任务。) engrave (v.) 雕刻。The Gods’ names were engraved on a stone tablet. (神明的名字已刻在石板上。) eternity (n.) 永恒。例:a shell preserved for all eternity as a fossil (贝壳因成为化石而永远保存)。
- 丹尼尔‧韦伯斯特(1782-1852)是美国政治家,曾任美国国会参、众议员,并在 3 个总统任内担任美国国务卿。他演说技巧出众,被认为是美国国会最杰出的参议员之一。