香港聖保羅書院印刷所與蒙奇理的《算法全書》及歐幾里德《原本》的漢譯

Hong Kong St. Paul’s College Printing Establishment and E. T. R. Moncrieff’s A Treatise on Arithmetic in the Chinese Language and his Translation of Euclid’s The Elements

數學反映邏輯及抽象思考能力，也反映人類探索未知世界的方法及思維結構，因而外來數學知識在中國數學發展長河上任何一次的匯合與衝擊，所激發的浪花與洪流都片石千鈞，是中國數學以至科學史不容錯過的議題。在這前提下，以公設法建立邏輯演繹體系的首部著述─歐幾里德（Euclid）的《原本》（The Elements），其入華過程及漢譯的討論，是中國科學史應曲盡探索的題目。本文討論新發現的《原本》的節譯稿、譯入語背景脈胳，並追索譯者蒙奇理的事跡和貢獻。蒙奇理曾於數學改革狂飆時期的愛爾蘭接受嚴謹的專業數學訓練，畢業於古風盎然的都柏林聖三一學院，1850年至香港後出任署理殖民地主牧，又擔任香港聖保羅學院高級導師。本著「求真」的科學態度，他在香港傳授幾何知識時，為了鞏固華人子弟的根基，他以漢語傳播西方數學概念，並耗時兩年編印一本教科書──《算法全書》，連帶也漢譯了《原本》。本文分析《算法全書》的成書過程及印刷特色、所用語言及印刷字體的開創性，並剖析他翻譯《原本》的策略，揭示翻譯底本。本文以翻譯研究配合印刷史的跨學科方法，發掘近代史具有價值的人物，並申述西算東傳的必要物質條件，藉此釐清十九世紀錯綜複雜的科學傳播史圖象。

Mathematics does not merely reflect the faculty of reasoning and abstract thinking. It is also a reflection of mankind’s cognitive power, the impulse to explore the unknown and the universe, as well as our commitment to understanding the evolutionary mind. As such, the translation of The Elements—an influential work on the system of logical deduction based on axiomatic law--into every cultural tradition is monumental. The translation, subsequent adaptation, and reception of The Elements into China since the Ming Dynasty, demonstrating the convergence of foreign mathematical knowledge into the local mathematical system, have long been central to the history of Chinese mathematics. This article unveils a newly discovered abridged translation of The Elements in mid-nineteenth century China, a translation that should be seen alongside. the two widely acclaimed translations of Matteo Ricci with Xu Guangqi and Alexander Wylie with Li Shanlan. To historicise the context in which the abridged translation was made, this article takes an overarching and multidisciplinary approach to examine the background of the translator, Rev. Edward T. R. Moncrieff, his translation strategy, and his teaching mission. The article then delves into the discussion of the new textbook Moncrieff compiled for inculcating Western mathematical knowledge in Hong Kong from 1850 to 1852. While the mathematical content of this textbook, A Treatise on Arithmetic in the Chinese Language, is insipid, the mathematical formulas orchestrated by Moncrieff and notations presented by the innovative printing establishment, Hong Kong St. Paul’s College, were a remarkable feat, given that Western printing technology was newly introduced in China.