这段话出自于十九世纪英国思想家约翰·密尔的《论自由》,要翻译上文必须补全相关,不然译文不易下笔,因为您贴在这里的只是部分片段,在意思的表达上未能形成全面.原文如下：There have been,and may again be,great individual thinkers,in a general atmosphere of mental slavery.But there never has been,nor ever will be,in that atmosphere,an intellectually active people.Where any people has made a temporary approach to such a character,it has been because the dread of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended.
对于这一段话翻译时,可以先将状语in a general atmosphere of mental slavery提前,而后再由头至尾逐个译来：“在精神奴役的一般氛围中”,There have been“曾经有过”,and may again be“且亦会再有”great individual thinkers,“伟大的个别思想家”,注意从But开始句意有了转折,这时可依旧将状语in that atmosphere提前与but合译“但在那种氛围中”,接下来处理 there never has been“却从未有过”,nor ever will be,“也永远不会出现”,an intellectually active people.（一种）智力活跃的民众.Where any people has made a temporary approach to such a character一句中的Where字面义为“哪里”这里根据句意可理解为“任何.的地方”any people has made a temporary approach to such a character“任何国民若曾经暂时接近于这种特征描述”（注意这段话含带有假设意味）,it has been because the dread of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended.那是因为对于异端思想的恐惧曾暂告中止.
如此再作一番细微调整、措辞,就形成了这样的译文：
在精神奴役的一般氛围中,曾经有过且亦会再有伟大的个别思想家,但在那种氛围中,却从未有过且也永远不会出现智力活跃的民众.倘见任何国民曾暂时接近于这一特征描述,那（只）是因为其对于异端思想的恐惧曾暂告中止.
