If, then, to meanest mariners, and renegades and castaways, I shall hereafter ascribe high qualities, though dark; weave round them tragic graces; if even the most mournful, perchance the most abased, among them all, shall at times lift himself to the exalted mounts; if I shall touch that workman's arm with some ethereal light; if I shall spread a rainbow over his disastrous set of sun; then against all mortal critics bear me out in it, thou just Spirit of Equality, which hast spread one royal mantle of humanity over all my kind! Bear me out in it, thou great democratic God! who didst not refuse to the swart convict, Bunyan, the pale, poetic pearl; Thou who didst clothe with doubly hammered leaves of finest gold, the stumped and paupered arm of old Cervantes; Thou who didst pick up Andrew Jackson from the pebbles; who didst hurl him upon a war-horse; who didst thunder him higher than a throne! Thou who, in all Thy mighty, earthly marchings, ever cullest Thy selectest champions from the kingly commoners; bear me out in it, O God!
那么,如果我以后将把高尚的品质(虽然并不明显)归之于那些最卑贱的水手。背教者和被摒弃者;环绕着他们编织出一些悲剧人物来;如果即使在他们中间有最令人悲伤的,或者是最下贱的人,会时时自我跃升到绝顶的高峰;如果我将以一种灵光去渲染工人的胳臂;如果我将把一片虹彩铺盖在他们那夕阳西沉似的恶运上;那么你这公正的平等之神呀,你既然把人道的法衣铺盖在我们这些人的头上,就请你不顾人间一切批评,把我拯救出来吧!请把我拯救出来吧,你这伟大的民主之神呀!你对那个脸色发青,诗人的精英,重犯班扬,都没有撒手不理;你这个用加倍力气。炼打出纯金叶去包着塞万提斯老头那只断臂的人;你这个把安德鲁。杰克逊从卵石上捡起来,把他抛上战马,捧上十三层天的人呵!你这个施用你的全能,从王侯群中把那些行尸走肉,永被淘汰的人都挑选出来当勇士的人呵;请把我拯救出来吧,上帝呵!