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发表于 2002-12-17 13:16
The handsome and deformed leg
Benjamin Franklin
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of
health and wealth and the other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other
becomes miserable. This arises from the different ways in which they consider
things, persons, and events, and the resulting effects upon their minds.
In whatever situation men can be placed, they may find conveniences and
inconveniences. In whatever company, they may find persons and conversations
more or less pleasing. At whatever table, they may find meat and drink of better
and worse taste, dishes better or worse prepared. In whatever climate, they may
find good and bad weather. Under whatever government, they may find good or
bad laws, and good and bad administration of these laws. In every poem or work
of genius, they may see beauties and faults. In almost every face and every
person, they may discover fine features and defects, good and bad qualities.
Under these circumstances, the people who are to be happy fix their attention on
the conveniences of things, the pleasant parts of conversation, the well-prepared
dishes, the goodness of the wines, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful
things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the contrary things.
Therefore, they are continually discontented themselves. By their remarks, they
sour the pleasures of society, offend many people, and make themselves
disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind were founded in nature, such
unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The disposition to criticize and
be disgusted is perhaps taken up originally by imitation. It grows into a habit,
unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when
those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their congeniality. I hope
this little admonition may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious
consequences in life, since it brings on real grief and misfortune. These people
offend many others, nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than
the most common civility and respect, and scarcely than. This frequently puts
them in bad humor and draws them into disputes. If they aim at obtaining some
advantage in rank or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone stir a
step or speak a word to favor their ambitions. If they incur public censure or
disgrace, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to aggravate
their misconduct. These people should change this bad habit and condescend to
be pleased with what is pleasing, without fretting themselves and others. If they
do not, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when
one becomes entangled in their quarrels.
An old philosopher friend of mine grew very cautious from experience, and
carefully avoided any contact with such people. He had a thermometer to show
him the temperature, and a barometer to show when the weather was likely to be
good or bad. Since there is no instrument, however, to discover an unpleasant
disposition in a person at first sight, he made use of his legs. One of his legs was
remarkably handsome, the other, by some accident, was crooked and deformed.
If a stranger looked at his ugly leg more than his handsome one, he doubted him.
If he spoke of it and took no notice of the handsome leg, my friend had sufficient
reason not to bother with him any longer.
Not everyone has this two-legged instrument, but everyone, with a little
attention, may observe signs of that kind of fault —— finding disposition and
make the same resolution to avoid those infected with it. I therefore advise those
critical, argumentative, discontented, unhappy people, that if they wish to be
respected and loved by others, and happy in themselves, they should stop
looking at the ugly leg.
from <英语世界》98/8
[此贴子已经被特深沉于2002-12-16 23:16:35编辑过]
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