, , atourarisinginthemorning, ? Friendofmysoul, thisisterrible, dismaying: itmakesone'sheartsink, itwithersvitalenergy...Dearbeing, Iamthineagain; ? Oh, itwereasrecklessatasktoendeavourtoannihilateperceptionwhilesenseexisted, astobluntthesixthsensetosuchimpressionsasthese! —Forgiveme, dearestfriend? : , too, , withmyconsent, shallthatintercourseceasewhichhasbeentheday-dawnofmyexistence, , ; itsopinionmightrequire, butthecloudwhichfleesoveryonmountainwereasimportanttoourhappiness, , neverwhilstthisexistencecontinues; andwhentimehasenrolledusinthelistofthedeparted, , orfriendship? Isitsomethingmaterial—aball, anapple, aplaything—whichmustbetakenfromonetobegiventoanother? Isitcapableofnoextension, nocommunication? , ofsentiment—, -centered, self-devoted, ; , monopoly, isitsverysoul, andtocommunicatetootherspartofthisloveweretodestroyitsessence, , thelovewhichweworship—virtue, heaven, disinterestedness—inaword, Friendship—whichhasasmuchtodowiththesensesaswithyondermountains, thatwhichseeksthegoodofall— thegoodofitsobjectfirst, notbecausethatobjectisaministertoitspleasures, notmerelybecauseitevencontributestoitshappiness, butbecauseitisreallyworthy, becauseithaspowers, sensibilities, iscapableofabstractingitself, andlovingvirtueforvirtue'sownloveliness—desiringthehappinessofothersnotfromtheobligationoffearinghellordesiringheaven: butforpure, simple, , , Ishallceasetoexist.
Yoursmostsincerely, inviolably, eternally,
PercyByssheShelley
ChestnutCottage, Keswick
Tuesday, Nov.12nd, 1811
亲爱的伊丽莎白:
刚才收到你1号的来信,我按我们之间的协议回信,这个协议是不能违背的。你确实说过,早上我们起床时,大自然总会呈现出不同的面貌。谁能猜得到我写上一封信时的心境呢?我心灵的知己,这真可怕,让人沮丧,锐气尽消……亲爱的人,我又属于你了,你的幸福又将压倒我短暂的孤芳自赏。然而在这种时候,谁又感觉不到呢?啊,如果一息尚存却对它置若罔闻,就像让第六感对这种印象反应迟钝一样,都是鲁莽的。——最亲爱的朋友,原谅我吧,我已把我的整个心奉献给你了。思绪飞转,令手中之笔无力倾诉,但**终于宣泄而出,你的信也起了作用。我认为我们将永远不会停止彼此的交往,这种交往给我带来了生命的曙光,这温暖的阳光洒在我冷清而漫长的人生之旅上。偏见可能要求人们作出牺牲,但我们不会屈服于这个幽灵;世俗可能要我们作出牺牲,舆论也会有所要求,但遥望远方那翻山越岭的云朵也会感到快乐,它将为身心带来好处。只要还有一口气在,就永不屈服,决不低头;即使生命将尽,人间情侣也要相聚在天堂。