An old philosophical friend of mine was grown, form experience, very cautious in this particular, and carefully avoided any intimacy with such people. He had, like other philosophers, a thermometer to show him the heat of the weather, and a barometer to mark when it was likely to prove good or bad; but, there being no instrument invented to discover, at first sight, this unpleasing disposition in a person, he for that purpose made use of his legs; one of which was remarkably handsome, the other, by some accident, crooked and deformed. If a stranger, at the first interview, regarded his ugly leg more than his handsome one, he doubted him. If he spoke of it, & took no notice of the handsome leg, that was sufficient to determine my philosopher to have no further acquaintance with him. Every body has not this two-legged instrument, but every one with a little attention, may observe signs of that carping, fault-finding disposition, &take the same resolution of avoiding the acquaintance of those infected with it. I therefore advise those critical, querulous, discontented, unhappy people, that if they wish to be respected and beloved by others, &happy in themselves they should leave off looking at the ugly leg.
參考譯文
這世上有兩種人,他們擁有著同樣的健康、財(cái)富以及其他生活上的享受,但是,一種人快樂(lè),另一種人卻煩惱。這很大程度上緣于他們對(duì)事物的觀點(diǎn)不同,比如對(duì)人和對(duì)事,因此產(chǎn)生了快樂(lè)和煩惱的差別。
人無(wú)論處于什么境地,總是會(huì)遇到“幸”與“不幸”。不管在什么場(chǎng)合,與什么樣的人接觸并進(jìn)行交流,總有讓他開心或煩心的;無(wú)論在什么樣的餐桌前吃飯,酒肉總有對(duì)味和不對(duì)味的,餐具也總有精致和粗糙的;無(wú)論在什么氣候下,他們總能遭遇好天氣或壞天氣;無(wú)論哪個(gè)政府統(tǒng)治,法律條文總有好壞之分;再偉大的詩(shī)句或著作中,總能挑出精彩的和平庸的;差不多每一個(gè)人的臉上,都有美麗和難看的地方,每一個(gè)人,也總有優(yōu)點(diǎn)和缺點(diǎn)。
在這種情況下,上面所說(shuō)的兩種人注重的東西剛好相反。快樂(lè)的人,總是看著事物的長(zhǎng)處:交談中愉快的部分,食物的精致,酒的美味,美好的天氣等等,并且滿心歡喜地享受這一切。那些不快樂(lè)的人,卻站在對(duì)立的一面,因此他們總是對(duì)自己不滿意,他們說(shuō)的話在社交場(chǎng)合很掃興,既得罪了別人,也讓自己悶悶不樂(lè)。如果這種性格是與生俱來(lái)的,那么真值得同情,可是如果是盲目模仿別人,最后不知不覺(jué)成了習(xí)慣的,那么他們應(yīng)該深信不疑這種惡習(xí)將對(duì)他們幸福的人生產(chǎn)生很不好的影響,即便這種頑固的惡習(xí)是可以根除的。我希望這忠告可以給他們一點(diǎn)幫助,改變這不好的習(xí)慣?;蛟S這習(xí)慣主要作用于心理上,但是卻能給生活造成惡劣的影響,帶來(lái)一些現(xiàn)實(shí)的悲傷與不幸。因?yàn)榭偸堑米锶?,大家都不喜歡他,頂多表示一些必不可少的禮節(jié),甚至連最起碼的尊重都不會(huì)給他。這會(huì)使他們的生活缺乏情趣,而且會(huì)引起各種矛盾和爭(zhēng)執(zhí)。如果他們想增加財(cái)富,沒(méi)有人會(huì)祝福他們好運(yùn),沒(méi)有人愿意為他們出謀劃策。如果他們招致公眾的責(zé)難和羞辱,也沒(méi)有人出來(lái)為他們辯護(hù)或諒解,有的人甚至夸大其詞地攻擊他們,使他們變得更討厭。如果這些人不改變這些壞習(xí)慣,仍舊對(duì)那些人們認(rèn)為美好的事物不屑一顧,一天到晚怨天尤人,那么大家還是少和他接觸好,因?yàn)檫@種人很難相處,而且當(dāng)你卷進(jìn)他們的爭(zhēng)吵時(shí),你會(huì)有更大的麻煩。