世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第14章
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人人想当别人，这种情形也是艺术家与文人学士出现越轨现象的一个重要原因。我们的 画家、剧作家、音乐家、诗人以及小说作者也就像上面说的女佣人，铁路经理与列车员一样 ，犯着人们所通有的『毛』病。他们总是希望“以最多的方式对最多的人们做最多的工作”。他 们厌倦了自己所熟悉的东西，而喜欢尝试种种新的结合。于是他们经常把不同的事物拉扯在 一起。一种艺术的实践者总是尽量用另外一种艺术制造出某种效果。
于是有的音乐家想当画家，像使用画笔一样来使用小提琴。他要让我们看见他为我们描 绘的落日彩霞。而画家则想当音乐家，想把交响乐画出来，并很苦恼那些缺乏修养的人听不 出他画中的音乐，因为那些『色』彩明明在互相咆哮着。另一位画家则想当建筑师，希望他构制 出的图画能产生砖石砌成的感觉。结果他的作品倒很像一所砖房，但可惜在一般正常人看来 却不像一张图画。再如一位散文作家厌倦了写散文，而想当诗人。于是他在每一行开头用了 大写字母以后，却继续照着他的散文写法不误。
再比如看戏剧。你带着你那简单的莎土比亚式的观念走进剧院，以为来到这里就是看戏 。但是你的剧作家却想成为病理学家。于是你发现自己身陷诊所，四周阴森难耐。你本来是 到这里来消遣，找个地方舒散舒散，但你这位不入流的人士却走入这个专门为你准备的场所 ，因此你不得不熬到终场。至于你有你自己的苦衷这点并不成为充分的理由使你豁免。
又如你拿起一部小说来看，以为这肯定是一则故事。谁料到你的小说家却别有其见解。 他想充当你的精神顾问。他要对你的心智有所建树，他要把你的基本思想重新整理一番，他 要按摩你的灵魂，对你的周身进行大扫除。尽管你并不想让他为你做什么扫除或调整，他却 要为你做所有这些事。你不愿你的那颗心被他触动。确实，你自己也只有那么一颗可怜的心 ，你自己的工作也还需要它。
every man's natural desire
to be somebody else
samuel mcomhord crothers
the natural desire of every man to be somebody else explains many of the min or irritations of life。 it prevents that perfect or ganizatiott of society in wh ich everyone should know his place and keep it。 the desire to be somebody else l eads us to practice on work that does； not strictly belong to us。 we all have ap titudes and talents that overflow the narrow bounds of our trade or profession。 every man feels that he is bigger than his job； and he is all the time doing wha t theologians call “works of supererogation。”
the seriousminded housemaid is not content to do what she is told to do。 s he has an unexpended balance of energy。 she wants to be a general household refo rmer。 so she goes to the desk of the titular master of the house and gives it a thorough reformation。 she arranges the papers acomording to her idea of neatness。 when the poor gentleman returns and finds his familiar chaos transformed into a hateful order； he becomes a reactionary。
the serious manager of a street railway company is not content with the simp le duty of transporting passengers cheaply and comfortably。 he wants to exercise the functions of a lecturer in an ethical culture society。 while the transporte d victim is swaying precariously from the end of a strap he reads a notice urgin g him to practise christian courtesy and not to push。
a man enters a barber's shop with the simple desire of being shaved。 but he meets with the more ambitious desires of the barber。 the serious barber is not c ontent with any slight contribution to human welfare。he insists that his client shall be shampooed； manicured； massaged； steamed beneath boiling towels； cooled off by electric fans； and； while all this is going on； that he shall have his bo ots blacked。
have you never marveled at the patience of people in having so many things d one to them that they don't want； just to avoid hurting the feelings of professi onal people who want to do more than is expected of them。 you watch the stoical countenance of the passenger in a pullman car as he stands up to be brushed。 the chances are that he doesn't want to be brushed。 he would prefer to leave the du st on his coat rather than to be compelled to swallow it。 but he knows what is e xpected of him。 it is a part of the solemn ritual of traveling。 it precedes the offering。
the fact that every man desires to be somebody else explains many of the abe rrations of artists and literary men。 the painters； dramatists； musicians； poets ； and novelists are just as human as housemaids and railway managers and porters 。 they want to do “all the good they can to all the people they can in all the ways they can。〃 they get tired of the ways they are used to and like to try new combinations。 so they are continually mixing things。 the practitioner of one art tries to produce effects that are proper to another art。
a musician wants to be a painter and use his violin as if it were a brush。he would have us see the sunset glories that he is painting for us。 a painter want s to be a musician and paint symphonies； and he is grieved because the uninstruc ted cannot hear his pictures； although the colors do swear at each other。 anothe r painter wants to be an architect and build up his picture as if it were made o f cubes of brick。 it looks like brickwork； but to the natural eye it doesn't l ook like a picture。 a prosewriter gets tired of writing prose； and wants to be a poet。 so he begins every line with a capital letter； and keeps on writing pro se。
you go to the theatre with the simpleminded shakespearean idea that the pl ay's the thing。 but the playwright wants to be a pathologist。 so you discover th at you have dropped into a gruesome clinic。 you sought innocent relaxation； but you are one of the honelect and have gone to the place prepared for you。 you m ust see the thing through。 the fact that you have troubles of your own is not a sufficient claim for exemption。
or you take up a novel expecting it to be a work of fiction。but the novelist has other views。he wants to be your spiritual adviser。 he must do something to your mind； he must rearrange your fundamental ideas； he must massage your soul； and generally brush you off。 all this in spite of the fact that you don't want t o be brushed off and set to rights。 you don't want him to do anything to your mi nd。 it's the only mind you have and you need it in your own business。
人生苦短
佚名
你们有些人听任一些不幸的误会年复一年地继续存在，打算将来有一天再去澄清；你们 有些人听任一些可怜的争执继续为害，因为你们不能现在就下定决心牺牲自己的自尊，消除 那些争执；你们有些人在大街上遇见某些人的时候，由于某种愚蠢的怨恨，故意不同他们讲 话，但是你们自己心里也知道，如果在明天早晨听说其中的某个人离开了人世，自己的心中 一定会充满羞愧和悔恨之情；你们有些人吝惜一句感激或同情的话，因而使朋友在痛苦中等 待——只要你们突然间知道、看到或感觉到“人生苦短”，那你们的心胸就会豁然开朗，不 再沉『迷』于那些无谓的计较，你会马上去做一些如果现在不做以后也许就永远没有机会去做的 事情。
the time is short
anonymous
you who are letting miserable misunderstandings run on from year to year； me aning to clear them up some day； you who are keeping wretched quarrels alive bec ause you cannot quite make up your mind that now is the day to sacrifice your pr ide and kill them； you who are passing men sullenly upon the street； not speakin g to them out of some silly spite； and yet knowing that it would fill you with s hame and remorse if you heard that one of those men were dead tomorrow morning； you who are letting your friend's heart ache for a word of appreciation or sympa thy if only you could know and see and feel； all of a sudden； that “the time is short〃 how it would break the spell！ how you would go instantly and do the thin g which you might never have another chance to do！
人是为了别人而活着
阿尔伯特。爱因斯坦
阿尔伯特。爱因斯坦（1879—1955），美国籍犹太人，20世纪最伟大的科学家。1921年获 诺贝尔物理学奖。他一生崇尚科学与民主，追求真理和光明，毕生致力于国际和平事业。
人类在这个世界上的处境真是奇怪。我们每个人都是来做一次短暂的访问，不知道自己 为何而来，然而有时候却似乎推测出一种目的。
但是从日常生活的观点来看，有一件事情我们是肯定知道的，那就是人在这个世界上是 为了别人而活着——尤其为了那些我们自身幸福寄托在他们的微笑和福祉之上的人们，以及 那些由于同情之感而使我们同他们的命运联系起来的人们。每天都有很多次，我觉察到自己 的肉体生活和精神生活是如何建立在别人——包括生者和死者——的劳动之上，以及自己必 须如何地奋发努力，从而使我从别人那里取得多少东西，我也可以把同等数量的东西给予别 人，以此作为报答。我时常怀着一种忧郁的心情，觉得自己从别人的工作中承袭得太多，因 而心里惴惴不安。
没完没了地沉思着自己生存的理由或人生的意义，从客观的观点来看，我觉得这是近乎 愚蠢的行为。可是，每个人都有—些理想作为他的抱负和判断的指南针。经常在我的眼前闪 耀发光，并使我充满了快乐的理想，就是真、善、美。我从来没有以追求舒适和幸福作为生 活的目标，建立在这个基础上的一套伦理观念，只能满足一群牲畜的需要。
man is here for the
sake of other men
albert einstein
strange is our situation here upon earth。 each of us comes for a short visit ； not knowing why； yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose。
from the standpoint of daily life； however； there is one thing we do know th at man is here for the sake of other men — above all for those upon whose smile and wellbeing our own happiness depends； and also for the countless unknown s ouls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy。 many times a day i realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fell ow men； both
