1. Approaching Abjection
No Beast is there without glimmer
of infinite,
No eye so vile nor abject
that brushes not
Against lightning from on
high, now tender, now fierce.
Victor Hugo, La Légende des siècles
----- 就請讀者評論
近10年前的文章
側記
雨果的史詩『歷代傳奇』一小段
Gide
不喜歡雨果（Victor-Marie Hugo
，1802-85）的詩，不過被問到誰是法國最偉大的詩人，
（『
巴黎1900：歷史文化散論
』有張他的國葬之莊嚴隆重照片。
------
前幾天重讀
J. Kristeva （
JK）的『恐怖的力量』。J K
在卷首題三行雨果之詩。我對照兩岸之翻譯本，竟然差別忒多，
恰巧我也無英文翻譯本。
它們（兩岸之翻譯本
）都是直接翻自法文。
這首的原文，很容易在網路上找到，我看了牛津大學出版社的版本，
---
大陸版
愚笨的傻子也有真知灼見；
卑賤的眸子也有上蒼般閃光，
時而溫柔，時而兇狠。
（『世紀的傳說』）
-----
台灣版
沒有一隻獸的身上不照應無限
沒有一個卑鄙
齷齪的眼瞳不引人憐憫
天光照耀人間，時而溫煦，時而兇殘。
（『歷代傳奇』）
GENERAL PREFACE
Encouraged by the favourable reception accorded to the 'Oxford Modern
French Series,' the Delegates of the Clarendon Press determined, some
time since, to issue a 'Higher Series' of French works intended for
Upper Forms of Public Schools and for University and Private Students,
and have entrusted me with the task of selecting and editing the various
volumes that will be issued in due course.
The titles of the works selected will at once make it clear that this series is a new departure, and that an attempt is made to provide annotated editions of books which have hitherto been obtainable only in the original French texts. That Madame de Staël, Madame de Girardin, Daniel Stern, Victor Hugo, Lamartine, Flaubert, Gautier are among the authors whose works have been selected will leave no doubt as to the literary excellence of the texts included in this series. Works of such quality, intended only for advanced scholars, could not be annotated in the way hitherto usual, since those for whom they have been prepared are familiar with many things and many events of which younger students have no knowledge. Geographical and mythological notes have therefore been generally omitted, as also historical events either too well known to require elucidation or easily found in the ordinary books of reference.
By such omissions a considerable amount of space has been saved which has allowed of the extension of the texts, and of their equipment with notes less elementary than usual, and at the same time brighter and more interesting, whilst great care has been taken to adapt them to the special character of each volume.
The Introductions are also a novel feature of the present series. Originally they were to be exclusively written in English, but as it was desired that they should be as characteristic as possible, and not merely extracted from reference books, but real studies of the various authors and their works, it was decided that the editors should write them in their own native language.
Whenever it has been possible each volume has been adorned with a portrait of the author at the time he wrote his book.
In conclusion, I wish to repeat here what I have said in the General Preface to the 'Oxford Modern French Series,' that 'those who speak a modern language best invariably possess a good literary knowledge of it.' This has been endorsed by the best teachers in this and other countries, and is a generally admitted fact. The present series by providing works of high literary merit will certainly facilitate the acquisition of the French language—a tongue which perhaps more than any other offers a variety of literary specimens which, for beauty of style, depth of sentiment, accuracy and neatness of expression, may be equalled but not surpassed.
LEON DELBOS.
OXFORD, December, 1905.
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