Brief as the picture is, we see in it again the outline of every philosopher's utopia—a people guided in peace and modest plenty by their wisest men.
即使不过是十分粗略的描绘，我们仍能从中看到每一位哲学家的乌托邦的轮廓--一个在最有智慧的人的统治下安居乐业的民族。
The dream of every thinker is to replace the politician by the scientist; why does it remain only a dream after so many incarnations?
每一位思想家的梦想都是让科学家代替政治家，但为何经过如此多的黄袍加身，他却依旧只是梦呢？
Is it because the thinker is too dreamily intellectual to go out into the arena of affairs and build his concept into reality?
难道是因为这些思想家太过于理想，沉湎于空想，将愿望当作现实吗？
Is it because the hard ambition of the narrowly acquisitive soul is forever destined to overcome the gentle and scrupulous aspirations of philosophers and saints?
是不是这是一个艰难的梦想，非常狭窄的灵魂，或者是因为贪婪者的野心注定要永远压倒温和的哲人们缜密构思的理想？
Or is it that science is not yet grown to maturity and conscious power?
再或者是因为科学尚未强大到成熟与自我意识的力量?
—that only in our day do physicists and chemists and technicians begin to see that the rising rôle of science in industry and war gives them a pivotal position in social strategy, and points to the time when their organized strength will persuade the world to call them to leadership?
--在我们这个年代，唯有物理学家，化学家和技师开始意识到，科学在工业与战争中日趋重要的作用给了他们举足轻重的地位，是不是指向了一个时间，终有一天，他们联合起来的力量会劝服世界由他们来领导。
以前没有成熟，那现在有没有成熟，这些科学家有没有这个意识，这个世界有没有这个意识呢？
Perhaps science has not yet merited the mastery of the world; and perhaps in a little while it will.
或许科学如今还没有足够努力来获得支配世界的荣誉；或许它很快就会有这种资格。
语言点
outline: n. 轮廓
incarnation: n. 加冕礼
arena: n. 竞技场
scrupulous: adj. 细心的，小心谨慎的
aspiration: n. 梦想
pivotal: adj. 重要的
mastery: n. 统治；征服
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