登陆注册
5265500000139

第139章 Chapter L.

I wish I could write a chapter upon sleep.

A fitter occasion could never have presented itself, than what this moment offers, when all the curtains of the family are drawn--the candles put out--and no creature's eyes are open but a single one, for the other has been shut these twenty years, of my mother's nurse.

It is a fine subject.

And yet, as fine as it is, I would undertake to write a dozen chapters upon button-holes, both quicker and with more fame, than a single chapter upon this.

Button-holes! there is something lively in the very idea of 'em--and trust me, when I get amongst 'em--You gentry with great beards--look as grave as you will--I'll make merry work with my button-holes--I shall have 'em all to myself--'tis a maiden subject--I shall run foul of no man's wisdom or fine sayings in it.

But for sleep--I know I shall make nothing of it before I begin--I am no dab at your fine sayings in the first place--and in the next, I cannot for my soul set a grave face upon a bad matter, and tell the world--'tis the refuge of the unfortunate--the enfranchisement of the prisoner--the downy lap of the hopeless, the weary, and the broken-hearted; nor could I set out with a lye in my mouth, by affirming, that of all the soft and delicious functions of our nature, by which the great Author of it, in his bounty, has been pleased to recompence the sufferings wherewith his justice and his good pleasure has wearied us--that this is the chiefest (I know pleasures worth ten of it); or what a happiness it is to man, when the anxieties and passions of the day are over, and he lies down upon his back, that his soul shall be so seated within him, that whichever way she turns her eyes, the heavens shall look calm and sweet above her--no desire--or fear--or doubt that troubles the air, nor any difficulty past, present, or to come, that the imagination may not pass over without offence, in that sweet secession.

'God's blessing,' said Sancho Panca, 'be upon the man who first invented this self-same thing called sleep--it covers a man all over like a cloak.'

Now there is more to me in this, and it speaks warmer to my heart and affections, than all the dissertations squeez'd out of the heads of the learned together upon the subject.

--Not that I altogether disapprove of what Montaigne advances upon it--'tis admirable in its way--(I quote by memory.)The world enjoys other pleasures, says he, as they do that of sleep, without tasting or feeling it as it slips and passes by.--We should study and ruminate upon it, in order to render proper thanks to him who grants it to us.--For this end I cause myself to be disturbed in my sleep, that I may the better and more sensibly relish it.--And yet I see few, says he again, who live with less sleep, when need requires; my body is capable of a firm, but not of a violent and sudden agitation--I evade of late all violent exercises--I am never weary with walking--but from my youth, I never looked to ride upon pavements. I love to lie hard and alone, and even without my wife--This last word may stagger the faith of the world--but remember, 'La Vraisemblance' (as Bayle says in the affair of Liceti) 'n'est pas toujours du Cote de la Verite.' And so much for sleep.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 前世今生之上上签

    前世今生之上上签

    正经文案:【女主痞帅+男主燃炸,多重身份+甜宠+虐你肝疼+权谋+宫斗+宅斗,总之就是斗斗斗……】 她,从小跟着老爹在死人堆里“打滚”,每天做着最危险的事情,也就图个温饱…… 他,生而尊贵却低调内敛,却是当朝最“善战”的皇子,心怀天下…… 他们虽然有着云泥之别,可他偏偏却宠她入骨,却还是没有抵过那至高的权利,她悔:如有来生,永远不要记得你! ———————— 再次为人,她是‘歧月国’最高贵的公主,却逃脱不了和亲的命运, 紧跟‘太子’一位一步之遥的他,却答应了父皇的和亲条件,成全了他心目中的家国天下… 亲眼见到至亲之人惨死在他的剑下,她转身跳下那极渊之地:若有来生,不要再爱你。 —————— 可是来生,她不仅最先动了心,却爱的义无反顾,却又偏偏记起了一切…… 阅文指南(公子真心话):俗话说‘无虐不成书’,本文甜+虐同行(权当给大家排个雷先),女主不傻,但是白,有点甜。看多了纯甜文(牙疼)的宝宝们可以支持公子给个收藏+评论~
  • Life of Johnsonl

    Life of Johnsonl

    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。
  • 凡尘历

    凡尘历

    凡尘注定有因有果,不可分。人做,天在看,不必做尽。
  • 扁鹊的禁方

    扁鹊的禁方

    神秘的千年秘方,居然会引起诡异的杀机!? 千年前,医祖扁鹊将记载惊世医术的秘笈《禁方》传于弟子,溘然长逝。其弟子创立神医门,修建古城,将《禁方》深藏其中,世代守护,再不外传。数十年前,侵华日军占领古城,挟持神医门,疯狂寻找《禁方》,却丧生诡秘地穴。如今,遗失数十年的神医门……
  • 别让惯性思维骗了你

    别让惯性思维骗了你

    本书用一个个真实有震撼力的故事告诉读者,每个人所能到达的高度取决于思维的宽度和广度。如果在某一个方向上无论付出多少努力最后都停滞不前,那么是时候换一种思维方式重新开始了。我们要做的,是走出局限,从有限的世界走向无限的世界走出局限,从而让生命充满无限可能。
  • 老火煲好汤

    老火煲好汤

    《美食天下第1辑:老火煲好汤》介绍了老火汤的制作秘诀、选料和制作方法,根据口味与身体所选,《美食天下第1辑:老火煲好汤》共分为两章。第一章为家常食材煲好汤,所选食材都是家常食材,方便在家操作;第二章为滋补养生老火汤,在汤品中增加了具有养生功效的中药材,使得汤品不仅好喝而且还能养生,涵盖了我们日常生活中饮食需要,让读者可以根据自己及家人的需要选择合适的汤。
  • 都市超级雷神

    都市超级雷神

    他意外遭受到诡异的雷击,雷电淬体,从此以后,他犹如:雷神下凡,纵横都市。勤奋好学,打拼创业,一步步走上人生巅峰。
  • 《中华人民共和国精神卫生法》释义及实用指南

    《中华人民共和国精神卫生法》释义及实用指南

    《中华人民共和国精神卫生法》于2012年10月26日由十一届全国人大常委会第二十九次会议审议通过,将于2013年5月1日起施行。这部法律的颁布实施,对于规范精神卫生服务,预防精神障碍发生,维护精神障碍患者的合法权益,具有重要的意义。
  • 家有仙师

    家有仙师

    她,七世善人终修成正果。他,六界苍生齐称浮华神。她拜他为师却屡犯天规。他收她为徒却暗生情愫。碧落黄泉,千生千世却换来一段仙缘。她微笑,你可曾记得千年池畔的小妖。
  • 凛冬帝国堡垒

    凛冬帝国堡垒

    苏秀林意外穿越到了一个异界,可是他发现这里到处都充满了贫穷、饥饿,人们衣不覆体,就连房子都破破烂烂的,更可怕的是,凛冬将至,千年寒潮席卷而来,风雪之中还夹杂着怪物的咆哮。面对这种艰难的情况,苏秀林带着工业与魔法,改善人们的生活,抵御异兽的袭击,一步步建立一个庞大的帝国!