郭嵩焘在日记中记下了严复对张自枚（字力臣）《瀛海论》的批驳。张在文章中认为中国不宜修铁路，也不应造机器，理由是铁路和机器都会导致人的懒惰和淫侈，败坏民风。严复反对这种观点，认为“西方有，中国不必傲以无；西方巧，中国不必傲以拙；人既跨骏，则我不得骑驴；人既操舟，则我不得结筏。”郭嵩焘对此大为赞赏，认为“只此数语，掉磬已尽”。郭大使的确很兴奋，因为面对这样的青年，他似乎找到了同道。『李新宇教授：严复与郭嵩焘』https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzU5OTgyNTEyMA==&mid=2247508716&idx=1&sn=290d2e8ec4dbba2652edcd8251c3a240&chksm=feaded63c9da6475bca995e179dd4600f6cfd840606764bba5be64e3201cb10119bae04d060e&mpshare=1&srcid=0306nLSNxksBHEdbmdr2i7UR&sharer_shareinfo=e183f6c3f242921572947e2eecfa302d&sharer_shareinfo_first=e183f6c3f242921572947e2eecfa302d&from=singlemessage&scene=1&subscene=10000&clicktime=1709679367&enterid=1709679367&sessionid=0&ascene=1&fasttmpl_type=0&fasttmpl_fullversion=7105553-zh_CN-zip&fasttmpl_flag=0&realreporttime=1709679367428&devicetype=android-31&version=28002f37&nettype=WIFI&abtest_cookie=AAACAA%3D%3D&lang=zh_CN&countrycode=CN&exportkey=n_ChQIAhIQNVtzRwPjKVfyMM%2Fypw80LBLvAQIE97dBBAEAAAAAAEY2OauPM58AAAAOpnltbLcz9gKNyK89dVj059AFs4stS9Y1l7BjfVSOi4I6TCAkLopnvD9iEhk9zLZTevHIPSL1s8NObV4F5iFcHlicUtfQvtPyz%2FGWG032dEQZ%2BYENghY%2BSHdRLgALX0%2BmYjWtT4IZiFDmQL1eEn7z9ez1r05GcG0ZVA9b%2BXjWD%2FfyxX6o2rrjmwSLZ7t6J5mQdY7QmhvaP6m94A2LYaKGq8dpbt7obhP%2BC4ANfAb3BAt%2BSQeP3hPw6sEo%2BTA4tEcp96qMWgS9iuwQvehtTtzG%2FamT0zaHWYl7&pass_ticket=lBKKHXAijsYTRCy6RvKN29qy8fI7UQIgq42UIbaBSNY0T9DY84LuVfX5pvYsL02mJ4AtCm7hz1XiTWvTFva33A%3D%3D&wx_header=3