一个人能走多远，要看他有谁同行；一个人有多优秀，要看他有谁指点；一个人有多成功，要看他有谁相伴。
Benjamin Franklin to His Sister
(Mrs.Jane Mecom) 本杰明·富兰克林致姐姐
（简·梅科姆太太）
London,September16,1758
Dear Sister,
I received your favor of June 17.I wonder you have had no letter from me since my being in England.I have written you at least two,and I think a third before this,and what was next to waiting on you in person,sent you my picture.In June last I sent Benny a trunk of books,and wrote to him;I hope they have come to hand,and that he meets with encouragement in his business.I congratulate you on the conquest of Cape Breton,and hope as your people took it by praying,the first time,you will now pray that it may never be given up again,which you then forgot.Billy is well,but in the country.I left him at Tunbridge Wells,where we spent a fortnight,and he is now gone with some company to see Portsmouth.We have been together over a great part of England this summer and among other places,visited the town our father was born in,and found some relations in that part of the country still living.
Our cousin Jane Franklin,daughter of our uncle John,died about a year ago.We saw her husband,Robert Page,who gave us some old letters to his wife,from Uncle Benjamin.In one of them,dated Boston,July 4,1723,he writes that your uncle Josiah has a daughter Jane,about twelve years old,a good-humored child.So keep up to your character,and don't be angry when you have no letters.In a little book he sent her,called"None but Christ,"he wrote an acrostick on her name,which for namesake's sake,as well as the good advice it contains,I transcribe and send you.
"Illuminated from on high,
And shining brightly in your sphere.
Ne'er faint,but keep a steady eye,
Expecting endless pleasures there."
"Flee vice as you'd a serpent flee;
Raise faith and hope three stories higher,
And let Christ's endless love to thee
Ne'er cease to make thy love aspire.
Kindness of heart by words express,
Let your obedience be sincere,
In prayer and praise you God address,
Nor cease,till he can cease to hear."
After professing truly that I had a great esteem and veneration for the pious author,permit me a little to play the commentator and critic on these lines.The meaning of three stories higher seems somewhat obscure.You are to understand,then,that faith,hope,and charity have been called the three steps of Jacob's ladder,reaching from earth to heaven;our author calls them stories,likening religion to a building,and these are the three stories of the Christian edifice.Thus improvement in religion is called building up and edification.Faith is then the ground floor,hope is up one pair of stairs.My dear beloved Jenny,don't delight so much to dwell in those lower rooms,but get as fast as you can into the garret,for in truth the best room in the house is charity.For my part,I wish the house was turned upside down;"tis so difficult(when one is fat)to go upstairs;and not only so,but I imagine hope and faith may be more firmly built upon charity,than charity upon faith and hope.However that may be,I think it the better reading to say—
"Raise faith and hope one story higher."
Correct it boldly,and I'll support the alteration;for,when you are up two stories already,if you raise your building three stories higher you will make five in all,which is two more than there should be,you expose your upper rooms more to the winds and storms.And,besides,I am afraid the foundation will hardly bear them,unless indeed you build with such light stuff as straw and stubble,and that,you know,won't stand fire.Again,where the author says,
"Kindness of heart by words express,"
Strike out words,and put in deeds.The world is too full of compliments already.They are the rank growth of every soil,and choke the good plants of benevolence,and beneficence;nor do I pretend to be the first in this comparison of words and actions to plants;you may remember an ancient poet,whose works we have all studied and copied at school long ago.
"A man of words and not of deeds
Is like a garden full of weeds."
It is a pity that good works,among some sorts of people,are so little valued,and good words admired in their stead:I mean seemingly pious discourses,instead of humane benevolent actions.Those they almost put out of countenance,by calling morality rotten morality,righteousness ragged righteousness,and even filthy rags—and when you mention virtue,pucker up their noses as if they smelt a stink;at the same time that they eagerly snuff up an empty canting harangue,as if it was a pose of the choicest flowers.So they have inverted the good old verse,and say now
"A man of deeds and not of words
Is like a garden full of—"
I have forgot the rhyme,but remember"tis something the very reverse of perfume.So much by way of commentary.
My wife will let you see my letter,containing an account of our travels,which I would have you read to sister Dowse,and give my love to her.I have no thoughts of returning till next year,and then may possibly have the pleasure of seeing you and yours.Taking Boston in my way home.My love to brother and all your children,concludes at this time from,dear Jenny,your affectionate brother.
B.FRANKLIN
亲爱的姐姐：我已收到你6月17日的来信。我怀疑自我到英格兰后，你再也没有收到我的任何信。但是我至少给你写过两封，而且在这封信之前还有第三封，在等待你本人的期间，紧接着我又给你寄去了我的照片。最近的，6月份我还给本尼寄去了一箱书，也给他写了一封信；我希望他悉数收到，并希望他工作中受到鼓励。祝贺你征服了布里敦角，希望正如你的人民第一次通过祈祷得到了它一样，现在你们将祈祷它永远不会再次被丢弃，那时你们已将它忘记。比利很好，现在住在乡下。我把他留在了膝布里奇韦尔斯，我们在那呆了两周，现在他又与别人结伴去参观朴次茅斯了。这个夏天，我们一起游览了英格兰的大部分地区，其中，我们还参观了我们的父亲出生的小镇，并找到了一些在那个地区仍然健在的亲戚们。我们的堂妹简·富兰克林，约翰叔叔的女儿，一年前去世了。我们见到了她的丈夫罗伯特·佩奇，他给了我们一些本杰明叔叔写给他妻子的旧信。在其中一封1723年7月4日写于波土顿的信中，他写到你们的叔叔乔赛亚有一个女儿名叫简，大约12岁，是一个脾气很好的孩子。因此请你保持这种性格，没有收到信也不要生气。在叔叔送给她的一本书名为《独一无二的耶稣》的薄书里，他以她的名义写了一首离合体诗。现在我把它抄写下来并寄给你，不仅因为你与她同名的缘故，而且因为其中包含的忠告。“高高地照亮着，在你的领地上闪闪发亮。不要眩晕，只要保持坚定的目光，期待那里无尽的欢乐。”“邪恶逃走了，就如同你驱走了恶魔；把信仰和希望再提高三层楼，让耶稣赐予你无尽的爱从不停止你对爱的渴望。去用语言表达心灵美，让你的顺从成为一种真诚，在祈祷中，赞美上帝的话语，不要停止，直到上帝停止聆听。”坦诚地说，我对虔诚的作者怀着无限的尊重和敬佩，请允许我给这几行诗做一点注释和评论。“再提高三层楼”，其意似乎有点模糊不清。不过，你知道人们一直把忠诚、希望和慈悲称作雅各布天梯的三级台阶，从地球通往天堂；我们的作者把宗教比喻成楼房，于是把三级台阶称之为三层楼，而忠诚、希望和慈悲就是基督教圣殿的三层楼。因此宗教的升华就是渐进和顿悟。忠诚便是第一层，希望是第二层。我亲爱的詹妮，不要太高兴于停留在那些低楼层的房间里，而要尽你所能地迅速到达顶楼，因为事实上房子里最好的房间是慈悲。在我看来，我倒希望整个房子完全倒置过来，因为上楼梯太难了（当一个人太胖时），不仅如此，我想象着希望与忠诚建立在慈悲之上较之于慈悲建立在忠诚与希望之上会更牢固。无论怎样，我想这样说妥当一些——“把忠诚与希望提高一层。”大胆地改正它，而且我会支持这个修改的；因为当你已上了两层楼时，如果你把你的楼房增高三层，总共就造了五层，比应该有的多了两层，这样上面的房间则更多地暴露于风雨之中；除此之外，恐怕地基也难以承受，除非你真的是用那些很轻的材料诸如稻草和头发去建造，但你知道那是经不住考验的。另外，作者说，“用语言表达心灵美，”删去“语言”一词，换上“行为”。这个世界已经充满了太多恭维，这些恭维在每一块土地上犹如杂草丛生，从而抑制了慈善和德行这样的好植物的生长。我并没有自命是第一个把言语和行为比作植物的人；你或许记得一位古代诗人，很久以前在学校里，我们都读过并抄录过他的作品。“一个只说不做的人就像是长满杂草的花园。”很遗憾，一些慈善行为在某些人群中是如此没有价值，相反一些华丽辞藻却受到了他们的赞美：我指的是那些貌似虔诚的演讲，而不是人类的仁慈行为。几乎令人局促不安的是，那些人称道德为腐败的道德，正直为褴褛的正直，甚至是充满了污秽的褴褛——而一提到美德，他们就好像嗅到了一股臭味似的，皱起他们的鼻子；与此同时，他们渴望地嗅着伪善的高谈阔论，仿佛那是一束最好的花环。因此，他们把好的古诗前后颠倒，改写成：“一个只做而不说的人就像是花园长满了——”我已忘记那句尾的韵脚，但记得那绝对不是什么好话。评述就这么多。我妻子会给你看我的信，里面包含了我们旅行的记叙，希望你把信读给道斯妹妹听，代我向她问好。我想明年才回来，那时可能有幸见到你和你们一家。我在返家途中将取道波士顿。向哥哥和你的所有的孩子问好。亲爱的詹妮，我就此搁笔，爱你的弟弟。
本·富兰克林
1758年9月16日写于伦敦
名人小课堂
本杰明·富兰克林（Benjamin Franklin,1706～1790年）美国著名的政治家、社会活动家、科学家、发明家。他出生于波士顿一个工人家庭，由于家境贫寒，只上了两年学就辍学当了学徒，12岁时到他大哥的印刷所里当学徒，长期从事印刷工作，同时刻苦自学。他曾化名投稿，报纸编辑以为文章“出自名家手笔”。作为政治家，在美国和世界历史上，他与许多重要事件有关。他在北美独立战争中起了重大作用，是美国的创建人之一，参与起草了《独立宣言》和美国宪法。
Thomas Jefferson to His Nephew 托马斯·杰弗逊致侄儿
Paris,August10,1787
Dear Peter,—I have received your two letters of December the 30th and April the 18th,and am very happy to find by them,as well as by letters from Mr.Wythe,that you have been so fortunate as to attract his notice and good will;I am sure you will find this to have been one of the most fortunate events of your life,as I have ever been sensible it was of mine.I enclose you a sketch reading,which submit to his correction.Many of these are among your father's books,which you should have brought to you.As I do not recollect those of them not in his library,you must write to me for them,making out a catalogue of such as you think you shall have occasion for,in eighteen months from the date of your letter,and consulting Mr.Wythe on the subject to this sketch.I will add a few particular observations:
Italian.I fear that learning this language will confound you French and Spanish.Being all of them degenerated dialects of the Latin,they are apt to mix in conversation.I have never seen a person speaking the three languages,who did not mix them.It is a delightful language,but late events having rendered the Spanish more useful,lay it aside to prosecute that.
Moral Philosophy.I think it lost time to attend lectures on this branch.He who made us would have been a pitiful bungler,if he had made the rules of our moral conduct a matter of science.For one man of science,there are thousands who are not.What would have become of them?Man was destined for society.His morality,therefore,was to be formed to this object.He was endowed with a sense of right and wrong,merely relative to this.This sense is as much a part of his nature,as the sense of hearing,seeing,feeling;It is the true foundation of morality,and not the tokaol,truth,etc.,as fanciful writers have imagined.The moral sense,or conscience,is as much a part of man as his leg or arm.It is given to all human beings in a stronger or weaker degree,as force of members is given them in a greater or less degree.It may be strengthened by exercise,as may any particular limb of the body.This sense is submitted,indeed,in some degree,to the guidance of reason;but it is a small stock which is required for this even a less one than what we call common sense.State a moral case to a plowman and a professor.The former will decide it as well and often better than the latter,because he has not been led astray by artificial rules.In this branch,therefore,read good books,because they will encourage,as well as direct your feelings.The writings of Sterne,particularly,form the best course of morality that ever was written.Besides these,read the books mentioned in the enclosed paper,and,above all things,lose no occasion of exercising your dispositions to be grateful,to be generous,to be charitable,to be humane,to be true,just,firm,orderly,courageous,etc..Consider every act of this kind,as an exercise which will strengthen your moral faculties and increase your worth.
Traveling.This makes men wiser,but less happy.When men of sober age travel,they gather knowledge,which they may apply usefully for their country;but they are subject ever after to recollections mixed with regret;their affections are weakened by being extended over more objects;and they learn new habits which cannot be gratified when they return home.Young men,who travel,are exposed to all these inconveniences in a higher degree,to others still more serious,and do not acquire that wisdom for which a previous foundation is requisite by repeated and just observations at home.The glare of pomp and pleasure is analogous to the motion of the blood;it absorbs all their affection and attention,they are torn from it as from the only good in this world,and return to their home as to a place of exile and condemnation.Their eyes are forever turned back to the object they have lost,and its recollection poisons the residue of their lives.Their first and most delicate passions are hackneyed on unworthy objects here,and they carry home the dregs,insufficient to make themselves or anybody else happy.Add to this,that a habit of idleness,an inability to apply themselves to business is acquired,and renders them useless to themselves and their country.These observations are founded in experience.There is no place where your pursuit of knowledge will be so little obstructed by foreign objects,as in your own country,nor any,wherein the virtues of the heart will be less exposed to be weakened.Be good,be learned,and be industrious,and you will not want the aid of traveling,to render you precious to your country,dear to your friends,happy within yourself.I repeat my advice,to take a great deal of exercise,and on foot.Health is the first requisite after morality.Write to me often,and be assured of the interest I take in your success,as well as the warmth of those sentiments of attachment with which I am,dear Peter,your affectionate friend.
亲爱的彼得：你写于12月30日和4月18日的两封来信我已收到。从你的两封信件以及威思先生来信的内容中得知，你已经很幸运地引起了威思先生的注意并获得了他的好感，对此我表示非常高兴。我相信你会发现这将是你生活中最幸运的事情之一，正如我曾经一直意识到的一样，那也是我的最幸运的事情。在此，我附上一份概要读本，并将此提交给威思先生进行修正。其中许多书都在你父亲的藏书中，你应该都已随身带去。由于我已想不起来具体哪些书是你父亲的书房中没有的，所以你一定要将你认为从你写信的那天起至今后的18个月内有机会接触到的所有的书列一个清单出来，然后就此清单内容详细地咨询威思先生，确定好后写信告诉我。关于这个概要，我还要特别地补充几点个人看法：意大利语。我担心学习意大利语会使你把法语和西班牙语与之混淆不清。毕竟这几种语言都是由拉丁语退化衍生出来的方言，所以在会话的应用中它们是比较容易混淆的。我还从未见过一个人同时说这三种语言而没将它们混淆的。意大利语是一门令人愉快的语言，但是近期发生的事件说明西班牙语更为实用，所以你还是先将这个事情搁置一边吧。道德哲学。我认为听这门课的讲座纯属浪费时间。假如有人把我们的道德行为准则定为一门科学，并要求我们去听课，那么那个人一定是一个可怜的蠢蛋。对于一个科学家来说，世上会有成千上万的人不是。他们将会是怎样的呢？人是具有社会属性的人，因此，人的道德也是在社会中形成的。人与生俱来拥有与此相关的判断是非的能力，这种能力就像听、说、感觉等一样是人类本能的一部分；它是道德真正的基础，而不是如那些富于幻想的作家所想象的那样是美、真等的基础。道德观念，或者说良心，就像一个人的腿或胳膊一样，是他身体的一部分。人类被赋予的道德观念程度不一样，有强也有弱，就好像人类被赋予的力量也有大有小一样。道德观念就像身体的任何一个肢体一样，可以通过锻炼来得到加强。在某种程度上，道德观念实际上的确服从于推理的向导，但服从于推理向导的道德观念只是很小的一部分，甚至比我们的常识还要少。向一个农民和一个教授讲述一宗道德案件，两者都会做出判断，而且前者还经常比后者判定得要好，因为他没有被人为制定的清规戒律引入歧途。因此，在道德哲学这一学科，你要做的就是多读好书，因为它们不但能鼓励你，而且能引导你的感觉，尤其是斯特恩的书，它们是已有的道德教科书中最好的教程。除此以外，还要读我在附件中提到的那些书；最重要的是，不可错失任何一个可以陶冶情操的机会，待人方面要做到：永怀感恩之心、宽宏大度、友善仁慈；处事方面要做到：尊重事实、公正合理、坚定有条理、勇敢等等。把这其中的每一个方面的实践活动都看作是一个可以增强你的道德观念以及提升自我价值的锻炼。旅游。旅游使人越来越聪明，但人们从中得到的快乐却越来越少。不惑之年的中年人旅游，可以获取知识，并可能运用这些知识为他们的国家服务。但是过后，他们却摆脱不了夹杂着遗憾的回忆之苦；他们的情感会因投入到过多的事物上而减弱；他们还可以学到一些新习惯，但当返回到自己的祖国时，却对那些新习惯并不感到欣慰。豆蔻年华的年轻人旅游，更容易遭遇到所有的这些麻烦以及其他更为严重的问题。他们不具备足够的见识，因为这些见识的形成需要有一定的基础，而这个基础只有通过在家里通过反复和客观的观察才能建立。浮华和快乐的光芒就好比血液的运动。它吸引了他们所有的情感和关注，要从中抽身分离，就像是要与世上唯一的好东西分开一样；当他们返回家乡时，就好像回到了一个流放和服刑之地。他们的眼睛永远盯在他们已经失去的东西上面，其回忆毒害了他们的余生。他们最最重要的激情在这里被毫无价值的事物消耗殆尽，他们把糟粕带回家，到头来既没让自己开心，还惹得别人不高兴。此外，他们养成了懒散的习气，丧失了干事业的能力，这使得他们既无助于自己，也无助于国家。这些观察到的现象在过去的一些经验中可以被发现。在这个世界上，当你追求学习知识的时候，在哪都不如在自己的国家那样极少受到外物的阻碍；在哪都不如在自己的国家那样对自己的心灵的美德产生极弱的影响。做人要有教养，要有学问，要勤奋，那样你将不再需要通过旅游的帮助来使自己变得于国家宝贵，于朋友亲切，于自我快乐。我重申我的忠告，多运动，多步行。健康是继德行之后，人类最必不可少的东西。记得常给我写信，并请确信我对你的成功总是充满兴趣、对其所附属的那些情感总是充满着热情。
亲爱的彼得，你挚爱的朋友。
1787年8月10日写于巴黎
名人小课堂
托马斯·杰斐逊(Thomas Jefferson,1743～1826年)美国政治家、思想家、哲学家、科学家、教育家，第三任美国总统。他是美国独立战争期间的主要领导人之一，《独立宣言》的主要起草人。他在任期间，向法国购买了路易斯安那州，使美国领土近乎增加了一倍。他被普遍视为美国历史上最杰出的总统之一，同华盛顿、林肯和罗斯福齐名。
Margaret Fuller to Her Brother
(Arthur B.Fuller) 玛格丽特·富勒致弟弟
（阿瑟·B·富勒）
Jamaica Plain
20th,December 1840
It is not,my dear Arthur,because I"have so little to say to you"that my letters are short,but because bad health and many engagements oblige me to such economy of time.You know,too,that writing is of all occupations,the very worst for my malady,and as I must do a great deal at any rate I abstain always when I can.Bear this in mind,and don't measure my interest in your pursuits,or affection for yourself by the number or length of my letters.
I continue to manage very well.The fatted pig is killed,and was found in good order'not—withstanding your and Richard's evil omens from the character of our prodigal son here.We banquet on pork rather more constantly than is agreeable to a"true believer"like myself.
My other life continues its usual course.I have been to hear the Sonnambula,but with scarce more satisfaction than our fastidious Richard derived from his concert,of which,I suppose,he has given you an account.
The news of Ellen's illness was sad to me both on her account and Mother's over whose visit a cloud is cast at once.Mr.Keats's letter to me was kind and clear.She will have,I am sure,all the attention and wise counsel she needs.The fever was gone and only a rheumatic affection remained of which the physician thought she would soon be free.I shall hope very soon to hear again.
About your school I do not think I can give you much advice which would be of value unless I knew your position more in detail.The important rule is,as in all relations with our fellow creatures,never forget that,if they are imperfect persons,they are immortal souls,and treat them as you would wish to be treated by the light of that though.
As to the application of means—Abstain from punishment as much as possible and use encouragement as far as you can without flattery.But be even more careful as to strict truth in this regard towards children than to persons of your own age.For to the child the parent or teacher is the representative of Justice,and as that of life is severe,an education which in any degree,excites vanity is the very worst preparation for that general and crowded school.
I doubt not you will teach grammar well,as I saw you aimed at principles in your practice—In geography,try to make pictures of the scenes,that they may be present to their imagination,and the nobler faculties be brought into action as well as memory—In history study and try to paint the characters of great men;they best interpret the leadings of events amid the nations.
I am pleased with your way of speaking of both people and pupils,your view seems from the right point,yet beware of over great pleasure in being popular or even beloved.As far as an amiable disposition and powers of entertainment make you so,it is a happiness,but is there one grain of plausibility,it is poison.—But I will not play Mentor much,lest I make you averse to write to your very affectionate sister.
Margaret
我亲爱的亚瑟：并不是因为我“对你无话可说”，我的信才那么短，而是因为我糟糕的健康状况以及繁多的事务迫使我不得不节约时间。你也知道，在我所有的工作中，写作对我的病是最为不利的。而且，因为我无论如何都得做许多事，所以我就尽量避免去做我可以避免的事。你要记住这一点，不要用我的信的多少和长短去衡量我对你的追求的兴趣、或对你的感情。我一切仍然安排得很好。长膘的猪已经杀了，一切都有条不紊，也并没有因我们在这扮演了忏悔的罪人而应验了你和理查德所预示的凶兆。我们经常举办猪肉宴会，而这对像我这样的“忠实信徒”来说是不相符的。我生活的其他方面一如既往。我曾去听过《梦游女》，但我对这场音乐会的满意度并不比我们爱挑剔的理查德对他所听的音乐会的满意度好多少。我估计，他给你描述过那场音乐会。埃伦生病的消息让我感到很难过，既因为她的缘故，也因为母亲的缘故，因为母亲看过她之后，立即心情乌云密布。济慈先生给我的来信既亲切又明了。我肯定她将得到她所需要的一切关心和明智的忠告。她已经退烧，只是风湿病后遗症还没有治好，医生原本说她会很快康复的。我希望尽快听到她的消息。对于你的教学，我无法给你多少有价值的建议，除非我对你的现状有更加详细的了解。与我们人类相关的重要原则是，永远不要忘记，即使人们不完美，他们也是不朽的灵魂。有鉴于此，你若希望别人如何对待你，你就应该如何去对待别人。至于使用什么方法——尽量避免使用惩罚，尽可能使用鼓励的方式，但不要奉承他们。对孩子要比对你的同龄人更加注意坚持真理。因为对孩子来说，父母或老师就是公正的代表；而且，因为生活是艰辛的，所以任何层次的教育若引起孩子的虚荣心理，那对于普通的众多学校来说是极其糟糕的。我毫不怀疑你能教好语法，因为我看到你在实习时重点针对语法规则。在地理课中，尽量制作些场景图片，这可供他们想象，并把这种较好的视觉官能带入行为和记忆之中。在历史课中，尝试描绘出伟人们的性格；它们最能说明这些人在各国的重大事件中所起的领导作用。我很喜欢你谈论他人和学生的方式，你貌似从正确的角度发表观点，但是你要谨防因受欢迎甚至被人爱戴而过分沾沾自喜。至于你的和蔼可亲的性情和快乐的性格使你如此，这是一种幸福，但你略有点儿花言巧语，这是有害的。但我不多跟你说教了，以免使你不乐意给你亲爱的姐姐写信了。
玛格丽特
1840年12月20日写于牙买加平原
名人小课堂
玛格丽特·富勒（Margaret Fuller,1810～1850年）美国作家、评论家、社会改革家、早期女权运动领袖。她出生在马萨诸塞州的坎布里奇港，从小受父亲的教育影响。她是新英格兰先验论派的著名成员，1840～1842年，即杂志发行的前两年，她负责先验论杂志《日晷》（The Dial）的编辑工作。
Virgil Thomson to His Sister
(Ruby Gleason) 弗吉尔·汤姆森致姐姐
（鲁比·格利森）
Cambridge
August 26,1920
Dear Sister,
The news of the stork's visit is the most excitement I have had yet.It is exactly what I had hoped would happen for a long time,because I think a child in the family will do us all good.Of course it's difficult and expensive and dangerous,but we mustn't be afraid of things like that.A family that doesn't go through them and risk things is decayed.There is no way of protecting ourselves from life that isn't stupid,and the only way to be somebody is to do all the important things and do them with gusto.To get married without having children is rather begging the question,I think,side-stepping the main issue.I am glad the family isn't decaying,and I hope when you can afford it there will be one or two more.I hope it is a squalling lusty boy with dark red hair and freckles.
If the others weren't pleased at the prospect,it was clumsy not to say so.But I suppose we are nothing if not frank in the family.Mother has always had the idea that there was something a bit vulgar about having a baby,as if the best people didn't do it,whereas the"best people"are exactly the ones who still have families of eight and ten,while the middle classes nowadays are getting selfish and timorous and either have no children at all or else devote themselves to one spoiled baby.I'll bet Roy is glad.
By the way,you must not let the family in,be sure and go out every day to exercise,clear up till the confinement,and go in the motor all you can.Also please don't economize.I insist on your going to a hospital and having a nurse for the first few months.Anything else is not safe.
Please tell the family they deserve a good spanking for not wanting to tell me(which would have been outrageous)and for being selfish and stupid in their attitude.
If you are not too busy with sewing and things,I'd love the luster china.And I'd like it as soon as I can have it.I'd like some cups and plates and a tea set with a thick,squatty pot.If you have to buy any of the china,I'll pay for it.A little bowl or so would be useful if you have one around.
I just came down this morning.The boat trip yesterday afternoon was very lovely.Sunny and cool and a brilliant,Mediterranean blue,as we came through all the islands and thoroughfares on the coast.I had a great vacation and I've gained many pounds.
Lots of love and be careful.
Virgil
亲爱的姐姐：婴儿即将诞生的消息，是我所听到的最令我感到兴奋的事情。这正是我长期以来所盼望的事情，因为我认为家里有个小孩对我们大家都有好处。当然，生孩子既辛苦又费钱，而且还危险，但我们不能害怕那样的事情。一个经不起事、不敢冒险的家族是衰败的家族。我们无法让自己远离并不乏味的生活，唯一能使我们成为重要人物的方法，就是去做所有重要的事情，并且带着兴致去做。我认为，结婚而不要孩子是回避问题的实质，也就是回避主要问题。我为咱们的家族没有正在走向衰败而感到高兴。我希望，若你们能养得起的话，可以再多要一个或两个孩子。我希望即将出生的这个孩子是一个长着深红色头发和雀斑，会哇哇大哭且精力充沛的男孩。如果其他的人对孩子的出生感到不高兴，他们不说出来是很愚蠢的。但我觉得如果我们在家里都不坦诚，那么我们就什么也不是了。母亲一直有这样的想法，生孩子是有点粗俗的事情，好似上流社会的人不生孩子一样。然而实际上，“上流社会的人”恰恰是那些依然拥有8个或10个家庭成员的那些人，但如今的中等阶层却变得越来越自私和胆怯，要么根本不生孩子，要么全身心都放在一个被溺爱的孩子身上。我打赌罗伊会十分高兴的。顺便说一句，你千万不要让家里人参与此事。保证每天要出去锻炼锻炼，到分娩时再去澄清，尽可能乘汽车去分娩。还有，请不要太节俭。我坚持认为你应该到医院去，最初的几个月由护士照顾。其他的任何方式都不安全。请告诉家里人，他们真该好好地挨一顿揍，因为他们不想把此事告诉我（这真是令人忍无可忍），也因为他们对此事的态度既自私又愚蠢。如果你不是太忙于缝纫或其他的事儿，我想要些彩瓷，并希望能尽快得到。我想要一些茶杯和盘子，还有一套茶具，里面配有厚厚的、圆圆的矮壶。如果你得去买这些瓷器，我会付钱的。如果你身边就有，一个小碗或其他什么也会对我有用的。我今天早晨才下船。昨天下午的乘船旅行非常令人愉快。当我们游览所有的岛屿及海滨大道时，天空晴朗，气候凉爽，还有地中海那鲜艳夺目的蔚蓝。我度过了一个很棒的假期，而且我还长胖了许多。献上无限的爱，请多珍重！弗吉尔1920年8月26日写于坎布里奇名人小课堂弗吉尔·汤姆森（Virgil Thomson,1896～1989年）美国作曲家、音乐评论家。他出生于密苏里州堪萨斯城，毕业于哈佛大学，1940年回到纽约定居。1954年担任纽约《先驱论坛报》乐评人期间，极大促进了人们对当代音乐的接受能力，促使歌剧、音乐会提高演出水准。他在英文歌剧谱曲方面颇具才华，代表作品有：《三幕剧中的四圣徒》、《拜伦勋爵》及《我们大家的母亲》等。
Benjamin Franklin to
Miss Herbold 本杰明·富兰克林致赫伯德小姐
Philadelphia,
February 23,1756.
I condole with you.We have lost a most dear and valuable relation.But it is the will of God and nature,that these mortal bodies be laid aside,when the soul is to enter into real life.This is rather an embryo state,a preparation for living.
A man is not completely born until he is dead.Why then should we grieve,that a new child is born among the immortals,a new member added to their happy society?We are spirits.That bodies should be lent us,while they can afford us pleasure,assist us in acquiring knowledge,or in doing good to our fellow creatures,is a kind and benevolent act of God.When they become unfit for these purposes,and afford us pain instead of pleasure,instead of an aid become an encumbrance,and answer none of the intentions for which they were given,it is equally kind and benevolent,that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them.Death is that way.We ourselves,in some cases,prudently choose a partial death.A mangled painful limb,which cannot be restored,we willingly cut off.He who plucks out a tooth,parts with it freely,since the pain goes with it;and he,who quits the whole body,parts at once with all pains and possibilities of pains and diseases which it was liable to,or capable of making him suffer.
Our friend and we were invited abroad on a party of pleasure,which is to last forever.His chair was ready first,and he is gone before us.We could not all conveniently start together;and why should you and I be grieved at this,since we are soon to follow,and know where to find him?
Adieu.
B.Franklin
我要向你深表哀悼。我们失去了一位最亲爱可贵的亲人。但是这是上帝和自然的旨意，当灵魂进入天堂的时候，这些凡人的躯壳就要放置一边。这其实正是孕育状态，是生命的准备阶段。一个人直到死的那一刻，才算得到真正的诞生。既然长生军里诞生了一个新婴儿，他们幸福的社会里又增加了一名新的成员，我们为什么还要为此感到悲伤呢？我们都是精灵。无比仁慈智慧的上帝行善施恩，赐予我们躯体，让我们享受快乐的生活；帮助我们获取知识，让我们造福于人类。当我们的躯体变得不再适应这些目的——不能提供给我们快乐，反而让我们痛苦；不能给我们帮助，反而成为我们的累赘；而且当它们无法完成上帝当初托付的使命时，同样恩惠仁慈的上帝提供了一种方式，让我们摆脱躯体。死亡就是那种方式。我们自己有时也会谨慎地选择一种局部的死亡。受伤疼痛的手脚，已经无法复原，我们会心甘情愿地把它切除。要拔牙的人，也会慷慨地舍弃它，因为拔掉之后痛苦就会随之而去。一个人如果完全脱离躯壳，就会立刻解脱掉一切痛苦以及可能引起他痛苦和疾病的根源。我们的朋友和我们自己早就受到邀请去参加一次欢乐的宴会，这是一场永不散席的宴会。他的座席早已准备好了，所以他会先我们一步而去。我们不能很方便地一同前往；既然不久之后我们就要随他而去，并且知道到哪里可以找到他，那你我又为什么要对此感到悲伤呢？再见。
本·富兰克林
1756年2月23日写于费城
Abraham Lincoln to Johnston 亚伯拉罕·林肯致约翰斯顿
(Dec.24,1848)
Dear Johnston:
Your request for eighty dollars,I do not think it best to comply with now.At the various times when I have helped you a little,you have said to me,"We can get along very well now,"but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again.Now this can only happen by some defect in your conduct.What that defect is,I think I know.You are not lazy,and still you are an idler.I doubt whether since I saw you,you have done a good whole day's work,in any one day.You do not very much dislike to work,and still you do not work much,merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it.
This habit of uselessly wasting time,is the whole difficulty;it is vastly important to you,and still more so to your children,that you should break this habit.It is more important to them,because they have longer to live,and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it,easier than they can get out after they are in.
You are now in need of some ready money;and what I propose is,that you shall go to work,"tooth and nail,"for somebody who will give you money for it.
Let father and your boys take charge of your things at home—prepare for a crop,and make the crop,and you go to work for the best money wages,or in discharge of any debt you owe,that you can get.And to secure you a fair reward for your labor,I now promise you that for every dollar you will,between this and the first of May,get for your own labor either in money or in your own indebtedness,I will then give you one other dollar.
By this,if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month,from me you will get ten more,making twenty dollars a month for your work.In this,I do not mean you shall go off to,or the lead mines,or the gold mines,in California,but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home—in Coles County.
Now if you will do this,you will soon be out of debt,and what is better,you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again.But if I should now clear you out,next year you will be just as deep in as ever.You say you would almost give your place in Heaven for 70 or 80.Then you value your place in Heaven very cheaply,for I am sure you can with the offer I make you get the seventy or eighty dollars for four or five months'work.You say if I furnish you the money you will deed me the land,and if you don't pay the money back,you will deliver possession—Nonsense!If you can't now live with the land,how will you then live without it?You have always been kind to me,and I do not now mean to be unkind to you.On the contrary,if you will but follow my advice,you will find it worth more than eight times eighty dollars to you.
Affectionately
Your brother
亲爱的约翰斯顿：你向我借80美金，我觉得目前最好不要借给你。好几次我稍微帮助你之后，你跟我说“现在我们的生活可以过得非常好了”，但是过不了多久，我发现你又面临着同样的困境。现在，这种情况的发生只能说明，你自己的行为存在不足之处。是什么不足之处呢？我想我知道。你不懒，但却是个游手好闲的人。我怀疑自从上次看见你之后，你是否有认认真真工作过一天。你不太讨厌工作，但却不会拼命干活，唯一的原因是，你觉得你并不能从中获益多少。所有的困难都缘于你那毫无益处的、浪费时间的恶习。改掉这个恶习对你来说非常重要，而对你的儿女则更加重要。这是因为他们的人生之路还很长，在没有养成散漫的习惯之前，尚可加以制止。这比养成之后再去改正要容易得多。现在你需要些现钱；我建议你应该去工作，去为那个出钱给你的人“拼命地”工作。让你爸爸和你的儿子们去负责家里的事——为春播和秋收做好准备，你自己去做些最挣钱的工作，或者用你所得的工资抵债。为了使你的劳动获得好的回报，我现在答应你，从今天到5月1号，只要你工作挣到1块钱或是偿还了1块钱的债，我就另外再给你1块钱。这样的话，如果你每月挣10块钱，你可以从我这儿再多得10块钱，那么你一个月就能挣20块钱。我不是说让你到加利福尼亚州的铅矿或金矿去，而是让你在离家近的地方找个最挣钱的工作——就在柯尔斯县境内。如果你现在愿意这样做，你很快就能还清债务。更好的是，你会养成远离债务的好习惯。但是，如果我现在帮你还了债，明年你又会像以前一样负债累累。你说，你愿意用你在天堂的席位去换取七八十块钱。那样的话，你就把你在天堂的席位看得太廉价了。因为我保证照我说的去做，你工作四五个月就能挣到那七八十块钱。你又说，如果我借给你钱，你愿意把田产抵押给我；若是将来你还不清钱，那田地就归我所有——胡说八道！假如现在你有田地都无法生存，将来没有田地又怎么存活呢？你一向对我很好，我现在也不是对你无情无义。相反，如果你肯采纳我的建议，你会发现，对你来说，这比80块钱8倍还值得多！
挚爱你的哥哥
亚·林肯1848年12月24日
名人小课堂
亚伯拉罕·林肯（Abraham Lincoln,1809～1865年）美国政治家，第16任总统（任期：1861年3月4日～1865年4月15日），也是首位共和党籍总统。在任期间，他发表了《解放宣言》，领导人民进行了南北战争。林肯击败了南方分离势力，废除了奴隶制度，维护了国家的统一。但就在内战结束后不久，林肯不幸遇刺身亡。他是第一位遭到刺杀的美国总统，更是一位出身贫寒的伟大总统。
Ludwig van Beethoven to Brothers 贝多芬致兄弟
For my brothers Carl and(Johann)Beethoven,
O ye men,who think or say that I am malevolent,stubborn,or misanthropic,how greatly do ye wrong me,you do not know the secret causes of my seeming,from childhood my heart and mind were disposed to the gentle feeling of good will,I was even ever eager to accomplish great deeds,but reflect now that for 6 years I have been in a hopeless case,aggravated by senseless physicians,cheated year after year in the hope of improvement,finally compelled to face the prospect of a lasting malady(whose cure will take years,or,perhaps,be impossible),born with an ardent and lively temperament,even susceptible to the diversions of society,I was compelled early to isolate myself,to live in loneliness,when I at times tried to forget all this,O'how harshly was I repulsed by the doubly sad experience of my bad hearing,and yet it was impossible for me to say to men speak louder,shout,for I am deaf.
Ah how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which should have been more perfect in me than in others,a sense which I once possessed in highest perfection,a perfection such as few surely in my profession enjoy or ever have enjoyed.—O I cannot do it,therefore forgive me when you see me draw back when I would gladly mingle with you,my misfortune is doubly painful because it must lead to my being misunderstood,for me there can be no recreation in society of my fellows,refined intercourse,mutual exchange of thought,only just as little as the greatest needs command may I mix with society.
I must live like an exile,if I approach near to people a hot terror seizes upon me,a fear that I may be subjected to the danger of letting my condition be observed—thus it has been during the last half year which I spent in the country,commanded by my intelligent physician to spare my hearing as much as possible,in this almost meeting my present natural disposition,although I sometimes ran counter to it,yielding to my inclination for society,but what a humiliation when one stood beside me and heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing,or someone heard the shepherd singing and again I heard nothing,such incidents brought me to the verge of despair,but little more and I would have put an end to my life—only art it was that withheld me,ah it seemed impossible to leave the world until I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce,and so I endured this wretched existence—truly wretched,and excitable body which a sudden change can throw from the best into the worst state—Patience—it is said I must now choose for my guide,I have done so,I hope my determination will remain firm to endure until it pleases the inexorable Parcae to break the thread,perhaps I shall get better,perhaps not,I am prepared.
...
To you brother Carl I give special thanks for the attachment you have displayed toward me of late.It is my wish that your lives may be better and freer from care than I have had,recommend virtue to your children,it alone can give happiness,not money,I speak from experience,it was virtue that upheld me in misery,to it next to my art I owe the fact that I did not end my life by suicide.
Farewell and love each other—I thank all my friends,particularly Prince Lichnowsky and Professor Schmid—I desire that the instruments from Prince L.be preserved by one of you but let no quarrel result from this,so soon as they can serve you a better purpose sell them,how glad will I be if I can still be helpful to you in my grave—with joy I hasten toward death—if it comes before I shall have had an opportunity to show all my artistic capacities it will still come too early for me despite my hard fate and I shall probably wish that it had come later—but even then I am satisfied,will it not free me from a state of endless suffering?Come when thou will I shall meet thee bravely,Farewell and do not wholly forget me when I am dead.I deserve this of you in having often in life thought of you,how to make you happy,be so—
Heiglnstadt,
October 6th,1802
Ludwig van Beethoven
给我的兄弟卡尔和（约翰）贝多芬：啊，兄弟们，你们说我心肠不好、固执或者厌世，你们多么冤枉我啊!你们不知道引起我表面这些特点的真正原因。从小，我的内心就倾向于正面看待事物，我甚至曾渴望将来做一番大事业。但是现在回想一下，6年以来我一直处于一种无望之中，而这种无望的感觉又拜那些庸医所赐日益加剧，他们年复一年地欺骗我有治愈的希望，可最后却不得不面对终身残疾的命运（这种病需要很多年才能治好，或者，可能根本就治不好）。我生来性情热忱活泼，甚至喜欢社交，但现在年纪轻轻就被迫离群索居，过着孤独寂寞的生活。有时，我试图忘记这一切，但是我却被听力不好而带来的双重的悲惨经历所击退。这是多么残酷的事啊！我不可能去跟其他人说“大声点，使劲嚷，我耳朵聋”。我怎么可能公开承认我的耳朵有问题呢？我的听觉一直比别人好——以前非常灵敏，同行中很少有人能和我比——哦，我真的做不到。当你们看到我躲开你们时（其实我非常想和你们在一起），请你们原谅我。我的不幸令我感到加倍的痛苦，因为它必然会引起别人对我的误解。对我而言，再也不能和我的伙伴们一起娱乐、精确交谈、互换思想了。除非万不得已，我总是尽量避免和社会接触。我必须像个流亡者一样地活着，假如我与别人走得靠近时，巨大的恐惧就会笼罩着我，我担心自己的情况可能会被别人发现——这半年来一直是如此。在乡下的这些日子里，我是完全按照医生的嘱咐，尽可能多地让我的听觉得到休息，这也完全符合我目前的禀性。尽管，我有时会与之背道而驰，屈服于自己对社会的向往。可是，每当身边的人听见远处的笛声，而我却什么也听不见，或有人听见牧人歌唱，而我还是什么也听不见，这是多么大的一种耻辱啊！这些事情把我推到了绝望的边缘，但是若再多一点点这样的事情，我将会结束自己的生命——但是艺术制止了我。在我还没有把自己认为必须创作出来的作品全部创作完毕之前，我似乎是不可能离开人间的！于是，我忍受着这种痛苦的生活。真是痛苦极了，我的身体容易激动，只要突然有一点变化，就会从最好变成最坏。忍耐，人们说我现在应该把它当作指南，我已经这样做了，并且我希望自己忍耐的决心能长久保持下去，直到无情的命运女神宣布我生命的终结。也许我的病会慢慢变好，也许不会，对此我已有心理准备。……卡尔弟弟，我非常感激你最近对我的深情。我祝愿你们的生活过得比我更好，拥有的烦恼比我更少。你们要用美德教育儿女，因为只有美德能给人带来幸福，而不是金钱——这是我的经验之谈。在不幸中，支持我的就是美德。我之所以没有通过自杀结束自己的生命，除了为了我的艺术外，其次就应归功于美德。再见了，愿你们彼此相爱——感谢我所有的朋友，尤其是李赫诺斯基亲王和许密特教授。我希望你们二人中有一个人能替我保存李赫诺斯基亲王送给我的那些乐器，但不要为此引起争执。一旦这些东西对你们有更大的用途时，你们可以把它们卖掉。如果我死后还能对你们有所帮助，我将感到多么高兴啊！我微笑面对日益趋近的死神，但如果死神在我还未有机会展示我的全部艺术才能之前到来的话，我觉得还是来得太早了些。尽管我的命运坎坷，我可能还是会希望那一天晚些到来。不过，即使那样，我也会心满意足的。那样不就能把我从无穷无尽的苦难中解脱出来吗？你们愿意来的什么时候就来吧，我会鼓起勇气见你们的。再见了，我死后不要把我完全地忘了。我值得你们的纪念，因为我在世的时候经常想念你们，并想着如何使你们快乐。但愿……
路德维希·凡·贝多芬
1802年10月6日写于海格伦斯塔特
Theodore Roosevelt to Ted 西奥多·罗斯福致泰德
Oyster Bay,
May 7th,1901.
Blessed Ted,
It was the greatest fun seeing you,and I really had a satisfactory time with you,and came away feeling that you were doing well.I am entirely satisfied with your standing,both in your studies and in athletics.I want you to do well in your sports,and I want even more to have you do well with your books but I do not expect you to stand first in either,if so to stand could cause you overwork and hurt your health.I always believe in going hard at everything,whether it is Latin or mathematics,boxing or football,but at the same time I want to keep the sense of proportion.It is never worthwhile to absolutely exhaust one's self or to take big chances unless for an adequate object.I want you to keep in training the faculties,which would make you,if the need arose,able to put your last ounce of pluck and strength into a contest.But I do not want you to squander these qualities.To have you play football as well as you do,and make a good name in boxing and wrestling,and be cox of your second crew,and stand second or third in your class in the studies,is all right.I should be rather sorry to see you drop too near the middle of your class,because,as you cannot enter college until you are nineteen,and will therefore be a year later in entering life.I want you to be prepared in the best possible way,so as to make up for the delay.But I know that all you can do you will do to keep substantially the position in the class that you have so far kept,and I have entire trust in you,for you have always deserved it.
亲爱的泰德：见到你我真的非常高兴，与你一起，我真的度过了一段愉快的时光。离开时，我觉得你干得很不错。我非常满意你在学习和体育方面所取得的名次。我希望你在体育方面做得好，更希望你在读书方面也做得好。但是，如果得第一名需要你过度用功，进而损害到你的健康的话，我不期望你在任何一方面名列第一。我一直坚信，做任何事，都要全力以赴，无论是学拉丁文还是数学，练拳击还是足球，但同时也要保持均衡。除非为了适当的目标，要不绝不值得把人弄得精疲力竭或去冒巨大风险。我要你继续训练本领，一旦需要，就可以将你的全部勇气和力量投入竞争。但我不想你滥用这些本领。你要尽量打好足球，在拳击和摔跤方面取得一个好名次，成为二线队员的领袖人物，而且学习方面要在班上排到二三名，做到这些就行了。如果看到你在班上的名次降到中等水平，那我将很伤心，因为那样的话，你就要到19岁才能上大学，进而要迟一年步入社会。我要你尽可能地作好充分准备，以便弥补这种耽搁。但我知道，你所能做的一切就是要大体上保持住目前你在班上所处的位置。我完全相信你，因为你总是值得信任。
1901年5月7日写于牡蛎湾
名人小课堂
西奥多·罗斯福（Theodore Roosevelt，Jr.,1858～1919年）人称老罗斯福，美国军事家、政治家，第26任总统（1901～1909）。他出生于纽约市一个荷兰家庭，毕业于哈佛大学，他热衷于政治运动。1901年总统威廉·麦金莱（William McKinley）遇刺身亡，他继任成为美国总统，时年42岁。罗斯福为人正直，力求公正。他的独特个性和改革主义政策，使他成为美国历史上最伟大的总统之一。
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