愛美之心
The love of beauty is an essential part of all healthy human nature. It is a moral quality. The absence of it is not an assured ground ofcondemnation, but the presence of it is aninvariable sign of goodness of heart. In proportion to the degree in which it is felt will probably be the degree in which nobleness and beauty of character will be attained.
愛美是所有健全人天性中的一個重要部分。它是一種道德品質(zhì)。雖然,缺乏這種品質(zhì)并不能作為受到譴責(zé)的充分理由,但是擁有這種品質(zhì)則是心靈美好的永恒標志。品德的高尚與美好所達到的程度可能與對美的感受程度成正比。
Natural beauty is an all-pervading presence. The universe is its temple. It unfolds into the numberless flowers of spring. It waves in the branches of trees and the green blades of grass. It haunts the depths of the earth and the sea. It gleams from the hues of the shell and the precious stone. And not only these minute objects but the oceans, the mountains, the clouds, the stars, the rising and the setting sun — all overflow with beauty. This beauty is so precious, and so congenial to our tenderest and noblest feelings, that it is painful to think of the multitude of people living in the midst of it and yet remaining almost blind to it.
自然之美無處不在,整個宇宙就是美的殿堂。美,綻放在春日百花中;美,搖曳在嫩枝綠葉間;美,縈繞在深海幽谷里;美,閃爍在貝殼與奇石的繽紛色彩中。不只是這些細微之物,還有海洋、山川、云彩、繁星、日升日落,一切都是流溢著的美。這樣的美是如此珍貴,與我們最溫柔,最高尚的情愫是如此相宜。然而,想到許多人置身之中,卻幾乎對它熟視無睹,真是令人痛心不已。
All persons should seek to become acquainted with the beauty in nature. There is not a worm we tread upon, nor a leaf that dances merrily as it falls before the autumn winds, but calls for our study and admiration. The power to appreciated beauty not merely increases our sources of happiness—it enlarges our moral nature, too. Beauty calms our restlessness and dispels our cares. Go into the fields or the woods, spend a summer day by the sea or the mountains, and all your little perplexities and anxieties will vanish. Listen to sweet music, and your foolish fears and petty jealousies will pass away. The beauty of the world helps us to seek and find the beauty of goodness.
所有的人都應(yīng)設(shè)法去認識自然之美。沒有一條我們踩過的小蟲,沒有一片在秋風(fēng)拂掠之際飛舞的樹葉不值得我們研究與贊賞。欣賞美的能力不僅增加了我們快樂的源泉, 也加強了我們德性的修養(yǎng)。美使我們不安的心平靜下來,也驅(qū)散了我們的憂慮。到田野或森林去,在夏日的海邊或山上待上一天,那么你所有微不足道的困惑與焦慮都會煙消云散。傾聽悅耳的音樂,你那愚蠢的恐懼與狹隘的嫉妒都會過去。世界之美將有助于我 們找到為善之美。