The Handsome and Deformed Leg

本杰明·富蘭克林 / Benjamin Franklin

本杰明·富蘭克林（1706—1790），18世紀(jì)美國最偉大的科學(xué)家，著名的政治家和文學(xué)家。他生于北美洲的波士頓，幼年家境貧窮，一生只受過兩年正式教育。八歲入學(xué)，十歲輟學(xué)，此后又當(dāng)了近十年的印刷工人。但他自學(xué)從未間斷過，從自然科學(xué)、技術(shù)方面的讀物到著名科學(xué)家的論文以及名家作品，無不涉獵。

1726年，他出版了《窮查理歷書》，當(dāng)時被譯成十二種文字，暢銷歐美各國，也奠定了他在文學(xué)上地位。獨立戰(zhàn)爭爆發(fā)后，他參加了第二屆大陸會議和《獨立宣言》的起草工作。

1790年4月17日，深夜11點，富蘭克林溘然逝去。他一生最真實的寫照是他自己所過的一句話“誠實和勤勉，應(yīng)該成為你永久的伴侶。”本文是作者于1780年創(chuàng)作的，當(dāng)時他正在法國為國事奔走，卻仍然有閑情雅致寫這種輕松的文章，此文足以窺見作者美國式的幽默和機智。

Practicing for Better Learning

Read the article quickly and answer the following questions.

What is the most important thing for us in this article?

There are two sorts of people in the world, who with equal degrees of health ＆ wealth, and the other comforts of life, become, the one happy, and the other miserable. This arises very much from the different views in which they consider things, persons, and events; and the effect of those different views upon their own minds.

In whatever situation Men can be placed, they may find conveniences ＆ inconveniences: In whatever company, they may find persons ＆ conversation more or less pleasing; At whatever table, they may meet with meats ＆ drinks of better and worse taste, dishes better＆ worse dressed; In whatever climate they will find good and bad weather; Under whatever government, they may find good ＆ bad laws, and good ＆ bad administration of those laws. In every poem or work of genius they may see faults and beauties. In almost every face ＆every person, they may discover fine features ＆ defects, good ＆ bad qualities.

Under these circumstances, the two sorts of people above mentioned fix their attention, those who are to be happy, on the conveniencies of things, the pleasant parts of conversation, the well-dressed dishes, the goodness of the wines, the fine weather; ＆ etc., and enjoy all with chearfulness. Those who are to be unhappy think ＆ speak only of the contraries. Hence they are continually discontented themselves, and by their remarks sour the pleasures of society, offend personally many people, and make themselves everywhere disagreeable. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. But as the disposition to criticize, ＆be disgusted, is perhaps taken up originally by imitation, and is unawares grown into a habit, which though at present strong may nevertheless be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their felicity; I hope this little admonition may be of service to them, and put them on changing a habit, which though in the exercise it is chiefly an act of imagination yet has serious consequences in life, as it brings on real griefs and misfortunes. For as many are offended by, ＆ nobody well loves this sort of people, no one shows them more than the most common civility and respect, and scarcely that; and this frequently puts them out of humour, and draws them into disputes and contentions. If they aim at obtaining some advantage in rank of fortune, nobody wishes them success, or will stir a step, or speak a word, to favour their pretensions. If they incur public censure or disgrace, no one will defend or excuse, and many join to aggravate their misconduct, and tender them completely odious. If these people will not change this bad habit, and condescend to be pleased with what is pleasing, without fretting themselves and others about the contraries, it is good for others to avoid an acquaintance with them; which is always disagreeable, and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one finds one’s self entangled in their quarrels.