鐔津文集 10.12

10.12

具位某。奉書于著作馬侯執事。辱貺獨秀石銘敘。詞甚俊放意義高簡。若不勞思慮一舉筆以成其文。然此宜發揮聖人之盛德大業。豈山石游物可當其美也。執翫終日愛慕而顧。無所能之人。何以醻酢降服。降服始此。石與山俱溺於莽蒼中。不知其幾千百年。近世會好事者出之。然南屏巖石大都皆奇。而此石尤奇。其山見於世。數十年矣。獨秀石混然與眾石不分。豈其怪特古秀非俗輩之所識疑待其真賞精鑒以辨乎。一旦執事果以其文發之。傳聞於人。未數日游觀者求其石而來往往有之。此獨秀石遭遇執事不隱而顯也。某由此乃感慨古今人有懷奇挾異終沈棄草莽不如其石者何限。其人雖抱希世之才識。而無知己。止與庸俗相上下。假如一遇學者蒙其不妬且謗。亦其幸矣。況敢望其以重語相推耶。嗟乎世不樂道人之善者眾矣。若執事視一物不棄其美。尚以文詞稱揚於世。信執事心量倜儻過於人百千輩。使執事得位於朝廷。推此心於人。則天下沈淪混俗之士。孰不得奮其才業。而執事之為德又盛於今也。聞古者有舜與顏子。最能與人之善。故後代歌頌其聖賢。雖萬世不休。執事果如是決進不已。吾將見其世歌頌執事之賢之德。洋洋乎盈四海而不已也。仍裁獨秀石古詩一首。塵奉高意。詞句凡下極負慚靦。不宣。某謹白。

So-and-so, holding the official rank [stated above], presents this letter to Editorial Director Lord Ma: You have favored me with the preface and inscription on the Solitary Prominence Stone; its diction is remarkably talented and unrestrained, and its meaning lofty and succinct, as if you accomplished the composition in a single stroke of the brush without straining your thoughts. Yet this is fit to give voice to the magnificent virtues and great deeds of sages; how could an idle object like a mountain stone be worthy of such beauty? Having held and cherished it all day, admiring it, I reflect that as an incapable person, how could I reciprocate your profound condescension? My submission begins here. The stone and the mountain had both been drowned in the desolate wilderness for I know not how many thousands or hundreds of years; only recently did a curious person bring it to light. The rocks of Nanping are mostly extraordinary, but this stone is uniquely extraordinary. That mountain has been known to the world for several decades, yet the Solitary Prominence Stone was mixed in indistinguishably with the myriad stones. Was its singular and ancient excellence unrecognizable to the common sort, perhaps awaiting your true appreciation and exquisite appraisal to be discerned? Once you, sir, indeed brought it forth with your writing, the report spread among people; within a few days, sightseers coming to seek the stone have appeared everywhere. Thus the Solitary Prominence Stone encountered you, sir, and rather than remaining hidden, it became manifest. From this I am moved to reflect on how many people from ancient times to the present have harbored extraordinary and exceptional qualities only to end up submerged and discarded in the weeds, not even faring as well as this stone! Even if such a person embraces rare talent and insight, without a soulmate who understands him, he merely drifts up and down among the vulgar; if by chance he encounters scholars, he may count it a blessing if he merely avoids their jealousy and slander, so how could he dare hope that they would promote him with weighty words? Alas, many in the world take no joy in speaking of others' good qualities! If you, sir, do not cast aside the beauty of a single object, but still praise it to the world in literary words, truly your magnanimity exceeds that of ordinary people a hundred or a thousandfold. Were you to attain a position in the imperial court and extend this mind to men, then which of the scholars submerged among the vulgar throughout the world would not be able to exert their talents and careers? And your virtue would be all the more glorious than it is today. I have heard that in ancient times there were Shun and Yanzi, who were most capable of acknowledging goodness in others; therefore later generations have praised their sagely and worthy character without cessation, even for ten thousand generations. If you, sir, truly advance resolutely like this without stopping, I will see the world praise your worthiness and virtue, overflowing across the four seas without end. I have also composed an ancient-style poem on the Solitary Prominence Stone to humbly offer to your lofty intention; its verses are commonplace and inferior, and I feel utterly ashamed. I do not elaborate further. So-and-so respectfully states this.