登陆注册
5362600000260

第260章

["Time by degrees breaks our strength and makes us grow feeble.--"Lucretius, ii. 1131.] what shall be from this time forward, will be but a half-being, and no more me: I every day escape and steal away from myself:

"Singula de nobis anni praedantur euntes."

["Of the fleeting years each steals something from me."--Horace, Ep., ii. 2.]

Agility and address I never had, and yet am the son of a very active and sprightly father, who continued to be so to an extreme old age. I have scarce known any man of his condition, his equal in all bodily exercises, as I have seldom met with any who have not excelled me, except in running, at which I was pretty good. In music or singing, for which I have a very unfit voice, or to play on any sort of instrument, they could never teach me anything. In dancing, tennis, or wrestling, I could never arrive to more than an ordinary pitch; in swimming, fencing, vaulting, and leaping, to none at all. My hands are so clumsy that I cannot even write so as to read it myself, so that I had rather do what I have scribbled over again, than take upon me the trouble to make it out. I do not read much better than I write, and feel that I weary my auditors otherwise (I am) not a bad clerk. I cannot decently fold up a letter, nor could ever make a pen, or carve at table worth a pin, nor saddle a horse, nor carry a hawk and fly her, nor hunt the dogs, nor lure a hawk, nor speak to a horse. In fine, my bodily qualities are very well suited to those of my soul; there is nothing sprightly, only a full and firm vigour: I am patient enough of labour and pains, but it is only when I go voluntary to work, and only so long as my own desire prompts me to it:

"Molliter austerum studio fallente laborem."

["Study softly beguiling severe labour."--Horace, Sat., ii. 2, 12.] otherwise, if I am not allured with some pleasure, or have other guide than my own pure and free inclination, I am good for nothing: for I am of a humour that, life and health excepted, there is nothing for which I will bite my nails, and that I will purchase at the price of torment of mind and constraint:

"Tanti mihi non sit opaci Omnis arena Tagi, quodque in mare volvitur aurum."

["I would not buy rich Tagus sands so dear, nor all the gold that lies in the sea."--Juvenal, Sat., iii. 54.]

Extremely idle, extremely given up to my own inclination both by nature and art, I would as willingly lend a man my blood as my pains. I have a soul free and entirely its own, and accustomed to guide itself after its own fashion; having hitherto never had either master or governor imposed upon me: I have walked as far as I would, and at the pace that best pleased myself; this is it that has rendered me unfit for the service of others, and has made me of no use to any one but myself.

Nor was there any need of forcing my heavy and lazy disposition; for being born to such a fortune as I had reason to be contented with (a reason, nevertheless, that a thousand others of my acquaintance would have rather made use of for a plank upon which to pass over in search of higher fortune, to tumult and disquiet), and with as much intelligence as I required, I sought for no more, and also got no more:

"Non agimur tumidis velis Aquilone secundo, Non tamen adversis aetatem ducimus Austris Viribus, ingenio, specie, virtute, loco, re, Extremi primorum, extremis usque priores."

["The northern wind does not agitate our sails; nor Auster trouble our course with storms. In strength, talent, figure, virtue, honour, wealth, we are short of the foremost, but before the last."--Horace, Ep., ii. 2, 201.]

I had only need of what was sufficient to content me: which nevertheless is a government of soul, to take it right, equally difficult in all sorts of conditions, and that, of custom, we see more easily found in want than in abundance: forasmuch, peradventure, as according to the course of our other passions, the desire of riches is more sharpened by their use than by the need of them: and the virtue of moderation more rare than that of patience; and I never had anything to desire, but happily to enjoy the estate that God by His bounty had put into my hands. I have never known anything of trouble, and have had little to do in anything but the management of my own affairs: or, if I have, it has been upon condition to do it at my own leisure and after my own method; committed to my trust by such as had a confidence in me, who did not importune me, and who knew my humour; for good horsemen will make shift to get service out of a rusty and broken-winded jade.

Even my infancy was trained up after a gentle and free manner, and exempt from any rigorous subjection. All this has helped me to a complexion delicate and incapable of solicitude, even to that degree that I love to have my losses and the disorders wherein I am concerned, concealed from me. In the account of my expenses, I put down what my negligence costs me in feeding and maintaining it;

"Haec nempe supersunt, Quae dominum fallunt, quae prosunt furibus."

["That overplus, which the owner knows not of, but which benefits the thieves"--Horace, Ep., i. 645]

I love not to know what I have, that I may be less sensible of my loss;

同类推荐
  • Old Indian Days

    Old Indian Days

    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。
  • 台湾舆地汇钞

    台湾舆地汇钞

    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。
  • Letters from the Cape

    Letters from the Cape

    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。
  • 诗史阁诗话

    诗史阁诗话

    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。
  • OTHELLO

    OTHELLO

    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
  • 社交女达人:交友建议,教你如何吸引男人找到男友

    社交女达人:交友建议,教你如何吸引男人找到男友

    本书将帮你找到自己,让你了解你真正想要的是什么样的男人,并在他们出没的地方遇见他们;让你做你热衷的事,同时又能认识好男人;帮你重树信心!简单四步,立即执行!让你成为社交达人!
  • 可不可以不加班

    可不可以不加班

    本书是一本适用于每个人的时间管理经典。我们面临的是一个高度现代化的社会,工作常加班令许多人困惑、矛盾,甚至对生活感到失望。本书作者不仅仅讲述一些利用时间的技巧和忠告,以幽默和智慧的语言向我们展示了一个人应该如何提高工作效率、享受生活,同时也向读者提出了对生活的挑战:如何关注自己每日的生活?如何满足自己真正的欲望?如何让自己过得更加充实?
  • 四方掌控者

    四方掌控者

    东方大陆中,各路武林高手身怀绝技,为“天下第一”的头衔而拼死厮杀!西方大陆中,巫师、精灵、巨龙和魔法师,为了争夺六枚魔法石而展开战争!南方大陆中,异能学校的师生各展所能,与联邦政府和邪灵宗之间形成三足鼎立!北方大陆中,拥有着至高科技的铁血帝国,却谋求着将整个四方大陆都纳入自己的版图!楚轩手握绝世宝剑,召唤出那条由冰雪化成的巨龙,展开一双属于异能者的翅膀,俯冲向海面上的那艘原力战舰!剑气冲云霄,一剑破长空!七尺男儿,铮铮铁骨;魔法公主,冰清玉洁;异能女孩;娇俏可人;神枪少女,英姿飒爽。且看楚轩如何成为四方掌控者,叱咤风云,纵横天下,走向世界巅峰,谱写一曲跨越亘古的永恒传奇!
  • 四神器之青龙剑

    四神器之青龙剑

    一个号令江湖的神秘帮派……一场卧薪尝胆长达三十年的复仇……一个关乎到亿万人生死的决断……天下苍生、黎明百姓亦或是红颜知己、此生挚爱?如果换做你……你会如何抉择?
  • 言兵事疏

    言兵事疏

    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。
  • 很想很想你

    很想很想你

    他是商业配音圈的名人,主业神秘,不甚爱交际。因为一次意外,他开始每晚给她介绍美食,诱人的声音,描述着一道道菜的做法,也一口口地,把她吃干抹净。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 吴子兵法

    吴子兵法

    《吴子》主要论述了战争观问题。该篇既反对持众好战,也反对重修德,而废弛武备。它认为只有内修文德,外治武备才能使国家强盛。
  • 骸骨武士

    骸骨武士

    骷髅剑豪的故事,与全世界的超自然势力刀剑相交,以拳交友的故事
  • 刘涓子鬼遗方

    刘涓子鬼遗方

    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。
  • 平石如砥禅师语录

    平石如砥禅师语录

    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。