The Rewards of the Professions
The probability that any person should ever be qualified for the employment to which he is educated, is very different in different occupations. In the greater part of mechanic trades, success is almost certain; but very uncertain in the liberal professions. Put your son apprentice to a shoemaker, there is little doubt of his learning to make a pair of shoes, but send him to study the law, it is at least twenty to one if ever he makes such a proficiency as it will enable him to live by the business. In a perfectly fair lottery, those who draw the prizes ought to gain all that is lost by those who draw the blanks. In a profession where twenty fail for one that succeeds, that one ought to gain all that should have been gained by the unsuccessful nineteen ones. The counselor at law, who, perhaps, at near forty years of age, begins to make something by his profession, ought to receive the retribution, not only of his own so tedious and expensive education, but of that of more than ten others who are never likely to make anything by it. How extravagant the fees of counselors at law may sometimes appear, their real retribution is never equal to this.
Those professions keep their level, however, with other occupations, and notwithstanding these discouragements, all the most generous and liberal spirits are eager to crowd into them. Two different causes contribute to recommend them. First, the desire of the reputation which attends upon superior excellence in any of them; and, secondly, the natural confidence which every man has, more or less, not only in his own abilities, but in his own good fortune①.
To excel in any profession, in which but few arrive at mediocrity, is the most decisive mark of what is called genius or superior talents. The public admiration which attends upon such distinguished abilities，makes always a part of their reward；a greater or smaller in proportion as it is higher or lower in degree.It makes a considerable part of it in the profession of physic；a still greater perhaps in that of law；in poetry and philosophy it makes almost the whole.
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行文点评
本文观点新颖，从一个独特的角度向我们阐述了职业回报的衡量标准。第一段的第一句为主题句，紧接着作者引用具体数据围绕这一主题进行论证，具有较强的说服力。在第二段中，作者用however将话题一转，顺势引出了本文要讨论的问题：不同的职业有不同的衡量回报的标准。在最后一段，作者围绕这一观点展开了充分的论证。
好文妙译
职业的回报
词汇斟酌
mechanic n. 技工，机修工
apprentice n. 学徒，徒弟
proficiency n. 熟练，精通
lottery n. ①抽彩给奖法②碰运气的事，难于算计的事
counselor n. 顾问, 法律顾问
tedious a. 乏味的，单调的，冗长的
extravagant a. ①奢侈的，铺张的②过度的，过分的
retribution n. 报偿
notwithstanding prep.& ad. 尽管
generous a. ①慷慨的，大方的②宽厚的，宽宏大量的
mediocrity n. 平常, 平庸之才
decisive a. ①决定性的②坚定的，果断的，决断的
philosophy n. ①哲学②哲理，人生哲学，见解
佳句临摹
①【注释】more or less 差不多，几乎
【临摹】I’ve more or less finished reading the book. 我差不多已经把这本书看完了。
思如泉涌
As you sow, you shall mow. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。
A good dog deserves a good bone. 好狗应啃好骨头。/有功者受赏。
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