简介:斯摩莱特的小说处女作《蓝登传》(1748)就是一部典型的流浪汉小说,它将一系列有趣的事件串联在一起,表现主人公寻找爱情与财富的经历。小说有很强的自传性,主人公蓝登出生于苏格兰的绅士家庭。因不堪其祖父的暴虐,蓝登的父亲在他很小便离家出走。在没有父爱的环境成人后,蓝登带上一名侍从到伦敦谋生。经过努力,他获得医师资格,当上助理海军医生,在海上经历过种种磨难,一度沦为奴仆并爱上主人的侄女。由于爱情无望,他返回伦敦,因债务缠身被关进监狱。后来,叔父将他救出,两人一起四处流浪,在西班牙遇见早年离家出走现已身为富豪的父亲。蓝登从此过上衣食无忧的绅士生活。
Roderick is the boisterous and unprincipled hero who answers life's many misfortunes with a sledgehammer. Left penniless, he leaves his native Scotland for London and on the way meets Strap, an old schoolfellow. Together they undergo many adventures at the hands of scoundrels and rogues. Roderick qualifies as a surgeon's mate and is pressed as a common soldier on board the man-of-war Thunder. In a tale of romance as well as adventure, Roderick also finds time to fall in love.