Looking back on my childhood, I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made.
回顾我的童年，我确信博物学家是天生的，不是天生的。
Although we were all brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic.
虽然我们都是以同样的方式长大的，但我的兄弟姐妹很快就抛弃了他们的花朵和昆虫标本。与他们不同的是，我对音乐和语言没有敏锐的听觉。我没有很小就开始阅读，我不会做心算。
Before world I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal-clear memory of the dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and, above all the insects.
在第一次世界大战之前，我们在匈牙利度过了暑假。我对我们住的房子、我的房间和我的玩具只有模糊的记忆。我也记不清隔壁的祖父母、阿姨、叔叔和表兄弟姐妹的大家庭。但我确实对狗、牲畜、当地鸟类，尤其是昆虫有着清晰的记忆。
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil while reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle, because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some might honour with the title of scientific research.
我是博物学家，而不是科学家。我对自然世界有着强烈的热爱，我的热情使我进行了各种各样的调查。我喜欢讨论我最喜欢的话题，喜欢熬夜阅读别人的观察和发现。然后把这些观察结果汇集在我的意识中。突然你以为你看到了谜的答案, 因为这一切似乎都合在一起了。这导致我发表了300篇论文和书籍，有些人可能会以科学研究的标题来纪念这些论文和书籍。
But curiosity, a keen eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist: one of the outstanding and essential qualities require is self-discipline, quality I lack. A scientist requires not only self-discipline but all training, determination and a goal. A scientist, up to a point, can be made. A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.
但好奇心、敏锐的眼光、良好的记忆力和对动植物世界的享受并不能造就一名科学家：自律是我所缺乏的一种杰出而基本的品质。一个科学家不仅需要自律，还需要所有的训练、决心和目标。在某种程度上，科学家是可以造就的，而博物学家是天生的。如果你能把两者结合起来，你就能两全其美。
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