约翰·洛克的教育思想(中英对照)-11: 个人脾性

TEMPER | When this foundation is once well laid, and you find this reverence begin to work in him, the next thing to be done is carefully to consider his temper, and the particular constitution of his mind. Stubbornness, lying, and ill-natured actions, are not (as has been said) to be permitted in him from the beginning, whatever his temper be: those seeds of vices are not to be suffered to take any root, but must be carefully weeded out, as soon as ever they begin to show themselves in him; and your authority is to take place, and influence his mind from the very dawning of any knowledge in him, that it may operate as a natural principle, whereof he never perceived the beginning; never knew that it was, or could be otherwise. By this, if the reverence he owes you be established early, it will always be sacred to him; and it will be as hard for him to resist it, as the principles of his nature.

脾性 | 一旦这种基础打好了，你发现这种敬爱心理开始在他身上起作用，下一步要做的是仔细地考虑他的脾气性情，以及他的心理特征。顽固、撒谎和不良行为， (前面说过)从开始就不允许他，不管他的脾气如何：那些邪恶的种子不能让其生根，只要它们在他身上一露苗头，就立即小心地拔除；并且你要在他刚开始有知识的时候就建立你的权威，影响他的心理，这样它可以象自然本能一样操作，而他却永远不会意识到它的起源，也永远不知道它原来是或可能是别的情形。这样，如果他对你的尊敬能及早地建立起来，对他来说这尊敬永远是神圣，它就如同他的天性本能，不可能为他所抗拒。

Having thus very early set up your authority, and, by the gentler applications of it, shamed him out of what leads towards an immoral habit; as soon as you have observed it in him, (for I would by no means have chiding used, much less blows, till obstinacy and incorrigibleness make it absolutely necessary,) it will be fit to consider which way the natural make of his mind inclines him. Some men, by the unalterable frame of their constitutions, are stout, others timorous; some confident, others modest, tractable or obstinate, curious or careless, quick or slow. There are not more differences in men's faces, and the outward lineaments of their bodies, than there are in the makes and tempers of their minds: only there is this difference, that the distinguishing characters of the face, and the lineaments of the body, grow more plain and visible with time and age, but the peculiar physiognomy of the mind is most discernible in children, before art and cunning have taught them to hide their deformities, and conceal their ill inclinations under a dissembled outside.

这样及早地树立了你的威信，通过温和地运用它，使他羞愧而不做那会导致不道德习惯的事情；一旦你发现他有那种倾向， (因为我不主张呵叱，更不主张责打小孩，除非是顽固不化与屡教不改使其成为绝对必要，)你就应该考虑他的天性使他倾向哪个方向。由于不可改变的本质，有的人坚强，有的人懦弱，有的人自负，有的人谦逊，有的人顺从，有的人固执，有的人好奇，有的人淡漠，有的人迅捷，有的人缓慢。人的面相与外部体形上的区别，是比不上心理性格与气质上的差别；不同的只有这一点，面相与体形的明显特征，会随着时间与年龄的增长愈来愈明显，愈来愈引人注目，但是心理上的特殊形象在孩子身上最容易识别，以后由于机巧与诡计教会他们掩盖缺陷，把他们的不良倾向隐藏在虚假的外表之下。

Begin therefore betimes nicely to observe your son's temper; and that, when he is under least restraint, in his play, and, as he thinks, out of your sight. See what are his predominant passions, and prevailing inclinations; whether he be fierce or mild, bold or bashful, compassionate or cruel, open or reserved, etc. For as these are different in him, so are your methods to be different, and your authority must hence take measures to apply itself different ways to him. These native propensities, these prevalencies of constitution, are not to be cured by rules, or a direct contest; especially those of them that are the humbler and meaner sort which proceed from fear and lowness of spirit; though with art they may be much mended, and turned to good purpose. But this be sure of, after all is done, the bias will always hang on that side where nature first placed it: and if you carefully observe the characters of his mind now in the first scenes of his life, you will ever after be able to judge which way his thoughts lean, and what he aims at even hereafter, when, as he grows up, the plot thickens, and he puts on several shapes to act it.

所以应该及早开始仔细观察你儿子的脾性，而且要在他束缚最少时候，当他玩耍，还有他自以为在你的视线之外时。看看他主要的热情和主要的倾向是什么；他是暴躁还是温和，大胆还是腼腆，有同情心还是残忍，开朗还是内向等等。因为他的这些方面不同，你的方法也不同，你运用权威对待他的方式也不一样。这些天生的习性，这些体质上的倾向，是不可能用规则或直接的斗争来矫正的；特别是那些由于恐惧和情绪低沉所引起的自卑和刻薄；虽然运用技巧可以大大改进它们，使其转向好的用途。但是可以肯定，在用尽所有的方法之后，人的性情总是偏向``自然''最初安排的那一边：而且如果你从他人生初始就仔细地观察他的心理特征，以后即使他长大后，玩弄复杂的计谋，披上种种伪装去行动，你也一直能判断他的心思倾向哪里，他的目的是什么。

 

摘自Some Thoughts Concerning Education (English-Chinese Edition)(ISBN-10: 1537479857)