大家知道林肯的一句名言：专利制度是给天才之火浇上利益之油。
其出处是：
\"Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this; secured to the inventor, for a limited time, the exclusive use of his invention; and thereby added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius, in the discovery and production of new and useful things.\"
Lecture on Discoveries and Inventions
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/discoveries.htm
后人取其精华：“The Patent System added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius”
有趣的是，google发现(2008年9月27日下午7点左右)：
\"The Patent System added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"
约有871项符合\"The Patent System added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"的查询结果，
\"The Patent System has added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\'
共有 19 项符合\"The Patent System has added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"的查询结果
\"The Patent System adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"
约有15项符合\"The Patent System adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"的查询结果
\"The Patent System is adding the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"
共有 1 项符合\"The Patent System is adding the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"的查询结果
后面三种说法都是一些人的误用了。
从原文的意思和所用的时态，中文应译成：“专利制度给天才之火浇上了利益之油”才合适。
如果说“专利制度是给天才之火浇上利益之油”，则英文用\"The Patent System adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius\"合适。 |
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