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世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第22部分
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我喜欢激烈的竞争，而且喜欢旁观竞争。我喜欢打听他人的战况，当然竞争靠的是勇敢 顽强，光明正大，而不是投机取巧，玩弄诡计；它能激『荡』撒克逊人传统的战斗热血，就像学 童时代“与厄运抗争的骑士”的故事一样使我们童心振奋。
人生的斗争也是一场同可怕的厄运的抗争。每个时代都存在巨人、苍龙之类的庞然大物 ，它们所守护的金子根本不可能像小说里描写的那样会被轻易拿走。在小说里，阿尔格农最 后流连地望了一眼祖先的房屋，抹去眼角的泪珠，离家而去；三年后，他竟然衣锦还乡、腰 缠万贯。小说家并没有告诉我们“他是怎样做到这一切的”，这真是个遗憾，因为这段经历 肯定会极为精彩。
on getting on in the world
j。 k。 jerome
a motley throng — a motley throng！ prince and beggar； sinner and saint； but cher and baker and candlestickmaker； tinkers and tailors； and ploughboys and s ailors — all jostling along together。 here the counsel in his wig and gown； and here the old jew clothesman under his dingy tiara； here the soldier in his scar let； and here the undertaker's mute in streaming hatband and worn cotton glove s； here the scholar； fumbling his faded leaves； and here the scented actor； dang ling his showy seals。 here the glib politician； crying his legislative panaceas； and here the peripatetic cheap jack； holding aloft his quack cures for human il ls。 here the sleek capitalist； and there the sinewy labourer； here the man of sc ience； and here the shoeblack； here the poet； and here the waterrate collect or； here the cabinet minister； and there the balletdancer。 here a rednosed p ublican； shouting the praises of his vats； and here a temperance lecturer at fif ty pounds a night； here a judge； and there a swindler； here a priest； and there a gambler。 here a jewelled duchess； smiling and gracious； here a thin lodgingh ouse keeper； irritable with cooking； and here a wabbling； strutting thing； tawdr y in paint and finery。
cheek by cheek； they struggle onward。 screaming； cursing； and praying； laugh ing； singing； and moaning； they rush past side by side。 their speed never slacke ns； the race never ends。 there is no wayside rest for them； no halt by cooling f ountains； no pause beneath green shades。 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； th
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