世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第22章
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人们从一棵树那里得到的启示——或者说大地、岩石以及动物赋予人们的最大道德教义 ，就是它们对于生存的内在本质的提示与观望者（或批评者）的推测和述说完全无关，与他 的喜好与憎恶完全无关。一种疾患在我们每个人和我们大家的心间充斥着，渗透于我们的文 学、教育、彼此对待（甚至自我对待）的态度之中，这便是对表面现象的喋喋不休，而对于 人物、书籍、友谊、婚姻之合理的、逐渐增强的、经常存在的真实，亦即人类无形的本质和 基础不予过问或几乎不加过问。还有什么疾患比这更糟糕、更普遍吗？
the lesson of a tree
walter whitman
i should not take either the biggest or the most picturesque tree to illustr ate it。 here is one of my favorites now before me； a fine yellow poplar； quite s traight； perhaps 90 feet high； and four thick at the butt。 how strong； vital end uring！ how dumbly eloquent！ what suggestions of imperturbability and being； as a gainst the human trait of mere seeming。 then the qualities； almost emotional； pa lpably artistic； heroic； of a tree； so innocent and harmless； yet so savage。 it is； yet says nothing。 how it rebukes by its tough and equable serenity as weathe rs； this gustytemper'd little whiffet； man that runs indoors at a mite of rain or snow。 science （or rather halfway science） scoffs at reminiscence of dryad and hama dryad； and of trees speaking。 but； if they don't； they do as well as mo st speaking； writing； poetry； sermons — or rather they do a great deal better。 i should say indeed that those old dryad — reminiscences are quit as true as an y； and profounder than most reminiscences we get。 （“cut this out；” as the quac k mediciners say； and keep by you。） go and sit in a grove or woods； with one or more of those voiceless companions； and read the foregoing； and think。
one lesson from affiliating a tree — perhaps the greatest moral lesson anyh ow from earth； rock； animals； is that same lesson of inherency； of what is； with out the least regard to what the looker or （the critic） supposes or says； or whe ther he likes or dislikes。 what worse — what more general malady pervades each and all of us； our literature； education； attitude toward each other； （even towa rd ourselves；） than a morbid trouble about seems； and no trouble at all； or hard ly any； about the sane； slowgrowing perennial； real parts of character； books； friendship； marriage — humanity's invisible foundations and holdtogether。
月亮的启示
佚名
“月盈则亏，晦则明。”
——中国古谚
这句中国的古语里有种平静的智慧，它最初是由佛教寺院中的一位和尚告诉我的，当时 我在中国，这句话给我的印象很深。从那时起，每当我遭遇困难阻碍，或者遇到可能使我过 于兴奋的成功或好运的时候，这句话对我的帮助很大，它使我保持镇定，泰然处之。这句话 启示我们，不论痛苦或困难的时刻有多么黑暗，它们不会长久持续下去，我们因此会感到希 望和宽慰；这句话同时也警示我们，财富、权力或鸿运当头的荣耀，都不过是过眼云烟，我 们不必太放在心上。这个道理对个人如此，对于国家和政治领袖也是如此。这句谚语所提供 的希望和警示，是整个人类历史经验的结晶。除此之外，我们从这句话里面还可以聆听到使 宇宙保持平衡状态的法则与秩序的回声。
lesson from the moon
anonymous
when the moon is fullest it begins to wane；
when it is darkest it begins to grow。
——chinese proverb
there is a calm wisdom in this old saying that impressed me when i heard it first from a monk of a buddhist monastery in china。 it has often； helped me to r etain a good measure of equanimity under stress and hardship as well as when som e unexpected sucomess or good luck might have made me too exuberant。 there is hop e and consolation in the sure knowledge that even the darkest hours of pains and troubles won't last： but also a warning against overrating the passing glories of wealth； power and great good fortune。 a warning and a hope； not only for the individual； but also for governments； nations and their leaders； a brief summing up of all that history and human experience can tell us。 and beyond all that we might hear in it an echo of the law and order that holds our universe in safe b alance。
在海边
雷切尔。卡森
雷切尔。卡森（1907—1964），美国海洋生物学家，也是位颇有成就的作家。这篇游记 体散文是她在1955年的作品，表达了她对大自然美的深情和稍纵即逝的自然美的叹惜。她最 伟大的作品是1962年出版的《寂静的春天》，该书对发动美国环境保护运动起了重要作用。
海岸是一个古老的世界。自从有地球和大海以来，就有这个水陆相接的地方。但人们却 感觉它是一个总在进行创造、生命力顽强而又充沛的世界。每当我踏入这个世界，感觉到生 物彼此之间以及每一生物与它周围环境之间，通过错综复杂的生命结构彼此相连的时候，我 对它的美，对它的深层意蕴，都产生某种新的认识。
每当我想起海岸，就有一个地方因为它所表现出的独特美妙而占有突出的地位。那就是 一个隐匿于洞中的水潭。平时，这个洞被海水所淹没，一年当中只有海『潮』降落到最低，以至 低于水潭时，人们才能在这难得的短时间内看见它。也许正应如此，它获得了某种特殊的美 。我选好这样一个低『潮』的时机，希望能看一眼水潭。根据推算，『潮』水将在清晨退下去。我知 道，如果不刮西北风，远处的风暴不再掀起惊涛骇浪进行干扰，海平面就会落得比水潭的入 口还低。夜里突然下了几场预示不祥的阵雨，一把把碎石般的雨点被抛到屋顶上。清晨我向 外眺望，只见天空笼罩着灰蒙蒙的曙光，只是太阳还没有升起。水和空气一片暗淡。一轮明 月挂在海湾对面的西天上，月下灰暗的一线就是远方的海岸——8月的望月把海『潮』吸得很低 ，直到那与人世隔离的海的世界的门槛。在我观望的时候，一只海鸥飞过云杉。呼之欲出的 太阳把它的腹部映成粉『色』。天终于晴了。
后来，当我在高于海『潮』的水潭入口处附近站着时，四周已是瑰红『色』的晨光。从我立脚的 峭岩底部，一块被青苔覆盖的礁石伸向大海的最深处。海水拍击着礁石周围，水藻上下左右 地飘动，像皮面般滑溜发亮。通往隐藏的小洞和洞中水潭的路径是那些凸现的礁石。间或一 阵强于一阵的波涛悠然地漫过礁石的边缘并在岩壁上击成水沫。这种波涛间歇的时间足以让 我踏上礁石，足以让我探视那仙境般的水潭，那平时不『露』面、『露』面也只是一瞬间的水潭。
我就跪在那海苔藓铺成的湿漉漉的地毯上，向那些黑洞里窥探，就是这些黑洞把水潭环 抱成浅盆模样，只见洞的底部距离顶部只有几英寸。真是一面天造明镜。洞顶上的一切生物 都倒映在底下纹丝不动的水中。
在清明如镜的水底铺着一层碧绿的海绵。洞顶上一片片灰『色』的海蛸闪闪发光，一堆堆软 珊瑚披着淡淡的杏黄『色』衣裳。就在我朝洞里探望时，从洞顶上挂下一只小海星，仅仅悬在一 条线上，或许就在它的一只管足上。它向下接触到自己的倒影。多么完美的画面！仿佛不是 一只海星，而是一对海星。水中倒影的美，清澈的水潭本身的美，这都是些转眼即逝的事物 所体现的强烈而动人心扉的美——海水一旦漫过小洞，这种美便不复存在了。
at the edge of the sea
rachel carson
the shore is an ancient world； for as long as there has been an earth and se a there has been this place of the meeting of land and water。 yet it is a world that keeps alive the sense of continuing creation and of the relentless drive of life。 each time that i enter it； i gain some new awareness of its beauty and it s deeper meanings； sensing that intricate fabric of life by which one creature i s linked with another； and each with its surroundings。
in my thoughts of the shore； one place stands apart for its revelation of ex quisite beauty。 it is a pool hidden within a cave that one can visit only rarely and briefly when the lowest of the year's low tides fall below it； and perhaps from that very fact it acquires some of its special beauty。 choosing such a tide ； i hoped for a glimpse of the pool。 the ebb was to fall early in the morning。 i knew that if the wind held from the northwest and no interfering swell ran in f rom a distant storm the level of the sea should drop below the entrance to the p ool。 there had been sudden ominous showers in the night； with rain like handfuls of gravel flung on the roof。 when i looked out into the early morning the sky w as full of a gray dawn light but the sun had not yet risen。 water and air were p allid。 across the bay the moon was a luminous disc in the western sky； suspended above the dim line of distant shore — the full august moon； drawing the tide t o the low； low levels of the threshold of the alien sea world。 as i watched； a g ull flew by； above the spruces。 its breast was rosy with the light of the unrise n sun。 the day was； after all； to be fair。
later； as i stood above the tide near the entrance to the pool； the promise of that rosy light was sustained。 from the base of the steep wall of rock on whi ch i stood； a mosscovered ledge jutted seaward into deep water。 in the surge a t the rim of the ledge the dark fronds of oarweeds swayed smooth and gleaming as leather。 the projecting ledge was the path to the small hidden cave and its poo l。 ocomasionally a swell； stronger than the rest； rolled smoothly over the rim an d broke in foam against the cliff。 but the intervals between such swells were lo ng enough to admit me to the ledge and long enough for a glimpse of that fairy p ool； so seldom and so briefly exposed。
and so i knelt on the wet carpet of sea moss and looked back into the dark c avern that held the pool in a shallow basin。 the floor of the cave was only a fe w inches below the roof； and a mirror had been created in which all that grew on the ceiling was reflected in the still water below。
under water that was clear as glass the pool was carpeted with green sponge。 gray patches of sea squirts glistened on the ceiling and colonies of raft coral were a pale apricot color。 in the moment when i looked into the cave a little e lfin starfish hung down； suspended by the merest thread； perhaps by only a singl e tube foot。 it reached down to touch its own reflection； so perfectly delineate d that there might have been； not one starfish； but two。 the beauty of the refle cted images and of the limpid pool itself was the poignant beauty of things that are ephemeral； existing only until the sea should return to fill the little cav e。
在自然威力之下
埃德加。爱伦。坡
萧伯纳曾说：“美国出了两个伟大的作家——埃德加。爱伦。坡和马克。吐温。”埃德 加。爱伦坡（1809—1849）以其诗歌、小说和文学评论广受推崇，对于美国文学乃至世界文 学影响甚大。本文节选自其短篇小说《厄谢尔宅第的倒塌》。
那年秋天，一个天气阴沉、昏暗而又寂静的日子，低压的云层笼罩着大地。整整一天， 我独自骑着马，在一条异常沉闷的乡间小路上行进；暮『色』降临时分，凄凉的厄谢尔宅第终于 呈现在我眼前。但是，不知出于什么原因，第一眼望见这幢房子，我就被一种令人难以忍受 的阴郁抓住了。我说难以忍受，是因为往常即使人们看到荒山野岭或其他令人生畏的自然景 象时，也可能产生一些诗意，心中或许有几分快感，但此时此地的情景在我心中却丝毫引不 起此种感情。我看着眼前的这番景象——宅第本身、房子周围单调的景象、光秃秃的墙壁、 空空的圆窗、几丛杂『乱』的茅草、几株灰白的枯树——心情十分沮丧，这种沮丧，无法拿人世 间的任何心情来比拟，除非把它比作过足鸦片烟瘾的人从梦幻中回到现实生活里的那种痛苦 心情。我只觉心中一凉，往下一沉，异常难受。还有一种挥之不去的凄凉之感，无论如何也 不能激起我的兴致。那么，究竟是什么——我停下来仔细思量——究竟是什么使我的心绪在 凝望厄谢尔宅
