世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第18章
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on； on； on — on through the heat and t he crowd and the dust — on； or they will be trampled down； and lost — on； with throbbing brain and tottering limbs — on； till the heart grows sick； and the e yes grow blurred； and a gurgling groan tells those behind they may close up anot her space。
and yet； in spite of the killing pace and the stony track； who； but the slug gard or the dolt； can hold aloof from the course。 who — like the belated travel ler that stands watching fairy revels till he snatches and drains the goblin cup ； and springs into the whirling circle — can view the mad tumult； and not be dr awn into its midst。 not i； for one。 i confess to the wayside arbour； the pipe of contentment； and the lotus leaves being altogether unsuitable metaphors。 they s ounded very nice and philosophical； but i'm afraid i am not the sort of person t o sit in arbours； smoking pipes； when there is any fun going on outside。 i think i more resemble the irishman； who； seeing a crowd collecting； sent his little g irl out to ask if there was going to be a row —“ 'cos； if so； father would lik e to be in it。〃
i love the fierce strife。 i like to watch it。 i like to hear of people getti ng on in it — battling their way bravely and fairly — that is； not slipping th rough by luck or trickery。 it stirs one's old saxon fighting blood； like the tal es of “knights who fought against fearful odds〃 thrilled us in our schoolboy da ys。
and fighting the battle of life is fighting against fearful odds； too。there are giants and dragons in every age； and the golden casket that they guard is no t so easy to win as it appears in the story books。 there； algernon takes one lon g； last look at the ancestral hall； dashes the teardrop from his eye； and goes o ff — to return in three year's time； rolling in riches。 the authors do not tell us “how it's done；〃 which is a pity； for it would surely prove exciting。
论奢华
奥里弗。哥尔德史密斯
哥尔德史密斯擅长创作批判『性』文章，严厉抨击浮夸不实的假道学，强调人类原始的美德 。本文即是他独排众议，否定“奢华”与人类罪恶的绝对关系，并赞扬它对世界文明的贡献 。
看看这一幅原始单纯的自然照片，告诉我，我最尊敬的朋友，你热爱疲劳和孤独吗？你 会感叹四处漂泊的鞑靼人的节俭，还是后悔生于文明人士的奢侈矫饰中？或者你会对我说， 每种生活方式都有其特有的罪恶。文明的国家罪恶较多，不如此可怕凶残或者不是最可怕的 国家罪恶较少，这难道不是事实吗？背信和欺诈是文明国家的丑行，荒蛮之地的居民则是轻 信和暴力。文明之国的奢华能抵的上野蛮国家无人『性』罪恶的一半吗？当然，那些痛责奢华的 哲学家，对奢华益处只是一知半解；他们好像没有察觉到，我们所拥有的奢华不仅是我们知 识中最伟大的部分，甚至还是我们的美德。
当一个高谈阔论者讲到抑制我们的欲望，只用最少的东西来满足我们的感官，只用大自 然所缺乏的东西来供给它们，这听起来好像很美妙；但是，如果能无辜、安适地尽享这些欲 望，这不比抑制它们更能令人满意吗。快乐生活所得到的满足不比了无生趣地闷头思考之满 足要好吗。人工制造的必需品变化愈多，我们快乐的圈子就越大；只有需求被满足之后，快 乐才会存在；所以，奢华在增加我们需求的同时，也扩大了我们幸福的空间。
仔细调查研究任何一个以富饶和智慧而闻名于世的国家的历史，你将发现，没有最初的 奢华就没有今天的英明智慧；你还会发现诗人、哲学家、甚至爱国者也在“奢华”的列车上 行进。理由是明显的：只有在发现知识系于感官的逸乐时，我们才会好奇而去求知。各种感 觉会为我们指明方向，产生对创造发明的种种评论。告诉戈壁沙漠土人月亮视差的精确测量 ，他不觉得这个信息能满足他什么需求；他『迷』『惑』：为什么会有人肯这么费劲，花这么多钱去 解决这么无用的难题。但是如果把这个和他的幸福联系起来的话，向他表明这样做可以改进 海上航行，有了这样的更暖的外套、更好的枪或者更棒的刀，立刻，他就会为如此伟大的改 良而兴奋。总之，我们只想知道我们渴望拥有什么；无论我们如何反对它，奢华都激发了我 们的好奇心，使我们渴望变得聪明。
on luxury
oliver goldsmith
from such a picture of nature in primeval simplicity； tell me； my much respe cted friend； are you in love with fatigue and solitude。 do you sigh for the frug ality of the wandering tartar； or regret being born amidst the luxury and dissim ulation of the polite。 rather tell me； has not every kind of life vices peculiar ly its own。 is it not a truth； that refined countries have more vices； but those not so terrible barbarous nations few； and they of the most hideous complexion。 perfidy and fraud are the vices of civilized nations； credulity and violence th ose of the inhabitants of the desert。 does the luxury of the one produce half th e evils of the inhumanity of the other。 certainly those philosophers； who declai m against luxury； have but little understood its benefits； they seem insensible； that to luxury we owe not only the greatest part of our knowledge； but even of our virtue。
it may sound fine in the mouth of a declaimer when he talks of subduing our appetites； of teaching every sense to be content with a bare sufficiency； and of supplying only the wants of nature； but is there not more satisfaction in indul ging those appetites； if with innocence and safety； than in restraining them。 am not i better pleased in enjoyment than in the sullen satisfaction of thinking t hat i can live without enjoyment。 the more various our artificial necessities； t he wider is our circle of pleasure； for all pleasure consists in obviating neces sities as they rise； luxury； therefore； as it increases our wants； increases of capacity for happiness。
examine the history of any country remarkable for opulence and wisdom； you w ill find they would never have been wise had they not been first luxurious； you will find poets； philosophers； and even patriots； marching in luxury's train。 th e reason is obvious； we then only are curious after knowledge when we find it co nnected with sensual happiness。 the senses ever point out the way； and reflectio n comments upon the discovery。 inform a native of the desert of kobi； of the exa ct measure of the parallax of the moon； he finds no satisfaction at all in the i nformation； he wonders how any could take such pains； and lay out such treasures in order to solve so useless a difficulty； but connect it with his happiness； b y showing that it improves navigation； that by such an investigation he may have a warmer coat； a better gun； or a finer knife； and he is instantly in raptures at so great an improvement。 in short； we only desire to know what we desire to p ossess； and whatever we may talk against it； luxury adds the spur to curiosity； and gives us a desire of becoming more wise。
如果我休息；我就会生锈
奥里森。马登
奥里森。马登（1848—1924），美国著名的成功学家。他创办的《成功》杂志在美国无 人不晓，它通过创造『性』地传播成功学改变了无数美国人的命运。他被公认为美国成功学的奠 基人和最伟大的成功励志导师。
在一把旧钥匙上面发现的具有深远意义的文字——如果我休息，我就生锈。对于那些为 懒散而苦恼的人而言，这无疑是一则最好的箴言。甚至那些勤劳的人都会接受并从中受益， 将它视为警语。如果一个人让他的身体机能休息，像钥匙上没有被使用的铁一样，那么他的 身体很快就会表现出生锈的迹象，从而无法从事被授予的工作。
想要获得与伟人相同成就的人，必须持续不断地使用身体，保持健康的体魄，这才足以 打开知识之门——守卫着专业、科学、文学、农业——每一道人类知识领域的入口。
勤勉能使钥匙发亮，从而开启成功的宝藏。如果修斯。米勒在一天的矿场劳累之后，在 傍晚休息和娱乐，他绝不会成为一位名垂青史的地质学家。著名的数学家爱德蒙。斯通如果 将休闲的时光用于消遣娱乐，他决不可能出版一本数学字典，也就不可能发现打开数学科学 大门的钥匙了。如果年轻的苏格兰青年，霍格森，在山腰上放羊时让忙碌的大脑昏昏沉睡， 而不是拿一串珠子来计算星座位置的话，他也无法成为一位声名大振的天文学家了。
劳动征服一切——这里所指的的劳动，并非变化多端的、断断续续的或者偏离方向的劳 动；而是实在的、持续的、朝着正确方向而每日坚持不断的努力。正如自由的代价是无休止 的警惕，永无止境的勤勉则是获得崇高而持久的成功所必须付出的代价。
if i rest；i rust
orison marden
the significant inscription found on an old key — “if i rest； i rust〃 — w ould be an excellent motto for those who are afflicted with the slightest taint of idleness。 even the industrious might adopt it with advantage to serve as a re minder that； if one allows his faculties to rest； like the iron in the unused ke y； they will soon show signs of rust； and； ultimately； cannot do the work requir ed of them。
those who would attain the heights reached and kept by great men must keep t heir faculties polished by constant use； so that they may unlock the doors of kn owledge； the gates that guard the entrances to the professions； to science； art； literature； agriculture； — every department of human endeavor。
industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasure of achievement。 if hug h miller； after toiling all day in a quarry； had devoted his evenings to rest an d recreation； he would never have become a famous geologist。 the celebrated math ematician； edmund stone； would never have published a mathematical dictionary； n ever have found the key to science of mathematics； if he had given his spare mom ents to idleness。 had the little scotch lad； ferguson； allowed the busy brain to go to sleep while he tended sheep on the hillside； instead of calculating the p osition of the stars by a string of beads； he would never have become a famous a stronomer。
labor vanquished all；— not inconstant；spasmodic； or illdirected labor； bu t faithful； unremitting； daily effort toward a welldirected purpose。 just as t ruly as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty； so is eternal industry the pr ice of noble and enduring sucomess。
第1卷 第八章
如何安度晚年
伯特兰。罗素
作为一个哲学家兼文学家，伯特兰。罗素的文章以透辟、缜密著称。这篇文章节选自他 的散文集《来自回忆的画像》。
从心理学上来讲，在老年时期要防止这样两种危险。第一是过分沉缅于过去。生活于过 去之中，为已过的好时光而抱憾，或因朋友作古而痛苦，这些都是没有什么用处的。人的思 想应该朝着未来，朝着还可以有所作为的方面。这并不是容易做到的，因为一个人的过去是 一份不断加重的负担。人们容易承认自己的感情，过去比现在丰富，自己的思想，过去比现 在深刻。如果这是事实，就把它忘掉。如果忘掉它，那它可能将不成其为事实。
另外一件要避免的事情是跟着年轻人，渴望从他们的生机中吸取力量。当你的孩子们已 经长大，他们就要过属于他们自己的生活，如果你还是像小时候那样对他们关心备至，你就 可能成为他们的负担，除非他们特别冷漠。我不是说对他们应该不闻不问，但是你所�
