关于牛顿“碑文”翻译的一个争论

A Debate on the Translation of Newton's Inscription

诗人蒲柏曾给牛顿拟过一个碑文,后来虽未予采用,但该诗却流传甚广,很多关于牛顿的文章都引用过它。其后,另一个英国诗人J.C.斯奎尔,按同样的形式又续了一首诗。对于后一首诗准确的理解和翻译,曾经引起了一场很热烈的争论。

The poet Pope once drew up an inscription for Newton which was not used at last, but the poem in the inscription was wildly spread and has been quoted by many articles about Newton. Later another British poet j. c. Squire renewed a poem, using the same form as Pope＇ s. However, a hot debate about the accurate understanding and translation of the latter poem was once caused. This paper reviews and analyzes several （ mainly two） different points of view in the debate, and then puts forward its own viewpoints.