五、婉而謔之樂觀語

（二月廿二日）

At the age of fifty we discover that not much is done in a lifetime, and yet that, not withstanding all the immeasurable ignorance and stupidity of the majority of the race, there is a gradual and sensible victory being gained over barbarism and wrong of every kind. I think we may, in some sort, console ourselves. If we cannot win as fast as we wish, we know that our opponents cannot in the long run win at all.

— Trevelyan's Life of John Bright, Page 297.

〔中譯〕

年屆五十，吾輩始發(fā)覺自己一生碌碌無為。然就某種意義言，吾輩尚可自慰。雖然大多數(shù)國人麻木不仁、愚昧無知、野蠻粗俗、丑態(tài)百出，但是，對此吾人仍漸漸地取得了較為明顯的成績。如果我們不能很快獲得預期的成功，那么，從長遠的觀點來看，我們的對手也終將一無所獲。

——約翰·布賴特：《特里維廉的一生》，第279頁

上所錄亦是樂觀之語，而其言何婉而謔也！