oetry and Tales, New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 1984），酌情参考了其他版本。

2．除注释中有说明之外，标于每首诗后的年份表示发表年份，而非写作年份。

3．本书的脚注有4种：1）爱伦·坡自己的注释未署名者用“——原注”标示（已有署名者保持原署名）；2）奎恩教授的注释用“——编者注”标示；3）译者的注释用“——译者注”标示；4）在需要对“原注”或“编者注”加以说明的地方插入或增加“（【译者按】……）”标示。

O, Tempora! O, Mores!

O, Times! O, Manners! It is my opinion

That you are changing sadly your dominion—

I mean the reign of manners hath long ceased,

For men have none at all, or bad at least;

And as for times, altho' 'tis said by many

The "good old times" were far the worst of any,

Of which sound doctrine I believe each tittle,

Yet still I think these worse than them a little.

I've been a thinking—isn't that the phrase?—

I like your Yankee words and Yankee ways—

I've been a thinking, whether it were best

To take things seriously, or all in jest;

Whether, with grim Heraclitus of yore,

To weep, as he did, till his eyes were sore;

Or rather laugh with him, that queer philosopher,

Democritus of Thrace, who used to toss over

The page of life and grin at the dog-ears,

As though he'd say, "Why, who the devil cares?"

This is a question which, oh heaven, withdraw

The luckless query from a member's claw!

Instead of two sides, Job has nearly eight,

Each fit to furnish forth four hours debate.

What shall be done? I'll lay it on the table,

And take the matter up when I'm more able;

And, in the meantime, to prevent all bother,

I'll neither laugh with one, nor cry with t'other,

Nor deal in flatt'ry or aspersions foul,

But, taking one by each hand, merely growl.

Ah, growl, say you, my friend, and pray at what?

Why, really, sir, I almost had forgot—

But, damn it, sir, I deem it a disgrace

That things should stare us boldly in the face,

And daily strut the street with bows and scrapes,

Who would be men by imitating apes.

I beg your pardon, reader, for the oath

The monkeys make me swear, though something loath;

I'm apt to be discursive in my style,

But pray be patient; yet a little