先看英文原文:It may be safely assumed that,two thousand years ago,be fore Caesar set foot In southern Britain,the whole country-side visible ftom the windows of the room in which write,was in what is called“the state of Nature”.Except,it may be,be rais ing a few sepulchral mounds,such as those which still,here and there,break the flowing contours of the downs,mans hands had made no mark upon it;and the thin veil of vegetation which overspread the broad-backed heights and the shelving sides of the combs was unaffected by his industry.
以后严复又翻译了西方逻辑学著作。在义和团运动期间,严复在上海组织“名学会”,《穆勒名学》上半部即为此时所译。以后又翻译了《名学浅说》(英文名Logic-the Primer,为英国思想家耶芳斯W. S. Jevons,1835-1885所著,是一本浅显的形式逻辑读物)。当时也有人译逻辑学为辨学,而严复翻译为名学。严复认为,穆勒在逻辑学上,偏向于归纳逻辑,这本书是形式逻辑的一部经典著作。严复认识到逻辑学是思维之学,是思维就必用名言,名代表概念,即在心之意;言就是在口之言。逻辑学的范围限于“名言之域”,逻辑学的对象就是关于名言的规律。任何学问都必须用名言,所以必须遵守名言的规律。逻辑学成为一切学问的形式,所以称为形式逻辑。译逻辑学为名学,可以表达逻辑学的这个意义。严复服膺穆勒的归纳论,他认为,中国传统思想过去偏于保守与无为,实因缺乏这种观念。穆勒的归纳论反对良知说,而良知说在宋明理学中据有重要地位。严复在《救亡决论》中就表示良知说为害之烈,始作俑者,乃是孟子“良知不学万物皆备之言”;而明儒陆象山与王阳明“谓格致无益事功,抑事功不俟格致”,“正以为不出户可以知天下。”不幸,“后世学者,乐其经易,便于惰窳赦慢之情。”