A University Stands and Shines

By John Masefield

      There are few earthly things more splendid than a University. In these days broken frontiers and collapsing values, when the dams are down and the floods are making misery, when every future looks somewhat grim and every ancient foothold has become something of a quagmire, wherever it exists, the free minds of men, urged on to full and fair enquiry, may still bring wisdom into human affairs.

      There are few earthly things more beautiful than a university. It is a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see; where seekers and learners alike, banded together in the search for knowledge, will honour thought in all its finer ways, will become thinkers in distress or in exile, will uphold ever the dignity of thought and learning and will exact standard in these things. They give to the young in their impressionable years, the bound of a lofty purpose shared, of a great corporate life whose links will not be loosed until they die. They give young people that close companionship for which young longs and that chance of the endless discussion of themes which are endless, without which youth would seem a waste of time.

      There are few things more enduring than a University. Religions may split into sect or heresy; dynasties may perish or be supplanted, but for century after century the University will continue, and the stream of life will pass through it, and the thinker and the seeker will be found together in the undying cause of bringing thought into the world.

       To be a member of one of these great Societies must ever be a glad distinction.

     In conferring it upon us you declare, or let it be presumed, that we are qualified to teach in those ways of life which we have followed. It has been a mark of the Humanist since he began among us that "gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche"; and although all of us would more gladly learn than teach, to be counted fit to teach is something of a crown to all men.

       On behalf of my fellows in this glory, on behalf of, the very learned, valiant, wise and gifted men beside me here, who stand for the Law by which we live, the Air by which we breathe, the Free Enquiry by which we shall be remembered, I thank you for this great distinction which links us with you while we last.

大学屹立闪光

[英]约翰·梅斯菲尔德

     世间的事物很少能有像大学那般的辉煌。当防线崩瘫，价值崩溃，水坝倒塌，洪水为害，前途变得灰暗，古迹沦为泥淖时，只要有大学屹立在那里，它就屹立闪光;只要它存在，人那颗被引导去从事美满探索的自由心灵仍会给人类带来智慧。

     世间的很少事物能比大学更美。在这里，憎恨无知的人奋力求知，谙悉真理的人传授真理。连袂着的探索知识的追求者和学习者们在这里可以用各种更好的方式去敬崇思想，可以迎接身处不幸和背井离乡的思想家，可以永远保持住思想和学问的尊严，也可以确立各种事物的准则。在青年们长知识的年华里，大学给予他们远大目标和共同生活的规范，其中的连续性至死不衰。他们给予年青人渴望得到的亲密的友情，他们让年青人永无止境地对永恒的主题各抒己见，没有这些，青春便只是耗费的时光。

      世间很少有事物比大学更不朽。宗教会分裂成各个教派或异教，朝代会灭亡或被人篡位;但大学将会一个世纪接着一个世纪地延续下去，人类生命的洪流将在它的中间穿流，思想家和探索者将会在把思想带给世界的不朽事业中齐心协力。

     作为这些伟大的社团的一名成员，一定是一种一种令人欢欣的莫大荣誉。

     人授予我们这项荣誉的本身便已在告诸世人，其实人们也不难推定：我们是有资格按照我们所遵循的生活方式去教育学生的。自从有人在我们中间提出“学不厌，诲不倦”以来，这句话就一直是“人文主义”的标志。纵然我们都乐于学习甚至于教授别人，但被认为是合格的教师应是对所有老师的一在荣冠。

     我代表拥有这份荣誉的同伴，代表我身旁有学问、有勇气、有智慧和有天赋的人们——这些人代表着我们所希望被赋予的自由探究的权力，代表着我们将籍以被后人铭记的艺术——感谢你给予我们这份伟大的荣誉，使我们在有生之年和你连接在一起。

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