美腿与丑腿（1/2）

The Handso and Deford Leg

本杰明·富兰克林/ Benja Frankl

本杰明·富兰克林（1706—1790），18世纪美国最伟大的科学家，著名的政治家和文学家。他生于北美洲的波士顿，幼年家境贫穷，一生只受过两年正式教育。八岁入学，十岁辍学，此后又当了近十年的印刷工人。但他自学从未间断过，从自然科学、技术方面的读物到著名科学家的论文以及名家作品，无不涉猎。

1726年，他出版了《穷查理历书》，当时被译成十二种文字，畅销欧美各国，也奠定了他在文学上地位。独立战争爆发后，他参加了第二届大陆会议和《独立宣言》的起草工作。

1790年4月17日，深夜11点，富兰克林溘然逝去。他一生最真实的写照是他自己所过的一句话“诚实和勤勉，应该成为你永久的伴侣。”本文是作者于1780年创作的，当时他正在法国为国事奔走，却仍然有闲情雅致写这种轻松的文章，此文足以窥见作者美国式的幽默和机智。

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There are o sorts of peoplethe world, who with equal degrees of health＆wealth, and the other forts of life, bee, the one happy, and the other iserable. This arises very uch fro the different viewswhich they hgs, persons, as; and the effect of those different views upon their own ds.

In whatever situation Menbe pced, they ay fd nvenienveniences: In whatever pany, they ay fd persons＆ion ore or less pleasg; At whatever table, they ay et with ats＆drks of better and worse taste, dishes better＆worse dressed; In whatever cliate they will fd good and bad weather; Under whatever governnt, they ay fd good＆bad ws, and good＆bad adistration of those ws. In every poe or work of geni they ay see faults aies. In alost every face＆every person, they ay disver fe features＆defects, good＆bad qualities.

Uhese circtahe o sorts of people above ntioned fix their attention, those who are to be happy, on the nveniencies of thgs, the pleasant parts of ion, the well-dressed dishes, the goodness of the es, the fe weather;＆etc., and enjoy all with chearfulness. Those who are to be unhappy thk＆speak only of the ntraries. Hehey are ntually dised theselves, and by their rearks sour the pleasures of society, offend personally any people, and ake theselves everywhere disagreeable. If this turn of d was foundednature, suhappy persons would be the ore to be pitied. But as the disposition to criticize,＆be disgted, is perhaps taken up ally by iitation, and is unawares grown to a habit, which though at present strong ay heless be cured when those who have it are nvt of iagatio has serio nsequenceslife, as it brgs on real griefs and isfortunes. For as any are offended by,＆nobody well loves this sort of people, no one shows the ore tha on civility and respect, and scarcely that; and this frequently puts the out of huour, and draws the to disputes and ions. If they ai at obtag so advantagerank of fortune, nobody wishes the suess, or will stir a step, or speak a word, to favour their pretensions. If they t, and tehe pletely odio. If these people will not ge this bad habit, and o be pleased with what is pleasg, without frettg theselves and others about the ntraries, it is good for others to avoid an acquatah the; which is always disagreeable, and sotis very nve, especially when one fds one’s self entaheir quarrels.

An old philosophiarefully avoided any tiacy with such people. He had, like other philosophers, a theroter to show hi the heat of the weather, and a baroter to ark when it was likely to prove good or bad; but, there beg no strued to disver, at first sight, this unpleasg dispositiona person, he for that purpose ade e of his legs; one of which was rearkably handso, the other, by so aident, crooked and deford. If a stranger, at the first terview, regarded his ugly leg ore than his handso one, he doubted hi. If he spoke of it,＆took no notice of the handso leg, that was suffit to detere y philosopher to have no further acquatah hi. Every body has not this o-legged strunt, but every oh a little attention, ay observe signs of that carpg, fault-fdg disposition,＆take the sa resotion of avoidg the acquatance of those fected with it. I therefore advise those critical, querulo, dised, unhappy people, that if they wish to be respected and beloved by others,＆happytheselves they should leave off lookg at the ugly leg.

参考译文

这世上有两种人，他们拥有着同样的健康、财富以及其他生活上的享受，但是，一种人快乐，另一种人却烦恼。这很大程度上缘于他们对事物的观点不同，比如对人和对事，因此产生了快乐和烦恼的差别。

人无论处于什么境地，总是会遇到“幸”与“不幸”。不管在什么场合，与什么样的人接触并进行交流，总有让他开心或烦心的；无论在什么样的餐桌前吃饭，酒肉总有对味和不对味的，餐具也总有精致和粗糙的；无论在什么气候下，他们总能遭遇好天气或坏天气；无论哪个政府统治，法律条文总有好坏之分；再伟大的诗句或著作中，总能挑出精彩的和平庸的；差不多每一个人的脸上，都有美丽和难看的地方，每一个人，也总有优点和缺点。

在这种情况下，上面所说的两种人注重的东西刚好相反。快乐的人，总是看着事物的长处：交谈中愉快的部分，食物的精致，酒的美味，美好的天气等等，并且满心欢喜地享受这一切。那些不快乐的人，却站在对立的一面，因此他们总是对自己不满意，他们说的话在社交场合很扫兴，既得罪了别人，也让自己闷闷不乐。如果这种性格是与生俱来的，那么真值得同情，可是如果是盲目模仿别人，最后不知不觉成了习惯的，那么他们应该深信不疑这种恶习将对他们幸福的人生产生很不好的影响，即便这种顽固的恶习是可以根除的。我希望这忠告可以给他们一点帮助，改变这不好的习惯。或许这习惯主要作用于心理上，但是却能给生活造成恶劣的影响，带来一些现实的悲伤与不幸。因为总是得罪人，大家都不喜欢他，顶多表示一些必不可少的礼节，甚至连最起码的尊重都不会给他。这会使他们的生活缺乏情趣，而且会引起各种矛盾和争执。如果他们想增加财富，没有人会祝福他们好运，没有人愿意为他们出谋划策。如果他们招致公众的责难和羞辱，也没有人出来为他们辩护或谅解，有的人甚至夸大其词地攻击他们，使他们变得更讨厌。如果这些人不改变这些坏习惯，仍旧对那些人们认为美好的事物不屑一顾，一天到晚怨天尤人，那么大家还是少和他接触好，因为这种人很难相处，而且当你卷进他们的争吵时，你会有更大的麻烦。

我有一个哲学家老朋友，他经历过很多人情世故，按照他的阅历，行为谨慎的话，就要尽量避免和这种人打交道。和其他的哲学家一样，他也有一个显示气温的温度计和一个预报天气好坏的气压计，但世上没有人可以发明一种仪器，来预测人的这种坏习惯，因此，他就利用自己的两条腿来测验。他的一条腿长得很好看，另一条腿因为意外事故而成了畸形。如果陌生人初见他时，对他的丑腿比美腿更专注，那么他就会有所疑虑。如果那人只谈论那条丑腿，而不注意他的好腿，那我的朋友就会很快决定不再与他深交。不是每个人都有这样一双腿作为测量仪器，但只要稍加留意，每个人都能看出点那种挑三拣四的人的劣迹，从而避免和这种人交往。所以，我奉劝那些爱挑剔、爱发牢骚、整天愁眉苦脸的人，如果想受人尊敬并且想给自己找乐子，就不要总是盯着别人的丑腿看。

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