第26章快乐不必认真(1)
&angThingsBadly
&hesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle。
1。enhan'hɑ:ns]v。提高,增加,加强
2。fallacy['f?l?si:]n。谬误;谬见;谬论
3。proverbial[pr?'v?:bi?l]adj。谚语的,闻名的,谚语式的
&e[li'd?itimit]adj。合法的,婚生的,正当的
5。ptible[k??b?l]adj。可鄙的
6。prevalence['prev?l?nt]n。流行,盛行;流行程度;普遍,广泛
7。vainglorious[ve?n?gl?:ri:?s]adj。虚荣的
8。inferior[in'fi?ri?]adj。下等的;差的;下级的
9。disposition[,disp?'zi??n]n。性情,处理,处置
10。hesitatioe???n]n。踌躇,犹豫;口吃;含糊
I。A。WilliamswasblaedatCambridge。AfterWorldWarIheservedasadeimes。Williamswroteseveralbooksourypoetryanddrama,publishedwidelyinjournalsandmagazines,andpublishedsofhisowhefollowiappearedinLolookin1923。
&hegreatestthreattoprodubothlayisthefearofdoingthingsbadly。Thisartiefort。ointsoutthattherearemanythingswbadly,andthatourlivesareenridourpersonalitieseheseactivities。Tles,sportsandmusic,arevaluabletomostpeopleinproportioicallytheydothem,ratherthanhowwell。
CharlesLambwroteaseriesofessaysuponpopularfallacies。Idonot,atthemoment,carrythemverymymemory;but,ureacherousservantmisleadsmemoreeventhansheusuallydoes,hedidnotwriteofonepieceofproverbialso-calledwisdomthathasalwaysseemedtometobepeculiarlypernidthissaw,thisscrapofspeciousadvice,thisuntruthmasqueradingaslogiethatIremembertohavehadhurledatmyheadatfrequentintervalsfrommyearliestyhtuptomypresentadvancedage。HowmanytimeshaveIhat“Ifathingiswatall,itiswwell”?
&hereamoreuntruthfulwordspokeheworldisfullofthingsthatarew,butlynwell。WasitasageasHerbertSpencerwhosaidtotheyoungmanwhohadjustbeatenhimatbilliards,“Moderateskill,sir,isthesignofagoodeyeandasteadyhand,butskillsuchasyuesayouthmisspent?”Isahplayingsupremelyristantpradappli?
AgainsttheprofessionalplayerIsaynothing;heisapublitertaiher,andbyhisskillinhisparticularsportheatleastfulfillsthefirstsocialdutyofman—thathimselfandhisfamilybyhisoweexertions。Butwhatistobesaidofthecrackamateur?Tomeheseemsoptibleofmankind。Heeardevoteshimself,forthemereselfishpleasureofthething,tosomegame,whichheplaysdayindayout;hebreaksdowarydistiheamateurandtheprofessiouallyhisskilldesertshim,andheleavesbehindhimnothingthatisofservicetohisfellowmen—notabrihed,en,notevenafamilysupportedaedbyhislabor。
Itistruethathehasprovidedeforaumberofpersons,buthehashepluithimselftothetestbywhichwedemaertainershouldjustifyhischoiceofag—thedemonstratiohatthepubliciswillingtopayhimforhise。And,whenhisdayisover,whatisleft,heworld,buttohimself?Nothingbutaisatotten,orisrememberedbystoutgentlemeninclubs。
Theplayiainly,isathingwhiwell。Butthatdoesisnatall,astheproverbwould,byimpli,persuadeus。Thereisnreeableandsalutarythanplayingagamewhielikes,aangitbadlyihepleasureofeeofahemanwhomihewinsissman—whichobservatioheruleitimpliesisseldomobserved,andparativelyfewpeoplereallyplaygamesforthesheereheplaying。Isthisheprevalendpopularityofhandicaps?Whyshouldweexpecttobegivenpoibethatiherthanourownskill?