登陆注册
5190600000079

第79章

- What should decide one, in choosing a summer residence? -Constitution, first of all.How much snow could you melt in an hour, if you were planted in a hogshead of it? Comfort is essential to enjoyment.All sensitive people should remember that persons in easy circumstances suffer much more cold in summer -that is, the warm half of the year - than in winter, or the other half.You must cut your climate to your constitution, as much as your clothing to your shape.After this, consult your taste and convenient.But if you would be happy in Berkshire, you must carry mountains in your brain; and if you would enjoy Nahant, you must have an ocean in your soul.Nature plays at dominos with you; you must match her piece, or she will never give it up to you.

- The schoolmistress said, in a rather mischievous way, that she was afraid some minds or souls would be a little crowded, if they took in the Rocky Mountains or the Atlantic.

Have you ever read the little book called "The Stars and the Earth?" - said I.- Have you seen the Declaration of Independence photographed in a surface that a fly's foot would cover? The forms or conditions of Time and Space, as Kant will tell you, are nothing in themselves, - only our way of looking at things.You are right, I think, however, in recognizing the category of Space as being quite as applicable to minds as to the outer world.Every man of reflection is vaguely conscious of an imperfectly-defined circle which is drawn about his intellect.He has a perfectly clear sense that the fragments of his intellectual circle include the curves of many other minds of which he is cognizant.He often recognizes these as manifestly concentric with his own, but of less radius.

On the other hand, when we find a portion of an are on the outside of our own, we say it INTERSECTS ours, but are very slow to confess or to see that it CIRCUMSCRIBES it.Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.After looking at the Alps, I felt that my mind had been stretched beyond the limits of its elasticity, and fitted so loosely on my old ideas of space that Ihad to spread these to fit it.

- If I thought I should ever see the Alps! - said the schoolmistress.

Perhaps you will, some time or other, - I said.

It is not very likely, - she answered.- I have had one or two opportunities, but I had rather be anything than governess in a rich family.

[Proud, too, you little soft-voiced woman! Well, I can't say Ilike you any the worse for it.How long will school-keeping take to kill you? Is it possible the poor thing works with her needle, too? I don't like those marks on the side of her forefinger.

TABLEAU.Chamouni.Mont Blanc in full view.Figures in the foreground; two of them standing apart; one of them a gentleman of - oh, - ah, - yes! the other a lady in a white cashmere, leaning on his shoulder.- The ingenuous reader will understand that this was an internal, private, personal, subjective diorama, seen for one instant on the background of my own consciousness, and abolished into black nonentity by the first question which recalled me to actual life, as suddenly as if one of those iron shop-blinds (which I always pass at dusk with a shiver, expecting to stumble over some poor but honest shop-boy's head, just taken off by its sudden and unexpected descent, and left outside upon the sidewalk) had come down in front of it "by the run."]

- Should you like to hear what moderate wishes life brings one to at last? I used to be very ambitious, - wasteful, extravagant, and luxurious in all my fancies.Read too much in the "Arabian Nights." Must have the lamp, - couldn't do without the ring.

Exercise every morning on the brazen horse.Plump down into castles as full of little milk-white princesses as a nest is of young sparrows.All love me dearly at once.- Charming idea of life, but too high-colored for the reality.I have outgrown all this; my tastes have become exceedingly primitive, - almost, perhaps, ascetic.We carry happiness into our condition, but must not hope to find it there.I think you will be willing to hear some lines which embody the subdued and limited desires of my maturity.

CONTENTMENT.

"Man wants but little here below."

LITTLE I ask, my wants are few;

I only wish a hut of stone, (A VERY PLAIN brown stone will do,)That I may call my own; -

And close at hand is such a one, In yonder street that fronts the sun.

Plain food is quite enough for me;

Three courses are as good as ten; -

If Nature can subsist on three, Thank heaven for three.Amen!

I always thought cold victual nice; -

My CHOICE would be vanilla-ice.

I care not much for gold or land; -

Give me a mortgage here and there, -

Some good bank-stock, - some note of hand, Or trifling railroad share; -I only ask that Fortune send A LITTLE more than I shall spend.

Honors are silly toys, I know, And titles are but empty names; -I would, PERHAPS, be Plenipo, -

But only near St.James; -

I'm very sure I should not care To fill our Gubernator's chair.

Jewels are baubles; 'tis a sin To care for such unfruitful things; -One good-sized diamond in a pin, -

Some, NOT SO LARGE, in rings, -

A ruby and a pearl, or so, Will do for me; - I laugh at show.

My dame should dress in cheap attire;

(Good, heavy silks are never dear;) -

I own perhaps I MIGHT desire Some shawls of true cashmere, -Some marrowy crapes of China silk, Like wrinkled skins on scalded milk.

I would not have the horse I drive So fast that folks must stop and stare An easy gait - two, forty-five -Suits me; I do not care; -

Perhaps, for just a SINGLE SPURT, Some seconds less would do no hurt.

Of pictures, I should like to own Titians and Raphaels three or four, -I love so much their style and tone, -

One Turner, and no more, -

(A landscape, - foreground golden dirt The sunshine painted with a squirt.)Of books but few, - some fifty score For daily use, and bound for wear;The rest upon an upper floor; -

Some LITTLE luxury THERE

Of red morocco's gilded gleam, And vellum rich as country cream.

同类推荐
  • 嘉运

    嘉运

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 逢故人

    逢故人

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • History of the Conquest of Peru

    History of the Conquest of Peru

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 林忠宣公全集

    林忠宣公全集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 五教章集成记

    五教章集成记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 暖婚之落叶知心

    暖婚之落叶知心

    风雨无阻,独自闯荡,清晨遇飞车,捡一女人。这女人搅她生活,惹她生气,还有因为她生气吵架,吃个饭遇情侣吵架,如果不是被人拉了一把,她都要破相了。倒霉的差点被破相,送医院的出现轻微脑震荡,她怎么这么倒霉。谢知轩因为妹妹喜欢的一部小说喜欢,准备投资,后有事耽搁,最后发现他要找的不接受投资拍摄的作者就是那天在餐厅里倒霉的女孩,缘分啊!就是这么奇怪。什么鬼,她攀龙附凤,她沈落需要吗,她又不是没有手脚,还甩她支票,不知道她一本小说就是钱啊,她家也不缺那点钱,果断迁怒某人,虽然她也是被某个女人连累的。她就是想写小说而已,怎么就蹦出来欠揍欠扁的女人,欺负她没有身份,没有背景是吗?那就拉出来看看谁怕谁,她那一溜串的哥哥是摆设啊!她希望有一天她的小说能够拍摄出来,可有些东西总有不满意地方,而她亦有心结未解,经历过一些事情之后,渐渐明白,渐渐放下,渐渐去努力,既然要做就好做到最好,她要让所有人都看着她可以的,她要让人都看着自己在乎的东西都多么的好。让全世界的人都知道华夏从来不输给谁,他一直都是傲然与世的存在。而他一直陪在她身边,亦在帮她。在她转身的时候就能看见他的存在。
  • 武关南见元九题山石

    武关南见元九题山石

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 让你感动的300篇小小说(影响一生的故事全集)

    让你感动的300篇小小说(影响一生的故事全集)

    本系列丛书从感动的视角出发,撷取生活中最受广大读者关注的亲情、友情、爱情、做人、沟通等几大方面的素材与故事,用最优美的语言传递人世间最真挚的情感,用最恰当的方式表述生活中最正确的做人与做事箴言。
  • 斗破之萧1

    斗破之萧1

    一个名叫萧斌的杀手在立完最后一票的flag后,任务中被隐藏很深的队友背叛,拼尽全力与之同归于尽后,来到《斗破苍穹》世界里,成为了仅次于萧玄的一个天才表哥“萧兵”,剧情不对啊,这是一个没有出过场的……一个坚持自己火系大魔法生涯杀手收徒的过程本书注娱乐,喜不喜欢,无所谓,存在问题:代入感不强,节奏慢
  • 天道召唤手机

    天道召唤手机

    穿越了异世界的韩一凡,脑海中出现了一个可以召唤东西的手机,决定好好的活一会的他,决定,这个世界的生活,就从忽悠这个救了他一命的九公主开始吧!
  • 名人传记丛书:文天祥

    名人传记丛书:文天祥

    名人传记丛书——文天祥——一代民族英雄的赤胆忠肠:“立足课本,超越课堂”,以提高中小学生的综合素质为目的,让中小学生从课内受益到课外,是一生的良师益友。
  • 腹黑总裁爱妻无度

    腹黑总裁爱妻无度

    传言不是他跟妹妹是一对么?那为什么跟他订婚的却是她?你不是在追我么?我是在成全你。这个男人冷瞟她一眼,淡然给她的答复。追他?她那是假装的好不好!如果不是为了妹妹,她才不会对他死缠烂又是撩拨又是投怀送抱哩!谁会追一个总是戏弄她,把她当笨蛋耍的人啊。你不是说你爱我么?所以你只能成为我的女人!这个男人用她的话来堵她的嘴!真是一个可恶的混蛋!****【片段】他眸光促狭,“你带着别人的心意来给我,是要我爱上你妈么?”“……”她的笑容顿时僵在嘴角。他往她手里的饭盒瞟了一眼,“我不吃青椒,不吃红萝卜,不吃葱!”“……”路灵涵无语,“那你喜欢吃什么?”“我喜欢的其实很简单,不吃青椒,不吃红萝卜,不吃葱,不吃鱼,不要太咸,不要太油,不要太甜,也不要没味道,最重要的是,我只吃新鲜的,不要冷藏的!”路灵涵目瞪口呆,这样还叫做简单?*******【片段】“你什么时候回来的?”男人那如记忆中低沉醇厚的嗓音响起。“殷总,我想我们没有熟到要告诉你我的行踪。”男人如深潭的眸光一闪,靠在她的耳边暧昧道,“老婆,离家出走的游戏还玩不够么?乖,给我亲个嘴儿!”话一完,他的唇落下,当众表演什么叫做法式热吻。瞬间,如雷劈一般,路灵涵僵住,漂亮的眼眸满目是惊愕,他疯了么?********亲们,动动你的手指,要收藏哦~
  • 北溪字义

    北溪字义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 胡雪岩的成功密码

    胡雪岩的成功密码

    《胡雪岩成功密码》内容简介:胡雪岩以“仁”“义”二字作为经商的核心,深谙钱财的真正价值。他广交朋友,善于随机应变,精明而决不投机取巧,使其生意蒸蒸日上;他富而不忘本,怀着一颗仁厚之心,开办胡庆余堂,以图济世救人;他经商不忘忧国,协助左宗棠西征,维护了祖国领土的完整;在救亡图强的洋务运动中,贡献了自己的一份力量。
  • strawberry

    strawberry

    这几天来,早川志黑在家忍着不抽烟,甚至还提前洗了准备堆积到周末再处理的衣服,都是由于一个特别的理由:因为她,住在自己家里。与她初次相遇也就是五天前的事情吧,那是傍晚七点左右的光景,白昼快要结束。早川在便利店买了便当,之后躲进旁边的小巷里抽烟。烟快要抽完的时候,早川偏过头往巷子里瞄了一眼,震惊地发现了倒在地上的她。她穿着杏色的连衣裙,头部有已经半干凝固的血块,同时又不断有新鲜的红色血液涌出来。早川立刻抱着她拦了出租车,因为这附近就有家大型的综合医院,所以没有打急救电话。