钱钟书的英文

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　　　　T’ien Hsia Monthly, August, 1935, P37.
　　　　
　　　　Tragedy in Old Chinese Drama
　　　　
　　　　By Ch’ien Chung-shu
　　　　
　　　　The critical pendulum has once more swung back and there are signs
　　　　that our old literature is coming into favour again. Knowing persons
　　　　have also told us that there is just at present even a craze for our
　　　　old literature among foreigners and that our old drama especially has
　　　　all the cry in the West. We are quite proud to hear these things.
　　　　That our old drama should lead the way of the craze need not surprise
　　　　us; for, though the real power of drama, as Aristotle says in his
　　　　Poetics, should be felt apart from representation and action, drama
　　　　can for that very reason appeal to the majority of persons whose
　　　　interest does not rise above mere representation and spectacle.
　　　　Moreover, our old drama richly deserves the epithet “artificial”
　　　　which Lamb applies to the comedy of manners. To Western readers
　　　　surfeited with drab realism and tiresome problem-plays our old drama
　　　　comes as “that breathing-place from the burthen of a perpetual moral
　　　　questioning” which must be as refreshing as (say) Barrie’s pleasant
　　　　fancy and pathos after an overdose of Pinero and Jones. But whatever
　　　　value our old dramas may have as stage performances or as poetry,
　　　　they cannot as dramas hold their own with great Western dramas. In
　　　　spite of the highest respect for the old dramatists, one cannot
　　　　sometimes help echoing Coleridge’s wish as regards Beaumon and
　　　　Fletcher that instead of dramas, they should have written poetry,
　　　　i.e. poetry in the broad sense inclusive of tzŭ (詞) and ch’ü (曲)
　　　　as well. I say this without the least prejudice, because I yield to
　　　　none in my enthusiasm for our old literature and would definitely
　　　　range myself on the side of the angels and the ancients, should a
　　　　quarrel between the Ancients and the Moderns break out in China.