One measure of a civilization, either of an age or of a single individual, is what that age or person really wishes to do. A man's hope measures his civilization. The attainability of the hope measures, or may measure, the civilization of his nation and time.

衡量一个文明，无论是一个时代还是一个个体，都要看这个时代或这个人真正想做什么。一个人的希望衡量他的文明程度。希望的实现程度可以衡量，或者可以衡量他的民族和时代的文明程度。