第17章那是一棵生命的常青树(3)
Aswegrowold,asortofequablejog-trotoffeelingissubstitutedfortheviolentupsanddownsofpassionanddisgust;thesameirestrainsourhopes,quietsourapprehensions;ifthepleasuresarelessiroublesaremilderaolerable;andinaword,thisperiodforwhichweareaskedtohoardupeverythingasforatimeoffamine,is,initsht,therichest,easiest,aoflife。Nay,bymanagingitsownworkandfollowingitsoiration,youthisdoidowtheleisureofage。Afull,busyyouthisyourooaself-edaage;andthemuffiablydevelopsiherearenotmanyDosohuporomanticvoyageatsixty-four。IfwewishtostBlancodowninadivingdressorupinaballoobeaboutitwhilewearestillyoung。Itwillnotdotodelayuntilwearecloggedwithprudendlimpingwithrheumatism,aoaskus:"WhatdoesGravityoutofbed?"Youthisthetimetogoflashingfromoheworldtotheotherbothinmindandbody;totrythemannersofdifferentnatiohechimesatmidnight;toseesuownandtry;tobevertedatarevival;tatethemetaphysics,writehaltingverses,ruoseeafire,andwaitalldayloretoapplaudHERNANI。
在我们渐渐变老的过程中,一种平μ而缓慢的感觉替代了强烈的爱憎沉浮;同样的感觉让我们收敛自己的希望,抚慰我们的忧惧。如果说快乐能少几分**,那么烦恼也变得更加微不足道,更能够忍受。总之,在这段时间里,我们需要储备一切,以备不时之需。在整个生命的历程中,这段时间是最丰富多彩、最闲适、最幸福的。不仅如此,通过管理自己的行为,跟随快乐的灵感而动,年轻人在竭尽全力赋予自己的时代以安逸的成分。充实、忙碌的青年时代是独立、自由的晚年生活的前奏;那些不能完成这些的人,其晚年生活不可避免是令人厌烦的。这个世界上,约翰逊博士并不多,在64岁的时候才开始他们的第一次浪漫之旅。如果我们想要丈量勃朗峰,或是穿着潜水服潜水,或是坐着热气球升天,就必须趁着年轻去做,不要等到变得谨小慎微、腿脚不便的时候才想着去做。那样的话,人们就会问我们:“怎么这么不安分?”无论是脑力还是体力上,青年时代都是周游世界的时期。去领略不同国家的人文风情;去聆听午夜的钟声;去观看城市与乡村的日出;去虔诚悔过;去统览玄学,编写牵强的诗句,跑远路去看篝火,还为了给《艾那尼》喝彩而在剧院等上一天。
及时行乐!我们慢慢变老的时候,平μ和缓慢渐渐代替了强烈的沉浮,也让我们收敛了希望。有些事,就要趁着年轻去做,不能等到变得谨小慎微、腿脚不便才想着去做。
年轻人
Youth
[古希腊]亚里士多德Aristotle
亚里士多德(前384—前322),出生于希腊北部的斯塔吉à,父亲是马其顿国王的御医。公元前367年,17岁的亚里士多德到当时希腊的文化中心雅典,进入柏à图的阿卡德米学院学习。由于他聪敏过人,深受柏à图的喜爱,成为柏à图的得意门生。他在学院一共学习了20年,直到柏à图去世。
&htheYouthfultypeofcharaerongpassioogratifythemindisately。Theyaregeableaheirdesires,whicharevioleheylast,butquicklyover:theirimpulsesarekeenbuted,andarelikesickpeople'sattagerandthirst。Theyarehot-tempered,andquick-tempered,andapttogivewayter;badtemperofteerofthem,ftotheirloveofhobearbeingslighted,andareindignantiftheyimagihemselvesunfairlytreated。Whiletheylovehonor,theylovevictorystillmore;foryouthiseagerforsuperiorityoverothers,andviofthis。Theylovebothmorethantheylovemoney,whideedtheyloveverylittle,nothaviitmeait—thisisthepointofPittancus,remarkaboutAmphiaraus。Theylookatthegoodsideratherthahavinessedmanyinstancesofwiess。Theytrustothersreadily,becausetheyhaveeed。
Theyaresaurewarmstheirbloodasthoughwithexcessofwihat,theyhaveasyetmetwithfeoiheirlivesaremaiiiioiohefuture,memorytothepast,andyouthhasalongfuturebeforeitandashortpastbehindit:odayofone'slifeohingatalltoremember,andlylookfor>
Theyareeasilycheated,owingtothesaioioempersandhopefuldispositiohemmeousthahehottemperprevehehopefuldispositioesearsolongaswearefeelingangry,aionofgoodmakesust。
Theyareshy,agtherulesofsowhichtheyhavebeentrained,abelievingiandardofhonor。Theyhaveexaltednotioheyhavebeenhumbledbylifeorlearntitsnecessarylimitatioheirhopefuldispositiohinkthemselvesequalts—andthatmeanshaviions。Theywouldalwaysratherdohanusefuloheirlivesareregulatedmorebymoralfeelingthanbyreasoning;andwhereasreasoochoosewhatisuseful,moodochoosewhatisnoble。
Theyarefoheirfriends,intimates,andpanionsthanoldermeheylikespendingtheirdaysinthepanyofothers,aetovalueeithertheirfriendselsebytheirusefulhemselves。Alltheirmistakesareiionofdoingthingsexcessivelyaheydisobey'spreceptbyeverythioomudhatetoomudthesamethihihinktheykhing,andarealwaysquitesureaboutit;this,infact,iswhytheyoverd。。。Theyarereadytopityothers,becausetheythinkeveryoman,orahaheyjudgetheirneighborbytheirowures,andsootthiobetreatedinthatway。Theyarefondoffunay,witbeingwell-bredinsolence。