Ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ

1.

Bidding the Lovely Scenes

At distance hail in the commencement of life， we set no bounds to our inclinations. nor to the unrestricted opportunities of gratifying them. We have as yet found no obstacle， no disposition to flag; and it seems that we can go on so forever. We look round in a new world， full of life， and motion， and ceaseless progress; and feel in ourselves all the vigor and spirit to keep pace with it， and do not foresee from any present symptoms how we shall be left behind in the natural course of things， decline into old age， and drop into the grave. It is the simplicity， and as it were abstractedness of our feelings in youth， that (so to speak) identifies us with nature and (our experience being slight and our passions strong) deludes us into a belief of being immortal like it. Our short-lives connexion with existence we fondly flatter ourselves is an indissoluble and lasting union-a honeymoon that knows neither coldness， jar， nor separation. As infants smile and sleep， we are rocked in the cradle of our wayward fancies， and lulled into security by the roar of the universe around us.

2.

The country Maid and Her Milk Can

A country maid was walking along with a can of milk upon her head， when she fell into the following train of reflections. “The money for which I shall sell this milk will enable me to increase my stock of eggs to three hundred， These eggs， allowing for what may prove addle， and what may be destroyed by vermin， will produce at least two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will be fit to carry to market just at the time when poultry is always dear; so that by the New Year I cannot fail of having money enough to purchase a new gown. Green-let me consider-yes， green becomes my complexion best .and green it shall be， In this dress I will go to the fair， where all young fellows will strive to have me for a parter; but no-I shall refuse every one of them， and with a disdainful toss turn from them.” Transported with this idea， she could not forbear acting with her head the thought that passed in her mind， when down came the can of milk! And all her imaginary happiness vanished in a moment.

1.

向遠(yuǎn)方的美景歡呼

在這生活的開(kāi)端，我們聽(tīng)任自己的志趣馳騁，放手給它們一切滿足的機(jī)會(huì)。到此為止，我們還沒(méi)有碰上過(guò)什么障礙，也沒(méi)有感覺(jué)到什么疲憊，因此覺(jué)得還可以一直這樣向前走去，直到永遠(yuǎn)。我們看到四周一派新天地——生機(jī)盎然，變動(dòng)不居，日新月異；我們覺(jué)得自己活力充盈，精神飽滿，可與宇宙并駕齊驅(qū)。而且，眼前也無(wú)任何跡象可以證明，在大自然的發(fā)展過(guò)程中，我們自己也會(huì)落伍，衰老，進(jìn)入墳?zāi)?。由于年輕人天真單純，可以說(shuō)是茫然無(wú)知，因而將自己跟大自然劃上等號(hào)；并且，由于經(jīng)驗(yàn)少而感情盛，誤以為自己也能和大自然一樣永世長(zhǎng)存。我們一廂情愿，癡心妄想，竟把自己在世上的暫時(shí)棲身，當(dāng)作千古不變、萬(wàn)事長(zhǎng)存的結(jié)合，好像沒(méi)有冷淡、爭(zhēng)執(zhí)、離別的密月。像嬰兒帶著微笑入睡，我們躺在用自己編織成的搖籃里，讓大千世界的萬(wàn)籟之聲催哄我們安然入夢(mèng)。

2.

村姑和牛奶罐

一個(gè)村姑頭上頂著一罐牛奶在路上行走。走著走著，她的腦子里浮現(xiàn)出一連串的幻想：“我賣(mài)了這罐牛奶后，用這筆錢(qián)買(mǎi)雞蛋，這樣我有的雞蛋可以增加到300個(gè)。用這300個(gè)雞蛋孵小雞，這就算有壞的、生蟲(chóng)的，至少也能孵出250只小雞。等小雞長(zhǎng)大后，正好能趕上賣(mài)個(gè)好市價(jià)；那么到了新年，我就能有錢(qián)買(mǎi)一件新晚裝。買(mǎi)一件綠色的——讓我好好想想——對(duì)，綠色與我的膚色最相襯。我穿上這件衣服去趕集，所有的年輕小伙子都會(huì)搶著邀請(qǐng)我做舞伴；但是不行——我要輕蔑地把頭一揚(yáng)，轉(zhuǎn)身過(guò)去不理他們，讓他們?nèi)巳硕寂鰝€(gè)釘子。”她想得得意忘形，情不自禁地把頭一揚(yáng)，剎那間，牛奶罐跌了下來(lái)！她幻想的一切幸福間破滅了。