OnIdleness
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.disguise[dis'ɡaiz]n.偽裝
2.degrade[di'ɡreid]v.貶低
3.obstinate['?bst?n?t]adj.頑固的
4.predominate[pr?'d?m?,ne?t]v.支配
5.turbulence['t?:bj?l?ns]n.騷亂，動盪
5.eminently[?emin?ntli]adv.突出地，顯著地
Manymoralistshaveremarked,thatPridehasofallhumanvicesthewidestdominion,appearsinthegreatestmultiplicityofforms,andlieshidunderthegreatestvarietyofdisguises;ofdisguises,which,likethemoon』sveilofbrightness,arebothitslusteranditsshade,andbetrayittoothers,thoughtheyhideitfromourselves.
ItisnotmyintentiontodegradePridefromthispreeminenceofmischief,yetIknownotwhetherIdlenessmaynotmaintainaverydoubtfulandobstinatecompetition.
TherearesomethatprofessIdlenessinitsfulldignity,whocallthemselvestheIdle,asBusirisintheplay「callshimselftheProud」;whoboastthattheydonothing,andthanktheirstarsthattheyhavenothingtodo;whosleepeverynighttilltheycansleepnolonger,andriseonlythatexercisemayenablethemtosleepagain;whoprolongthereignofdarknessbydoublecurtains,andneverseethesunbutto「tellhimhowtheyhatehisbeams」;whosewholelaboristovarytheposturesofindulgence,andwhosedaydiffersfromtheirnightbutasacouchorchairdiffersfromabed.
ThesearethetrueandopenvotariesofIdleness,forwhomsheweavesthegarlandsofpoppies,andintowhosecupshepoursthewatersofoblivion;whoexistinastateofunruffledstupidity,forgettingandforgotten;whohavelongceasedtolive,andatwhosedeaththesurvivorscanonlysay,thattheyhaveceasedtobreathe.
ButIdlenesspredominatesinmanyliveswhereitisnotsuspected;forbeingavicewhichterminatesinitself,itmaybeenjoyedwithoutinjurytoothers;andisthereforenotwatchedlikeFraud,whichendangersproperty,orlikePride,whichnaturallyseeksitsgratificationsinanother』sinferiority.Idlenessisasilentandpeacefulquality,thatneitherraisesenvybyostentation,norhatredbyopposition;andthereforenobodyisbusytocensureordetectit.
AsPridesometimesishidunderhumility,Idlenessisoftencoveredbyturbulence4andhurry.Hethatneglectshisknowndutyandrealemployment,naturallyendeavorstocrowdhismindwithsomethingthatmaybarouttheremembranceofhisownfolly,anddoesanythingbutwhatheoughttodowitheagerdiligence,thathemaykeephimselfinhisownfavor.
Somearealwaysinastateofpreparation,occupiedinpreviousmeasures,formingplans,accumulatingmaterials,andprovidingforthemainaffair.ThesearecertainlyunderthesecretpowerofIdleness.Nothingistobeexpectedfromtheworkmanwhosetoolsareforevertobesought.Iwasoncetoldbyagreatmaster,thatnomaneverexcelledinpainting,whowaseminentlycuriousaboutpencilsandcolors.
ThereareotherstowhomIdlenessdictatesanotherexpedient,bywhichlifemaybepassedunprofitablyawaywithoutthetediousnessofmanyvacanthours.Theartis,tofillthedaywithpettybusiness,tohavealwayssomethinginhandwhichmayraisecuriosity,butnotsolicitude,andkeepthemindinastateofaction,butnotoflabor.
ThisarthasformanyyearsbeenpracticedbymyoldfriendSober,withwonderfulsuccess.Soberisamanofstrongdesiresandquickimagination,soexactlybalancedbytheloveofease,thattheycanseldomstimulatehimtoanydifficultundertaking;theyhave,however,somuchpower,thattheywillnotsufferhimtoliequiteatrest,andthoughtheydonotmakehimsufficientlyusefultoothers,theymakehimatleastwearyofhimself.
Mr.Sober』schiefpleasureisconversation;thereisnoendofhistalkorhisattention;tospeakortohearisequallypleasing;forhestillfanciesthatheisteachingorlearningsomething,andisfreeforthetimefromhisownreproaches.