世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第4章
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of books。”
a good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life co uld think out； for the world of a man's life is； for the most part； but the worl d of his thoughts。 thus the best books are treasuries of good words； the golden thoughts； which； remembered and cherished； become our constant companions and co mforters。 “they are never alone；” said sir philip sidney；“that are acomcpanie d by noble thoughts。”
the good and true thought may in times of temptation be as an angel of mercy purifying and guarding the soul。 it also enshrines the germs of action； for goo d words almost always inspire to good works。
books possess an essence of immortality。 they are by far the most lasting pr oducts of human effort。 temples and statues decay； but books survive。 time is of no acomount with great thoughts； which are as fresh today as when they first pas sed through their author's minds； ages ago。 what was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page。 the only effect of time has been to sift out the bad products； for nothing in literature can long surviv e but what is really good。
books introduce us into the best society they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived。 we hear what they said and did； we see them as if they were really alive； we sympathize with them； enjoy with them； gri eve with them； their experience becomes ours； and we feel as if we were in a mea sure actors with them in the scenes which they describe。
the great and good do not die even in this world。 embalmed in books； their s pirits walk abroad。 the book is a living voice。 it is an intellect to which one still listens。 hence we ever remain under the influence of the great men of old。 the imperial intellects of the world are as much alive now as they were ages ag o。
谈读书
弗吉尼亚。伍尔芙
弗吉尼亚。伍尔芙（1882—1941），现代著名意识流小说家。她出生于伦敦，从小博览 群书，曾和兄妹们居住在伦敦的布卢姆斯伯里，形成一个影响广泛的文人圈子。她的主要作 品有小说《奥兰多》、《去灯塔》、《戴洛威夫人》、《海浪》，散文集《一间自己的屋子 》等。
既然书籍有不同的种类，如小说、传记、诗歌等，我们就应该把它们区分开来，并从每 种中汲取应当对我们有用的成分。然而，很少有人能从书籍中获得书籍所提供的有用价值。 通常我们总是心不在焉；毫无目的地去看书：要求小说情节真实，要求诗歌内容虚构，要求 传记阿谀奉承，要求历史能加深自己的偏见。如果我们读书时能抛弃这些偏见，那将是一个 令人羡慕的开端。我们无须盲从作者，而应站在作者的立场上，把自己当成作者的创作伙伴 。假如一开始你就退缩不前，持保留甚至批判的态度；就会妨碍自己从阅读中得到最大的益 处。然而，如果你能尽量敞开思想，那么，从开头几句迂回曲折的话里；可以发现那些几乎 难以觉察的迹象和暗示，然后会把你引到一个与众不同的人物的面前去。是自己深入进去； 进一步体味作者的用心；很快就会领悟作者正在给你或试图给你某些更为明确的东西。倘若 我们首先考虑怎样读小说，那么，一部小说中的32章就是企图创造出像一座建筑物那样既有 形式又能控制的东西，不过词句要比砖块难以捉『摸』，阅读要比看更费时、更复杂。也许理解 小说家创作要素的捷径并不是读，而是写作，亲自去尝试写作的艰难。那么，回想一下给你 留下鲜明印象的事项——比如，你走过大街拐角碰见两个人说话时的情景；树在摇曳、灯光 在晃动，谈话的语气时喜时悲，这一瞬间就是一个完整的画面，一个整体的构思。
about reading books
virginia woolf
it is simple enough to say that since books have classesfiction； biography ； poetry — we should separate them and take from each what is right that each s hould give us。 yet few people ask from books what books can give us。 most common ly we come to books with blurred and divided minds； asking of fiction that it sh all be true； of poetry that it shall be false； of biography that it shall be fla ttering； of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices。 if we could banish all such preconceptions when we read； that would be an admirable beginning。 do not dictate to your author； try to become him。be his fellowworker and acomcpli ce。 if you hang back； and reserve； and criticize at first； you are preventing yo urself from getting the fullest possible value from what you read。 but if you op en your mind as widely as possible； then signs and hints of almost imperceptible fineness； from the twist； and turn of the first sentences； will bring you into the presence of a human being unlike any other。 steep yourself in this； acquaint yourself with this； and soon you will find that your author is giving you； or a ttempting to give you； something far more definite。 the thirtytwo chapters of a novel — if we consider how to read a novel first — are an attempt to make so mething as formed and controlled as a building： but words are more impalpable th an bricks； reading is a longer and more complicated process than seeing。 perhaps the quickest way to understand the elements of what a novelist is doing is not to read； but to write； to make your own experiment with the dangers and difficul ties of words。 recall； then； some event that has left a distinct impression on y ou — how at the corner of the street； perhaps； you passed two people talking； a tree shook； an electric light danced； the tone of the talk was comic； but also tragic； a whole vision； an entire conception； seemed contained in that moment。
真理是为一切人而设的
罗宾德拉纳德。泰戈尔
罗宾德拉纳德。泰戈尔（1861—1941），享誉世界的印度诗人、小说家、哲学家，1913 年以诗作《吉檀迦利》获诺贝尔文学奖，是第一位获得该荣誉的亚洲人。
有一些很骄傲、明智、实际的人们，他们说，宽厚并不是人类的本『性』，人们将永远互相 争斗，强者将会征服弱者，人类的文明不可能有真实的道德基础。我们不能否认他们所说的 强者在人类世界上具有权势这个事实，但是我拒绝把这种说法当作真理的启示而加以接受… …
我们应该知道，真理——人类所获得的任何真理——是为一切人而设的。金钱和财产属 于个人，属于你们当中的每一个人，但是你们绝对不能利用真理来增长你们个人的财富和权 势，因为那样做就等于出卖上帝的恩泽，借以牟利。可是科学也是真理，它适当的职责在于 救治病人，并为人类生活提供更多的食物与闲暇。如果它帮助强者去压迫弱者，去掠夺那些 在沉睡中的人们，它就是在利用真理去达成不虔敬的目的。那些以这种方式亵渎神圣的人们 定会遭到报应和惩罚，因为他们的武器将会被用来对付他们自己。
truth is for everyone
rabindranath tagore
there are some people； who are proud and wise and practical； who say that it is not in human nature to be generous； that men will always fight one another； that the strong will conquer the weak； and that there can be no real moral found ation for man's civilization。 we cannot deny the facts of their assertion that t he strong have power in the human world； but i refuse to acomept this as a revela tion of truth…
we should know that truth； any truth that man acquires； is for everyone。 mon ey and property belong to individuals； to each of you； but you must never exploi t truth for your personal aggrandizement； that would be selling god's blessing f or a profit。 however； science is also truth； it has its place in the healing of the sick； and in giving more food and leisure for life。 when it helps the strong crush the weak； and rob those who are asleep； it is using truth for impious end s。 those who are thus sacrilegious will suffer and be punished； for their own we apons will be turned against them。
知识与美德
约翰。亨利。纽曼
约翰。亨利。纽曼（1801—1890），英国诗人、小说家、宗教思想家。主要著作有《为自 己的一生辩护》、《说教集》等。本文选自他的另一部重要著作《论大学》。
知识是一回事，美德则是另外一回事。好意不是良心，优雅不是谦让，广博与公正的观 点也不是信仰。无论多么富有启迪或高深莫测的哲学，都无法左右感情，都不具备有影响力 的动机，都不具有导致生动活泼的原理。文科教育并非为了造就基督教徒或者天主教徒，而 是为了造就绅士。造就一个绅士是件美好的事，有教养的才智，优雅的情趣，正直、公正而 冷静的头脑，高贵而彬彬有礼的举止——这些是与渊博的学识生来固有的品质，也正是大学 教育的目的。我倡导它们，并加以阐释和坚持。不过我要说的是，它们仍然不能确保圣洁， 或甚不能保证诚实。它们可以附庸于世故的俗人，附庸于玩世不恭的浪子。唉，当他们用它 伪装起来时，就更增加了他们外表上的冷静、快活和魅力。就其本身而言，它们似乎已经面 目全非，它们已成为一种只可远观的美德，只有经过长久的观察方可探知真相。因此它们受 到广泛的责难，被指责为虚假、伪善。我想强调的是，这绝不是因为它们自身有什么过错， 而是因为教授及其崇拜者们一味地把它们弄得面目全非，而且还殷勤地献上其本身并未要求 的赞扬。如果说用剃刀能开采花岗岩，用丝线能系住船只，那么你就可以希望能用人的知识 和理『性』这样美妙而优雅的东西去同人类的情感与高傲那样的庞然大物进行抗争。
knowledge and virtue
j。 h。 newman
knowledge is one thing； virtue is another； good sense is not conscience； ref inement is not humility； nor is largeness and justness of view faith。 philosophy ； however enlightened； however profound； gives no command over the passions； no influential motives； no vivifying principles。 liberal education makes not the ch ristian； not the catholic； but the gentleman。 it is well to be a gentleman； it i s well to have a cultivated intellect； a delicate taste； a candid； equitable； di spassionate mind； a noble and courteous bearing in the conduct of life — these are the connatural qualities of a large knowledge； they are the objects of a uni versity； i am advocating； i shall illustrate and insist upon them； but still； i repeat； they are no guarantee for sanctity or even for conscientiousness； they m ay attach to the man of the world； to the profligate； to the heartless； pleasant ； alas； and attractive as he shows when decked； out in them。 taken by themselves ； they do but seem to be what they are not； they look like virtue at a distance； but they are detected by close observers； and on the long run； and hence it is that they are popularly acomused of pretense and hypocrisy； not； i repeat； from t heir own fault； but because their professors and their admirers persist in takin g them for what they are not； and are officious in arrogating for them a praise to which they have no claim。 quarry the granite rock with razors； or moor the ve ssel with a thread of silk； then may you hope with such keen and delicate instru ments as human knowledge and human reason to contend against those giants； the p assion and the pride of man。
风 格
瓦尔特。罗利
瓦尔特。罗利（1861—1922）近代英国文学批评家、作家，曾就读于伦敦大学与剑桥皇 家学院，�
