He watched its growth, and when reaching a ripe old age he saw the tree standing in its magnificent proportions, he was pained to think that after his death it would fall into the hands of those who might destroy it."
他观察它的生长,并且当到达高龄时他看见那棵树以其壮观的比例矗立着,他痛苦地想到在他死后它将落入那些可能会摧毁它的人的手中。
"standing in its magnificent proportions" 是现在分词短语作宾语补足语,补充说明宾语 "the tree" 的状态。从第一性原理看,现在分词作宾补表示宾语正在进行的动作或所处的状态。在 "saw the tree standing" 结构中,"standing" 描述 "he saw" 时 "the tree" 的状态,构成感官动词 + 宾语 + 现在分词的典型结构。