The pine, placed nearly always among scenes disordered and desolate, brings into them all possible elements of order and precision. Lowland trees may lean to this side and that, though it is but a meadow breeze that bends them, or a bank of cowslips(1) from which their trunks lean aslope(2). But let storm and avalanche do their worst(3), and let the pine find only a ledge of vertical precipice to cling to, it will nevertheless grow straight. Thrust a rod from its last shoot down the stem; it shall point to the center of the earth as long as the tree lives.(4) It may be well also for what they need, and to take all kinds of irregular shape and extension. But the pine is trained to need nothing and endure everything. I is resolvedly whole, self-contained, desiring nothing but rightness, content with resrticted completion. Tall or short, it will be straight.
中文翻译和词汇注释
松树
松树几乎总是长在凌乱荒凉地地方，但它却把周围的景色点缀得井井有条，蔚然可观。低地上的树木会东倒西歪，虽说使它们弓腰曲背的，不过是草地上吹过的一阵阵微风；或者，它们的躯干歪到一边，不过时由于一排野樱草的影响。可是，尽管风暴和寻崩姿意摧残，尽管松树所能依附的只是陡壁上一块凸出的岩石，它依然长得笔挺。从它初发的嫩枝旁沿茎插一根笔直的杆子，只要这树活着，杆子将一直指着地的中心。低地上的树，可能为了获得它们所需要的东西，枝桠四下仲延，形成各种不规则的形状，任意扩张。然而松树却饱经锻炼，什么也不需要，什么都能忍受。它坚定完整，独立成长，除了长得挺拔正直，别无所求，虽受限制而依然完美，它便感到满足。刁；管是高是矮，它总是长得笔直。
约翰·拉斯金
(1) a bank of cowslips ：一排野樱草。它与上文中的a meadow breeze 是并列成分。
(2) from which their trunks lean aslope：树干由于野樱草的影响而倾斜。
(3) let...do their worst：让……恣意肆虐。
(4) Thrust a rod...as long as the tree lives：这个句子的意思是：松树活着永远长得笔直，象插在一旁的杆子一样的直。松树如果长弯了，就会把插一旁的杆子推歪而不能笔直地指着地心了。 it shall point to... shall用于第三人称时表示说话者的意向。这里作“应该”解。
(5) reach hither and thither：向个方向伸展。 hither and thither=here and there.
