有些事不必太认真 TheImportanceofDoingThingsBadly
佚名/Anonymous
-centurypoetryanddrama, publishedwidelyinjournalsandmagazines, 'sTheOutlookin1923.
, , sportsandmusic, arevaluabletomostpeopleinproportiontohowenthusiasticallytheydothem, ratherthanhowwell.
, atthemoment, carrythemveryclearlyinmymemory; but, unlessthattreacherousservantmisleadsmemoreeventhansheusuallydoes, , thisscrapofspeciousadvice, thisuntruthmasqueradingaslogic, “Ifathingisworthdoingatall, itisworthdoingwell”?
, ,“Moderateskill, sir, isthesignofagoodeyeandasteadyhand, butskillsuchasyoursarguesayouthmisspent?”Isanygameworthplayingsupremelywell, atthepriceofconstantpracticeandapplication?
AgainsttheprofessionalplayerIsaynothing; heisapublicentertainer, likeanyother, andbyhisskillinhisparticularsportheatleastfulfillsthefirstsocialdutyofman—? , butdevoteshimself, forthemereselfishpleasureofthething, tosomegame, whichheplaysdayindayout; hebreaksdownthesalutarydistinctionbetweentheamateurandtheprofessional; eventuallyhisskilldesertshim, andheleavesbehindhimnothingthatisofservicetohisfellowmen—notabricklaid, notanacreploughed, notalinewritten, notevenafamilysupportedandeducatedbyhislabor.
Itistruethathehasprovidedentertainmentforacertainnumberofpersons, buthehasneverhadtheplucktosubmithimselftothetestbywhichwedemandthateveryentertainershouldjustifyhischoiceofacalling—, whenhisdayisover, whatisleft, noteventotheworld, buttohimself? Nothingbutanamethatisatonceforgotten, orisrememberedbystoutgentlemeninclubs.
