2024-06-22 National Onion Ring Day

【Areopagitica】

John Milton (1608-1674)

Where there is much desire to learn, there of necessity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.

—— • —— • —— • —— • —— • —— • —— • ——

【《論出版自由》】

(英國)約翰·彌爾頓“神慈·磨坊地”

(1608生—1674卒)

【紅霞譯】

                迫切渴望

                學習的地方，必定

                爭論也多，

                多動筆、多主見；

                好人的觀點成就知識。

【注】在倫敦“沼澤山丘”港附近個把鐘頭車程的景點裡，我一時拿不出最佳選擇，便用石頭剪刀布指定了利茲“湍流”城堡。這座由諾曼“北歐”男爵建造的第一座石堡，自稱“世界上最可愛的城堡”——來後方知，這並非誇張。它靜靜地浮在護城河上，灰黃色的石牆映在暗綠的水中，倒影被風揉皺又展開，像一個不肯醒來的中世紀夢境。城堡的輪廓不像一般堡壘那樣冷峻粗糲，而是帶着一種被精心照料過的溫柔——塔樓的線條圓潤，門窗的位置恰到好處，每一塊石頭都像被仔細挑選過才壘上去的。站在河對岸看它，只覺得它不是在防衛什麼，而是在守候什麼。

利茲城堡的歷史，本身就是一部濃縮的英格蘭史。它曾是撒克遜“低地”莊園、諾曼堡壘，也是六位中世紀女王的寓所，亨利八世將其修繕為御用宮殿，後來又成為私人宅邸。現存的大部分建築雖已屬19世紀初的產物，但那份古老的氣質，依然在每一塊石頭上流淌。13世紀的門樓巍然矗立，拱頂下的鐵門厚得讓人想象它的重量曾被多少雙手合力推開。走進城堡，橡木家具的紋路被歲月磨得發亮，彩繪玻璃在午後陽光里投下藍紫色的光影，壁爐里跳動的火光讓整面牆都在輕輕呼吸。都鐸時期的典雅與中世紀的厚重在這裡共存，像一本翻到中間的書，前半段是戰爭與信仰，後半段是花園與天鵝。護城河上的黑天鵝緩緩游過，水紋在它身後散開又合攏，玫瑰園裡的花正開着，香氣淡而綿長，被風送到城堡的每一扇窗前。

我坐在湖邊長椅上，看天鵝不緊不慢地靠近石牆，城堡的倒影在水面輕輕晃動，尖塔與門樓都軟了稜角，變得像水彩畫裡洇開的筆觸。那一刻我才真正明白，這座城堡為什麼被叫作“世界上最可愛的”它不是雄偉，不是堅固，而是剛好站在堅硬與溫柔之間——像一位褪下盔甲的騎士，在花園裡低頭澆花。我坐了很久，久到天鵝遊走，久到對岸有人喊同伴的名字，聲音在水面上滑過去，像石子打起一連串薄薄的水漂。我站起身拍了拍褲子上的草屑，走進城堡時腳步不自覺地放慢了。那些石頭、雕花、壁爐——它們不只是歷史，它們是被時間撫摸過太多次的東西，直到每個稜角都變得圓潤、溫和。我不再急着去看下一間房間，只是讓每一步都恰好落在光線與陰影的邊界上，像在跟這座城堡學一種緩步的智慧。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2024: Port of London @ Tilbury, England(英格蘭蒂爾伯里·倫敦港)

2016: Flushing, the Chinese Manhattan NYC(紐約城法拉盛·唐人街)

2015: New Monastery of Khios, Greece(希臘希俄斯島·新修道院)

2015: Homer's Stone on Khios, Greece(希臘希俄斯島·荷馬岩)

2015: Painting & Mastic Gum of Khio, GR(希臘希俄斯島·彩繪和乳香樹脂)

2015: Medieval Fortified Village, Khios(希臘希俄斯島·中世紀土圍子)

2014: California Pizza Kitchen, PA(賓州加利福尼亞“火爐”皮薩餅屋)

Leeds Castle & Its Moat from the Rear

(利茲城堡及其後方的護城河 06-22-2024)

Transformation from a Tudor Palace to a Jacobean House to a Georgian Mansion

(從都鐸王朝的宮殿到詹姆士“後繼者”一世時期的莊園再到喬治“農夫”王朝時期的豪宅)

13^th-Century Gloriette @ L & New Castle @ R  from the Western Side of the Surrounding Lake

(從環周湖泊的西側可看到左側13世紀亭閣和右側新城堡)

13^th-Century Bridge over the Moat

(護城河上13世紀小橋)

Bridge over the Moat (護城河上13世紀小橋)

Tranquil Scene w/ the Gatehouse by the Moat

(護城河邊門樓的寧靜景色)

A Wide Panoramic View of Leeds Castle from across the Moat on the North West Side

(從西北側護城河對面可以欣賞到利茲城堡的全景)

Leeds Castle, Home to 6 English Queens & a Playground of Henry VIII Fed by the River Len

(位於倫“勇獅”河畔的利茲城堡·6位英國女王的寓所和亨利八世的遊樂場)

Fortified Mill, the Barbican, & Firtified Mill Entrance

(加固的磨坊、碉堡和堅實磨坊入口)

13^th-Century Gloriette, One of the Very Oldest Parts of the Castle

(13世紀的亭閣·城堡最古老的部分之一)

Holiday Cottages-Keepers House near Moat

(護城河附近度假小屋—守護者之家)

Motte-and-Bailey Castle (城寨城堡)

Barbican， Gate， Mill Ruins， & Summer Garden

(碉堡、城門、磨坊廢墟和夏園)

Late Norman Structure w/ Portcullis or Iron Grille

(晚期北方人結構·帶吊閘或鐵柵欄)

Medieval Entrance to the Castle Country House Guard Arch

(城堡鄉村別墅防禦拱門的中世紀入口)

Gate Tower Built in the 13^th-Century

(建於13世紀的門樓)

Former Royal Residence & Home to Catherine of Aragon Completed in 1823 in the Tudor Style

(前皇家御所和亨利八世第一任王后阿拉貢“適宜上方谷地”的凱瑟琳“純潔”故居·於1823年建成，採用都鐸風格)

Maiden's Tower, a 16^th-century Bldg from the Reign of Henry VIII

(少女塔·亨利八世統治時期16世紀建築)

Much of the Main Castle Rebuilt in the 1820s Including the Impressive Facade, Creating the New Castle

(18世紀20年代重建了大部分主城堡，包括印象深刻的城堡正立面而成為新式城堡)

Upper Bridge Corridor (上橋廊道)

Salon's Interior Decoration from the Era of Lady Baillie @ the 11^th-12^th Century

(城堡主人貝利“法警”夫人時代的接待室內裝飾·承襲了11世紀—12世紀風格)

A Spiral Staircase Added in the Style of the 16^th Century to the South Side of the Fountain Court by French Designer Armand-Albert Rateau

(法國設計師在噴泉庭院南側增建了16世紀風格的螺旋樓梯)

Dining Hall w/ Beautiful Windows (帶有美窗的餐廳)

Interior of a Small Porch by the Inner Courtyard

(內院旁小門廳內景)

Once Part of the Royal Quarters in the Gloriette, this room became a bedroom in 1822, & later served as Lady Baillie's bedroom. The Crocodile Skin Travelling Case & Many Other Objects Authentic Possessions of Lady Baillie

(這間房間曾是亭閣內的皇家住所一部分，於1822年改成臥室，乃至城堡主人貝利夫人的臥室，鱷魚皮旅行箱和許多其它物件均為貝利夫人的真品)

Bedchamber of Henry VIII's 1^st Wife, Catherine of Aragon Remained as a Bedroom for Most of the Following Centuries Before Becoming a Sitting Rm During the Time of Lady Baillie

(亨利八世第一任妻子阿拉貢的凱瑟琳臥室在接下來的幾個世紀裡一直被用作臥室，直到貝利夫人時期才變成客廳)

Queen's Bathrm w/ Gothic Window

(帶哥特式窗戶的女王浴室)

Library (圖書館)

Dining Rm (餐廳 06-22-2024)

Wall Decorated w/ Antique Plates & Vase

(蒲公牆上裝飾有古董盤子和花瓶)

Aragon Pomegranate Badge (阿拉貢石榴徽章)

Corridor to Gallery (通往畫廊的過道)

Exhibition Rm from the Middle Ages (中世紀展覽室)

Private Dining Rm (私人用餐室)

Dining Table w/ 1930's Drinks & Glasses

(餐桌上擺放着19世紀30年代的飲料和玻璃杯)

Bird Specimen Hall w/ Aviary (擺放着大鳥籠的鳥類標本館)

Bird Feathers (鳥毛)

View of Staircase (樓梯景觀)

Lady Baillie's Weekend Retreat

(貝利夫人周末度假勝地)

Large Pair of Chinese Porcelain Phoenix Birds

(一對中國瓷鳳凰鳥)

Thorpe Hall, the Principal Drawing Room Since 1822

(索普“小村莊”廳·自1822年以來一直用作主會客廳)

Vintage Red Lacquer Panel w/4-pane, Coromandel Screen, Chinese Room Divider

(復古紅漆面板·4面烏木屏風中式隔板)

Red Lacquer Chinese Screen (紅漆屏風)

Brass Lion Door Knocker on a Wooden Door

(木門上的黃銅獅子門環)

Cedar Pond (雪松池)

Rustic Pavilion @ the Princess Alexandra Gardens

(亞歷山德拉“人類捍衛者”公主花園·鄉村亭閣)

Lakeside Lodges Immersed in Nature

(融入大自然的湖畔小屋)

The Maze, Constructed of 2,400 Yew Trees w/ the General Appearance of a Topiary Castle

(由2,400棵紫杉樹建造的迷宮·外觀類似修剪過的城堡)

Greek Monster Typhoeus inside the Shell Grotto

(貝殼洞穴·希臘怪物百頭巨怪)

Cave of Pan Venerated in Classical Antiquity the God Pan inside the Shell Grotto

(貝殼洞穴·古代被尊崇為潘“保護”神的潘神洞窟)

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 

            The fair breeze blew, 

            The white foam flew, 

            And the furrow followed free. 

            We were the first to ever burst into the silent sea.

—— • —— • —— • —— 

《遠古水手之歌》

——塞繆爾·泰勒·柯爾律治“上帝之名·燒炭山脊”

                風徐徐吹，白浪翩翩飛，

                水花任意隨船尾。    

                我們是第一群人，闖入那沉寂的海域。

Mermaids from the Wall Representing the 4 Elements Earth, Wind, Fire, & Water inside the Shell Grotto

(貝殼洞穴·牆內美人魚代表着土、風、火和水四種元素)

Shell Grotto, Grotesque Green Monsters Head w/ Red Eyes & Mouth in Hermit's Cave

(貝殼洞穴·隱士洞穴中怪誕的綠色怪物頭上長着紅眼睛和紅嘴巴)

Eerie Figures & Faces Carved into the Rocks

(岩石上雕刻的怪人面孔)

Inside Shell Grotto (貝殼洞穴內)

Aragon the Dragon Carved out on the Stump of an Old Cedar Tree

(雕刻在古老雪松樹樁上的阿拉貢“高谷”巨龍)

Chainsaw Carving (電鋸雕刻)

Bench Made of Yew Tree Trunk (紫衫樹幹長凳)

Bench Made of Yew Tree Trunk (紫衫樹幹長凳)

Waterfowls (水禽)

Local Flowers (當地花卉)

John Milton's Plaque @ Library Walk Fame, NYC

(紐約圖書館星光大道地標《約翰·彌爾頓“神慈·磨坊地”》)

《論出版自由》

【紅霞譯】

                迫切渴望

                學習的地方，必定

                爭論也多，

                多動筆、多主見；

                好人的觀點成就知識。

Crosslinks(相關博文):

UK(出遊英國)

Europe(歐洲掠影)