Suit Is Best

适合为上

The proper force of words lies not in the words themselves, but in their application.

词汇的力量不在于词汇本身，而在于词汇的应用。

A word may be a fine sounding word, of an unusual length, and very imposing¹ from its learning and novelty, and yet in the connection in which it is introduced may be quite pointless and irrelevant².

一个词也许听起来音节嘹亮，长度不同凡响，其本身的学术性和新奇感也令人叹赏，然而，把它放在某个句子中联系上下文来看，说不定倒会牛头不对马嘴。

It is not pomp or pretension³, but the adaptation of the expression to the idea, that clenches⁴ a writer's meaning:

这是因为要确切表达作者的意思，关键并不在文辞的华丽和堂皇，而在于其是否切合内容；

as it is not the size or glossiness⁵ of the materials, but their being fitted each to its place, that gives strength to the arch;

就像在修建拱门时要使其坚固，关键不在于材料的大小和光泽，而在于它们用在那里是否恰好严丝合缝；

or as the pegs⁶ and nails are as necessary to the support of the building as the larger timbers, and more so than the mere⁷ showy, unsubstantial ornaments⁸.

或者就像在建筑物中，木栓和钉子与大件木料同等重要，而其支撑作用更是远远胜过那些徒有其表、不切实用的装饰物。

I hate anything that occupies more space than it is worth.

我讨厌那些白占地方而无实用的东西。

I hate to see a load of bandboxes go along the street, and I hate to see a parcel of big words without anything in them.

我讨厌一大堆盛着装饰物的硬纸盒子装在车上招摇过市，也讨厌那些写在纸面上的大而空洞的字眼。

A person who dews not deliberately⁹ dimples of all his thoughts alike in cumbrous draperies and flimsy disguises may strike out twenty varieties of familiar everyday language, each coming somewhat nearer to the feeling he wants to convey, and at last not hit upon that particular and only one which may be said to be identical with the exact impression in his mind.

一个人写文章，只要他不是立志要把自己的真意用重重锦绣帐幔、层层多余伪装完全遮掩起来，他总会从熟悉的日常用语中想出一二十种不同的说法，一个比一个更接近他所要表达的情感，只怕到了最后，他还会拿不定主意要用哪一种说法才能最恰如其分地表达自己的心意哩！

This would seem to show that Mr. Cobalt is hardly right in saying that the first word that occurs is always the best.

这样说来，考拜特先生所说的最先闪现于脑海的词总是最好的这种说法未必可靠。

It may be a very good one; and yet a better may present itself on reflection or from time to time.

这样出现的字眼也许很好，但经过一次又一次的推敲，也许还会发现更好的字眼。

It may be suggested naturally, however, and spontaneously, from a fresh and lively conception of the subject.

然而这种字眼，是要针对内容进行清醒而活泼的构思，才能够自然而然想到的。