翻刻
自序
章成童、従家君於大阪之邸、学文習武、多病不能勉強、
時聞、有天游中先生者、唱西洋医学、覈驅骸柝疾病、精
密窅賾、出人之意表也、於是憣然、改轍、服従先生、先生
愍章駑鈍、教導究渥慈愛特深、居四年当時之訳書、渉
猟殆尽、頗得闞西学大略矣、先生謂章曰方今西学日
隆、訳書月多、然以其有所未全備、猶有隔履抓痒之憾
焉、吾老不能為卿等、宐就原書学也、於是東游江戸、委
質於誠軒坪井先生、先生恩諭超衆、薫陶冶鎔読原書
数十巻、始覚得如面上脱一膜、而指爪達痒処矣、誠軒
【冒頭の「章」は諱で原文では細字右寄せ、以下同】
現代語訳
自序
私（章）が少年の頃、父君と共に大阪の邸宅におり、学問と武芸を学んでいたが、病気がちで勉学に励むことができなかった。その時、天游中先生という方がおられ、西洋医学を提唱し、骸骨を調べて疾病を分析する方法が精密で奥深く、人々の意表を突くものであると聞いた。そこで心を動かされ、方針を改めて先生に師事した。先生は私の愚鈍さを憐れみ、教導は極めて手厚く、慈愛は特に深かった。四年間師事し、当時の翻訳書をほとんど全て読み漁り、かなり西学の大要を理解することができた。
先生は私に言われた。「今や西学は日々隆盛となり、翻訳書も月ごとに増えている。しかし、まだ完全でない部分があり、靴の上から足を掻くような歯がゆさがある。私は老いてお前たちのために十分なことはできないから、原書に就いて学ぶべきである」と。
そこで東上して江戸に赴き、誠軒坪井先生の門に身を委ねた。先生の恩諭は群を抜いており、薫陶を受けて原書数十巻を読み、初めて顔から膜を一枚剥がしたような感覚を覚え、指の爪で痒いところに届くような思いをした。誠軒先生は...
【冒頭の「章」は諱（いみな）で、原文では細字で右寄せに記されている。以下同様】
英語訳
Preface by the Author
When I (Shō) was a youth, I lived with my father at our residence in Osaka, studying literature and martial arts, but being frequently ill, I could not apply myself diligently to my studies. At that time, I heard that there was a master called Tenyū-naka Sensei who advocated Western medicine, examining skeletal remains and analyzing diseases with precision and profundity that exceeded people's expectations. Thereupon I was moved, changed my course, and submitted myself as a disciple to this master. The master took pity on my dullness, and his instruction was extremely thorough, his compassion particularly deep. During the four years I served under him, I read through nearly all the translated books of that time and gained a fairly good understanding of the general principles of Western learning.
The master said to me: "Nowadays Western learning flourishes daily and translated books increase monthly. However, since there are still incomplete aspects, there remains the frustration of trying to scratch an itch through one's shoe. I am old and cannot do enough for you students, so you should study from the original texts."
Therefore, I traveled east to Edo and placed myself under Master Seiken Tsuboi. The master's gracious teachings were exceptional, and through his guidance and influence, I read several dozen volumes of original texts. For the first time, I felt as if a membrane had been peeled away from my face, and my fingernails could reach the itchy spot. Master Seiken...
【The initial "Shō" is an imina (personal name) and in the original text is written in small characters aligned to the right. The same applies below.】