TheEphemera
本傑明·富蘭克林/BenjaminFranklin
Youmayremember,mydearfriendthatwhenwelatelyspentthathappydayinthedelightfulgardenandsweetsocietyoftheMoulinJoly,Istoppedalittleinoneofourwalks,andstayedsometimebehindthecompany.Wehadbeenshownnumberlessskeletonsofakindoflittlef?ly,calledanephemera,whosesuccessivegenerations,weweretold,werebredandexpiredwithintheday.Ihappenedtoseealivingcompanyofthemonaleaf,whoappearedtobeengagedinconversation.YouknowIunderstandalltheinferioranimaltongues.MytoogreatapplicationtothestudyofthemisthebestexcuseIcangiveforthelittleprogressIhavemadeinyourcharminglanguage.Ilistenedthroughcuriositytothediscourseoftheselittlecreatures;butasthey,intheirnationalvivacity,spokethreeorfourtogether,Icouldmakebutlittleoftheirconversation.Ifound,however,bysomebrokenexpressionsthatIheardnowandthen,theyweredisputingwarmlyonthemeritoftwoforeignmusicians,oneacousin,theotheramoscheto;inwhichdisputetheyspenttheirtime,seeminglyasregardlessoftheshortnessoflifeasiftheyhadbeensureoflivingamonth.Happypeople!ThoughtI;youarecertainlyunderawise,just,andmildgovernment,sinceyouhavenopublicgrievancestocomplainof,noranysubjectofcontentionbuttheperfectionsandimperfectionsofforeignmusic.Iturnedmyheadfromthemtoanoldgray-headedone,whowassingleonanotherleaf,andtalkingtohimself.Beingamusedwithhissoliloquy,Iputitdowninwriting,inhopesitwilllikewiseamusehertowhomIamsomuchindebtedforthemostpleasingofallamusements,herdeliciouscompanyandheavenlyharmony.