王安石·《读孟尝君传》英译

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Wang An Shin

All ages have extolled Meng Ch’ang-chun as one who possessed the power of attracting men of genius to his side, inconsequence of which he was summoned by such, and availed himself of their skills to escape from the tiger-clutch of the prince of Ch’in.

Dear me! he was but the leader of cock-crowing, cur-stealing swashbucklers—men of genius in no sense were they.

Indeed, has his own powerful State included but one single man of genius, it would have wrested supremacy from the House of Ch’in, and the opportunity for this cock-crowing, cur-stealing skill would never have occurred.

Besides, on true man of genius would condescend to associate with imitators of cocks and dogs.