erewhon-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


referring　to　the　story　as　familiar　to　ourselves。

｛4｝　　What　a　SAFE　word　〃relation〃　is；　how　little　it　predicates！　yet
it　has　overgrown　〃kinsman。〃

｛5｝　　The　root　alluded　to　is　not　the　potato　of　our　own　gardens；　but
a　plant　so　near　akin　to　it　that　I　have　ventured　to　translate　it
thus。　　Apropos　of　its　intelligence；　had　the　writer　known　Butler　he
would　probably　have　said　…

〃He　knows　what's　what；　and　that's　as　high；
As　metaphysic　wit　can　fly。〃

｛6｝　　Since　my　return　to　England；　I　have　been　told　that　those　who
are　conversant　about　machines　use　many　terms　concerning　them　which
show　that　their　vitality　is　here　recognised；　and　that　a　collection
of　expressions　in　use　among　those　who　attend　on　steam　engines　would
be　no　less　startling　than　instructive。　　I　am　also　informed；　that
almost　all　machines　have　their　own　tricks　and　idiosyncrasies；　that
they　know　their　drivers　and　keepers；　and　that　they　will　play　pranks
upon　a　stranger。　　It　is　my　intention；　on　a　future　occasion；　to
bring　together　examples　both　of　the　expressions　in　common　use　among
mechanicians；　and　of　any　extraordinary　exhibitions　of　mechanical
sagacity　and　eccentricity　that　I　can　meet　withnot　as　believing　in
the　Erewhonian　Professor's　theory；　but　from　the　interest　of　the
subject。





End