The Rewards of the Professions

　　The probability that any person should ever be qualified for the employment to which he is educated, is very different in different occupations. In the greater part of mechanic trades, success is almost certain; but very uncertain in the liberal professions. Put your son apprentice to a shoemaker, there is little doubt of his learning to make a pair of shoes, but send him to study the law, it is at least twenty to one if ever he makes such a proficiency as it will enable him to live by the business. In a perfectly fair lottery, those who draw the prizes ought to gain all that is lost by those who draw the blanks. In a profession where twenty fail for one that succeeds, that one ought to gain all that should have been gained by the unsuccessful nineteen ones. The counselor at law, who, perhaps, at near forty years of age, begins to make something by his profession, ought to receive the retribution, not only of his own so tedious and expensive education, but of that of more than ten others who are never likely to make anything by it. How extravagant the fees of counselors at law may sometimes appear, their real retribution is never equal to this.

　　Those professions keep their level, however, with other occupations, and notwithstanding these discouragements, all the most generous and liberal spirits are eager to crowd into them. Two different causes contribute to recommend them. First, the desire of the reputation which attends upon superior excellence in any of them; and, secondly, the natural confidence which every man has, more or less, not only in his own abilities, but in his own good fortune①.

　　To excel in any profession, in which but few arrive at mediocrity, is the most decisive mark of what is called genius or superior talents. The public admiration which attends upon such distinguished abilities，makes always a part of their reward；a greater or smaller in proportion as it is higher or lower in degree.It makes a considerable part of it in the profession of physic；a still greater perhaps in that of law；in poetry and philosophy it makes almost the whole.

　　［377 words］

　　行文点评

　　本文观点新颖，从一个独特的角度向我们阐述了职业回报的衡量标准。第一段的第一句为主题句，紧接着作者引用具体数据围绕这一主题进行论证，具有较强的说服力。在第二段中，作者用however将话题一转，顺势引出了本文要讨论的问题：不同的职业有不同的衡量回报的标准。在最后一段，作者围绕这一观点展开了充分的论证。

　　好文妙译

　　职业的回报

　　每个人在接受相关教育后能胜任工作的可能性，由于行业的不同而千差万别。就大多数技工行业而言，成功几乎十拿九稳；但文科性职业则很难预测。假设你让儿子跟鞋匠做学徒，他学会做鞋当然毫无疑问。但若送他去学法律，让他对这一行业驾轻就熟并借此谋生，成功率只有二十分之一。在一次非常公正的摇奖中，中彩者所赢份额应当等同于摸白票者所输之全部。某种职业，只有二十分之一的成功率，那惟一成功者所获得的应当是十九位失败者本可获得的全部。律师或许年届四十时开始在事业上小有所成，他理应得到回报，这不仅是他本人繁重昂贵的教育投入的回报，也包括另外十几位可能一事无成的同行的投入。律师的收费似乎过高，但他们真正应得的报酬却远非这个数目。

　　然而，有些职业同其他各行保持一致，尽管有诸多不尽如人意之处，仍有许多慷慨大度、胸襟开阔之士渴望跻身其中。可能有两个原因促成这种取向：首先是对名誉的渴望，在任何一个行业里只要表现卓越都能得到它；其次是每个人与生俱来或多或少的自信心，不仅相信自身的能力，也坚信自己能走好运。

　　被称为天才或才能超群者最显著的一点是在任何一种职业中都能出类拔萃，很少有平庸之辈。公众对这种杰出才能的赞誉构成他们所得回报的一部分，赞誉的高低与成就的大小相关。这种回报在医生职业中占重要部分；律师职业中或许所占比例更大；而在诗歌和哲学领域里则几乎占了全部。

　　词汇斟酌

　　mechanic n. 技工，机修工

　　apprentice n. 学徒，徒弟

　　proficiency n. 熟练，精通

　　lottery n. ①抽彩给奖法②碰运气的事，难于算计的事

　　counselor n. 顾问, 法律顾问

　　tedious a. 乏味的，单调的，冗长的

　　extravagant a. ①奢侈的，铺张的②过度的，过分的

　　retribution n. 报偿

　　notwithstanding prep.& ad. 尽管

　　generous a. ①慷慨的，大方的②宽厚的，宽宏大量的

　　mediocrity n. 平常, 平庸之才

　　decisive 　a. ①决定性的②坚定的，果断的，决断的

　　philosophy n. ①哲学②哲理，人生哲学，见解

　　佳句临摹

　　①【注释】more or less 差不多，几乎

　　【临摹】I’ve more or less finished reading the book. 我差不多已经把这本书看完了。

　　思如泉涌

　　As you sow, you shall mow. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。

　　A good dog deserves a good bone. 好狗应啃好骨头。/有功者受赏。