ExtremeBusyness
罗伯特·路易斯·史蒂文森 / RobertLouisStevenson
Extremebusyness, whetheratschoolorcollege, kirkormarket, isasymptomofdeficientvitality; -alive, hackneyedpeopleabout, , orsetthemabroadship, ; theycannotgivethemselvesovertorandomprovocations; theydonottakepleasureintheexerciseoftheirfacultiesforitsownsake; andunlessnecessitylaysaboutthemwithastick, theywillevenstandstill.
Itisnogoodspeakingtosuchfolk: theycannotbeidle, theirnatureisnotgenerousenough; andtheypassthosehoursinasortofcoma, , whentheyarenothungryandhavenomindtodrink, , , youwouldsupposetherewasnothingtolookatandnoonetospeakwith; youwouldimaginetheywereparalyzedoralienated; andyetverypossiblytheyarehardworkersintheirownway, andhavegoodeyesightforaflawinadeedoraturnofthemarket.
Theyhavebeentoschoolandcollege, butallthetimetheyhadtheireyesonthemedal; theyhavegoneaboutintheworldandmixedwithcleverpeople, ’ssoulwerenottoosmalltobeginwith, theyhavedwarfedandnarrowedtheirsbyalifeofallworkandnoplay; untilheretheyareatforty, withalistlessattention, amindvacantofallmaterialofamusement, andnotonethoughttorubagainstanother, , hemighthaveclamberedontheboxes, whenhewastwenty, hewouldhavestaredatthegirls; butnowthepipeissmokedout, thesnuff-boxempty, andmygentlemansitsboltuprightuponabench, .
无论在中学还是在大学,在教会还是在市场,忙忙碌碌都是欠缺生命力的一种表现。闲散的本领意味着广泛的兴趣与对个性的强烈意识。这些无精打采、陈腐之人,除了一些常规的工作外,几乎没有生存的意识。如果把他们带到乡村,或是让他们乘船到国外去,你们就会看到他们是多么渴望办公桌和书房了;他们全无好奇心,也不会任由自己宣泄怒气;他们不会在展现自己本领的活动上开心或是独自陶醉;除非紧急情况,例如用棒子打他,他们才会前行。
