本文探討嚴復在天津北洋水師學堂時期（1880至1900年間），如何在仕途失意之下，走向以翻譯來會通中西的志業。全文分為三個部份： 　　第一，嚴復在北洋水師學堂的升遷概況。作者利用《清代官員履歷檔案全編》，以及其他史料，說明嚴復由「洋文總教習」（亦稱「洋文正教習」）一職開始其教學生涯；至1884年，他「以天津水師學堂辦有成效」，得到獎敘。1889年初「奉委會辦天津水師學堂事宜」，再於1893年底升為「總辦」。 　　 第二，嚴復參與科舉考試的經過及其影響。嚴復任職天津期間，為獲得晉升機會，有超過十年以上的時間在準備科舉考試，曾四度參加考試，均慘遭失敗。科舉的經驗，一方面讓他認識中國制度的嚴重弊端，另一方面亦讓他得以磨練文字技巧，奠立中學基礎，使他後來能以典雅文字翻譯西書而揚名於世。 　　 第三，嚴復與呂增祥、吳汝綸之交往，及其對《天演論》的影響。嚴復與呂增祥、吳汝綸三人均屬李鴻章集團。呂增祥與嚴復是好友兼親家；吳汝綸則在1896至1903年間與嚴復密切來往。呂、吳均曾為嚴復潤飾《天演論》的翻譯文字，因此《天演論》的成就其實不是嚴復個人的成就，呂增祥、吳汝綸等師友都貢獻了一部份心力。其中吳汝綸的角色尤其重要，他親自為之修改、作序、節錄（後以《吳京卿節本天演論》之名出版），使該書宛如受到大師「加持」，其聲望因而陡然提升。 　　作者認為，對嚴復而言，翻譯工作只是仕途失意之下的次一選擇，他真正想要成就者，乃得君行道的經國大業。從官場失意轉向翻譯工作，與其視為嚴復從政治領域轉到學術領域，還不如說他以學術工作來從事政治參與，企圖能「主文譎諫」、有裨時政。

　　This article examines Yan Fu’s experiences during his period at the Northern Naval College in Tianjin (1880-1900) to see how, as he became increasingly frustrated with politics, he turned to a new career in translation. The article is divided into three main sections: 　　First, Yan Fu’s career at the Northern Naval College. This author uses The Complete Collection of the Resumes of Qing Officials and other sources to explore the progress of Yan’s career at the College. These records indicate that Yan started his teaching job as a superintendent for Western learning. In 1884 he was awarded by the emperor for effectively running the Northern Naval College. In 1889 he was promoted to be vice president, and in 1893 he became president of the College. 　　Second, Yan Fu’s experiences with the civil service examinations and their influence on his career trajectory. During Yan’s Tianjin period, he spent more than a decade preparing for the civil service examinations. He took the examinations four times, failing each time. This highly frustrating experience helped him understand China’s institutional shortcomings while also giving him an opportunity to read the traditional classics and thereby obtain a good command of the classical language. Later he was able to use elegant Chinese to translate Western works, which brought him fame as a translator. 　　Third, Yan Fu’s friendship with Lu Zengxiang and Wu Rulun. Yan, Lu, and Wu all belonged to the Li Hongzhang group, and the contribution of Lu and Wu to The Theory of Natural Evolution (Tianyan lun, a translation of Huxley’s Evolution and Ethics) was indispensable. Lu was Yan’s good friend, and Yan’s son was married to Lu’s daughter. Wu, a master of the Tongcheng School, was highly respected by Yan, and he corresponded with Yan closely between 1896 and 1903 on various issues. Lu and Wu proofread Yan’s translation of Evolution and Ethics. Therefore, the success of The Theory of Natural Evolution was achieved not by Yan alone but by a group of people. Wu in particular gave Yan numerous suggestions, wrote a preface, and produced an abridged version to spread the book’s ideas to school students. 　　This article argues that for Yan, doing translation was only his second choice. His preferred career trajectory would have been official service: he wanted to be trusted by the emperor and to help govern the country. Thus, Yan’s turn to translation should be seen less as a departure from politics and a turn toward scholarship, and more as a form of political participation through translation.