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世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第13部分
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晔逼谔ぃ苣炎龅秸庖坏恪�
我觉得一个人能做到对合适的活动兴趣盎然、不理会自己的个人得失，那么，他就很容 易享有成功的晚年，因为经过长期积累的经验在此可以结出累累的硕果，而经过经验产生的 智慧在这个时候既有用武之地，而又不至咄咄『逼』人。叫已经长大成人的孩子不要犯错误是没 有好处的，因为他们不会信任你，同时也由于犯错误是接受教育的不可缺少的一环。但如果 你做不到不计个人得失，那么，不将你的心放在儿孙后辈身上，你便会觉得生活空虚无聊。
如果是这样，你必须知道：尽管你还能给他们物质上的帮助，诸如给点补贴或织几件『毛』 衣，可是你千方不要指望他们会喜欢跟你在一起。
有些老人为死的恐惧所困扰。假如年轻人有这种恐惧，那也没有什么可说的。年轻人有 理由害怕战死在战场上；但当他们想到被骗走了生命所能赋予的美好生活时，他们有理由表 示不满。但假如对于一个尝尽人间疾苦，已经完成该做的一切的老年人来讲，怕死就有点不 大好了。
克服这种恐惧的最好办法是——至少在我看来是这样的——使你的爱好逐渐扩大，越来 越超出个人的范围，最后你的自我之墙将一点一点地退却，你的生命将越来越和人类的生命 融合在一起。一个人的一生应该像一条河——开始很小，被两岸紧紧约束，激烈地冲过岩石 和瀑布。渐渐地它变宽了，两岸退却了，河水静静地流着。到最后；不经过任何可见的停留 ，就和大海汇合在一起，毫无痛苦地失去它自身的存在。一个在老年能这样对待生活的人， 将不会感到死亡的恐惧，因为他所关心的事物将继续下去。假如由于生命力的减退，倦意日 增，安息的想法也许就是可喜之处。我希望我能死于工作之时，并且在我快死的时候能知道 别人将继续做我不能再做的工作，同时能为自己已完成力所能及的一切而心满意足。
how to grow old
bertrand russell
psychologically there are two dangers to be guarded against in old age。 one of these is undue absorption in the past。 it does not do to live in memories； in regrets for the good old days； or in sadness about friends who are dead。 one's thoughts must be directed to the future； and to things about which there is some thing to be done。 this is not always easy； one's own past is a gradually increas ing weight。 it is easy to think to oneself that one's emotions used to be more v ivid than they are； and one's mind more keen。 if this is true it should be forgo tten； and if it is forgotten it will probably not be true。
the other thing to be avoided is clinging to youth in the hope of sucking vi gour from its vitality。 when your children are grown up they want to live their own lives； and if you continue to be as interested in them as you were when they were young； you are likely to become a burden to them； unless they are unusuall y callous — i do not mean that one should be without interest in them； but one' s interest should be contemplative and； if possible； philanthropic； but not undu ly emotional。animals become indifferent to their young as soon as their young ca n look after themselves； but human beings； owing to the length of infancy； find this difficult。
i think that a sucomessful old age is easiest for those who have strong imper sonal interests involving appropriate activities。 it is in this sphere that long experience is really fruitful； and it is in this sphere that the wisdom born of experience can be exercised without being oppressive。 it is no use telling grow nup children not to make mistakes； both because they will not believe you； and b ecause mistakes are an essential part of education。 but if you are one of those who are incapable of impersonal interests； you may find that your life will be e mpty unless you concern yourself with your children and grandchildren。 in that c ase you must realize that while you can still render them material services； suc h as making them an allowance or knitting them jumpers； you must not expect that they will enjoy your company。
some old people are oppressed by the fear of death。 in the young there is a justification for this feeling。 young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have b een cheated of the best things that life has to offer。 but in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows； and has achieved whatever work it was in him to d o； the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble。
the best way to overcome it — so at least it seems to me — is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal； until bit by bit the walls of th e ego recede； and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life。 a n individual human existence should be like a river — small at first； narrowly contained within its banks； and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfa lls。 gradually the river grows wider； the banks recede； the waters flow more qui etly； and in the end； without any visible break； they become merged in the sea； and painlessly lose their individual being。 the man who； in old age； can see his life in this way； will not suffer from the fear of death； since the things he c ares for will continue。 and if； with the decay of vitality； weariness increases； the thought of rest will not be unwelcome。 i should wish to die while still at work； knowing that others will carry on what i can no longer do and content in t he thought that what was possible has been done。
论招人厌烦的人
罗伯特。林德
罗伯特。林德（1879—1949），英国近代散文名家，生于爱尔兰，曾任伦敦《新闻报》文 学编辑，工作之余著述颇丰，在散文创作方面有较高成就。
我有时觉得，那种最招人厌烦的人就是那种喜欢跟人讲从一个地方到另一地方有多少条 路好走的人。我一生中感到最厌烦的一回，是听一位老先生向一位上年纪的女人讲解，她从 拿丁山门回汉普斯台可能走的全部街道。她曾向他抱怨说她走的那条路太费时间。于是，他 一大串的絮絮叨叨便开了头，其中包括所有的公共汽车路线、街道名和站名。接下来，他用 一种平铺直叙的语调指点给她整个西部和北部伦敦的每一条路。他奉告给她所有可以换车地 方的地名，并且还为她一一详述一路上所有的酒店名字。最后我感觉到，他好像连他自己也 被弄烦了，至于我们旁人就更不用说了；但他还是不敢把话停下来，想来或许因为他再没有 别的什么好谈了。等到最后他起身走开时，我早已陷入昏『迷』状态，什么卡门敦大街、威尔土 亲王路以及不列颠街等等之类街名在我的脑海中不断碰撞，『乱』作一团。
另外一种讨人厌烦的谈话方式是这样一种人的谈话方式。这种人一谈起政治来，就把所 有陈词滥调的议论全都抖搂出来，那神气活像他是第一次使用它们。我自己就一向是这类讨 人厌烦的人。年轻的时候，我因为认识不清，曾误以为格莱斯顿先生的爱尔兰自治提案是危 险和有害的，于是每次遇见我那位倡议地方自治的好朋友时，我总爱把话扯到那个大问题上 去。路上并肩走着的时候，我便往他的耳朵里搪塞那最荒唐的糊涂话，目光炯炯地为他讲述 了历来英国对爱尔兰的全部德政，并向他大声疾呼那些从自治之前的格莱斯顿以及威廉。哈 尔考特爵士那里引来的尽人皆知的陈腐语言。我从来没有发过一点新鲜议论，因为我对此一 无所知。我像一只被激怒了的鹦鹉，只知道重复一大堆可以想见的愚昧无知话语。就连他那 张很有耐『性』的脸孔上的痛苦表情也不能让我停止。但是有一天，他实在忍无可忍，突然脸上 一红，对着我冷冷来了一句：“我的天，你真是个够讨厌的人。”当然，谁也不愿意被人当 成讨厌的人，而对一个当面说你讨厌的人，你便很难继续再和他辩论下去了。当我们了解到 自己在招人厌烦时，我们就像泄气的气球。我当时的情况就是这样。拉。罗施夫考曾说过： “我们能原谅那些使我们感到厌烦的人，但不能原谅感到我们厌烦的人。”不过震动一过， 我倒没有因为友人的坦率而减少了我对他的友情。从那次以后我肯定还曾经招不少人厌烦过 ；但是除了家里人之外，一直倒还没有人向我讲过我讨他们厌烦。我得认真研究别人的面部 表情才能知道我是否在招他们厌烦……
on being a bore
robert lynd
the worst bores； i sometimes think； are those who love telling people the va rious routes from one place to another。i have never been more bored in my life t han when listening to an old gentleman explaining to an old lady the several way s in which she might have come from notting hill gate to hampstead。she had compl ained of the time the journey had taken and immediately he was off on a long rig marole consisting of the number of buses and the frames of streets and stations。 he went on in a flat voice conducting her； as it seemed to me； through every str eet in west and north london。 he told her of all the various places where she mi ght have changed buses and named most of the publichouses on the way。in the en d； it seemed to me； he was boring himself as well as the rest of us； but he dare d not stop； i fancy； because he could think of nothing else to talk about。by the time he rose to go i was in a coma with words like camden high street； prince o f wales road and britannia jostling each other in my brain。
another boring form of conversation is that of the man who； when talking pol itics； trots out all the old threadbare arguments withs the air of a person usin g them for the first time。i have been a bore of this kind myself。 as a boy i was blind enough to regard mr。gladstone's proposal of home rule for ireland as bots dangerous and wicked； and； whenever i met a great friend of mine who was a home ruler； i would drag the conversation round to the great theme。i shouted the wil dest nonsense into his ear as i walked beside him in the streets； telling him wi th blazing eyes of all the good england had done to ireland and yelling all the usual musty quotations from the prehomerule gladstone and sir william harcou rt。 not once did i use an original argument； for i knew none。 i was merely an in furiated parrot； speaking out of the richest store of ignorance conceivable。 sig ns of distress on his patient face could not stop me； but one day； driven beyond endurance； he turned to me with a slight flush and said quietly：“my god； what a bore you are！〃now no one likes to be thought a bore； and it is difficult to g o on arguing with a man who tells you that you are boring him。to realize that on e is boring somebody is to become a pricked balloon。 i certainly did。 la roche foucauld tells us that “we can forgive those who bore us； but we cannot forgi ve those whom we bore；〃 yet； after the first moment of shock； i never liked my f riend the less for his candour。 since then i must have bored many people； but o utside the family circle no one has since told me that i was boring them。 i have to study the expression on their faces to know。
无知常乐
罗伯特。林德
普通人只会使用电话，却无法解释电话的工作原理。他把电话、火车、铸造排字机、飞 机都看作自然而然的事情，就像我们的祖父一代将福音书里的奇迹故事视为理所当然一样。 对于这些事，他既不产生怀疑，也不去了解。我们每个人真正下工夫去了解、弄清楚的似乎 只是很小范围内的某几件事。大多数人把日常工作以外的一切知识都当作花哨无用的东西。 然而，我们还是时时抗拒着我们的无知。我们有时振作起来，进行思索。我们信手拈来一个 什么题目，思考它，甚至入『迷』——关于死后的生命，或者关于某些据说亚里士多德也『迷』『惑』不 解的问题，例如：“打喷嚏，从中午到子夜则吉，从子夜至中午则凶，是什么原因呢。”为 求知识而陷入无知，这是人类所欣赏的最大乐事之一。归根结底，无知的极大乐趣在于提出 问题。一个人，如果丧失了这种提问的乐趣，或者把它换成了教条的答案，并且以此为乐， 那么，他的头脑已经开始僵化了。裘伊这样的勤学好问的人是我们所羡慕的，他到了六十多 岁居然还能坐下来研究生理学。我们大多数人还没到他这么大的岁数就早已不再有自己无知 的感觉了。我们甚至对自己一点浅薄的知识感到沾沾自喜，而把与日俱增的年龄看作是培养 无所不知的天然学堂。我们忘记了：苏格拉底之所以智慧名垂后世，并不是因为他无所不知 ，而是因为他在70岁高龄时还明白自己依然一无所知。
ignorance make one happy
robert lynd
the average man who uses a telephone could not explain how a telephone works 。 he takes for granted the telephone； the railway train； the linotype； the airpl ane； as our grandfathers took for granted the miracles of the gospels。 he neithe r questions nor understands them。 it is as though each of us investigated and ma de his own only a tiny circle of facts。 knowledge outside the day's work is rega rded by most men as a gewgaw。 still we are constantly in reaction against our ig norance。 we rouse ourselves at intervals and speculate。 we revel in speculations about anything at all — about life after death or about such questions as that which is said to have puzzled aristotle；“why sneezing from noon to midnight wa s good； but from night to noon unlucky。〃 one of the greatest joys known to man i s to take such a flight into ignorance in search of knowledge。 the great pleasur e of ignorance is； after all； the pleasure of asking questions。 the man who has lost this pleasure or exchanged it for the pleasure of dogma； which is the pleas ure of answering； is already beginning to stiffen。 one envies so inquisitive a m an as jewell； who sat down to the study of physiology in his sixties。 most of us have lost the sense of our ignorance long before that age。 we even become vain of our squirrel's hoard of knowledge and regard increasing age itself as a schoo l of omniscience。we forget that socrates was famed for wisdom not because he was omniscient but because he realized at the age of seventy that he still knew not hing。
盐
亨利。凡。戴克
本文节选自亨利。凡。戴克1898年6月在哈佛大学发表的著名演说《盐》。
“你们是世上的盐。”《马太福音》，5：13。
这是个平凡而且发人深省的比喻。盐可以用来调味，又可以用来清洁、防腐。盐是一种 奢侈品，像某位伟大的法国才子所称颂的那样是“头等必需品”。在人类历史刚刚开始的时 候，盐就被认为有很高的价值，并开始在山洞和海滩采集它。盛产盐的国家曾被视为富国。 在原始部落里，一袋盐比一个人还要珍贵。犹太人尤其珍视盐，因为他们居住的地方气候炎 热，很难储藏食物。此外，他们的宗教特别强调清洁，在向上帝献祭时需要用大量的盐。
当基督对他的门徒说“你们是世上的盐”时，选用了一个人们都熟悉的事物来做比喻。 他用这个比喻来说明他认为众门徒应该肩负的使命和应该发生的影响。他们到世上来就是要 净化、美化他们所生活的世界，使它免于腐败，给人们的生活以清新的、健康的气息。他们 的作用不是消极的，而是积极的。他们活动的范围是当下的生活，他们不必把盐省下来带到 天国去，那里不需要盐。盐的使命是渗入、调剂与净化尘世的事物。
……
salt
henry van dyke
“ye are the salt of the earth。” matthew 5： 13。
this figure of speech is plain and pungent。 salt is savory； purifying； prese rvative。 it is one of those superfluities which the great french wit defined as “things that are very necessary〃。 from the very beginning of human history men have set a high value upon salt and sought for it in caves and by the seashore。 the nation that had a good supply was counted rich。 a bag of salt； among the bar barous tribes； was worth more than a man。 the jews prized it especially； because they lived in a warm climate where food was difficult to keep； and because thei r religion laid particular emphasis on cleanliness； and because salt was largely used in their sacrifices。
christ chose an image which was familiar； when he said to his disciples； “y e are the salt of the earth。〃 this was his conception of their mission； their in fluence。 they were to cleanse and sweeten the world in which they lived； to keep it from decay； to give a new and more wholesome flavor to human existence。 thei r function was not to be passive； but active。 the sphere of its action was to be this present life。 there is no use in saving salt for heaven。 it will not be ne eded there。 its mission is to permeate； season； and purify things on earth…
择 友
佚名
好友胜于财富，因为财富买不到基本的品德，而正是这些基本品德使人们之间的交往成 为一件幸事。最好的朋友就是比我们更睿智、更出『色』的人，我们可以被他的智慧和美德所激 励，从而使我们的行为更加高尚。他们才智比我们更杰出，情『操』比我们更高尚，从而能使我 们在精神和道德的境界得到提高。
“观察一个人所结交的朋友，就可以知道他是什么样的人”这句话总是对的。高层次的 交友对于『性』情的培养
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