世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第6章
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clid and shelley； edmund spe nser and herbert spencer； king david and david hume； are all followers of the ar t of letters。
…
all style is gesture； the gesture of the mind and of the soul。 mind we have in common； inasmuch as the laws of right reason are not different for different minds。 therefore clearness and arrangement can be taught； sheer incompetence in the art of expression can be partly remedied。 but who shall impose laws upon the soul。 it is thus of common note that one may dislike or even hate a particular style while admiring its facility； its strength； its skilful adaptation to the m atter set forth。 milton； a chaster and mote unerring master of the art than shak espeare； reveals no such lovable personality。 while persons count for much； styl e； the index to persons； can never count for little。 “speak；〃 it has been said； “that i may know you〃 — voicegesture is more than feature。 write； and after you have attained to some control over the instrument； you write yourself down whether you will or no。 there is no vice； however unconscious； no virtue； howeve r shy； no touch of meanness or of generosity in your character； that will not pa ss on to the paper。 you anticipate the day of judgment and furnish the recording angel with material。 the art of criticism in literature； so often decried and g iven a subordinate place among the arts； is none other than the art of reading a nd interpreting these written evidences。 criticism has been popularly opposed to creation； perhaps because the kind of creation that it attempts is rarely achie ved； and so the world forgets that the main business of criticism； after all； is not to legislate； nor to classify； but to raise the dead。 graves； at its comman d； have waked their sleepers； oped； and let them forth。 it is by the creative po wer of this art that the living man is reconstructed from the litter of blurred and fragmentary paper documents that he has left to posterity。
何谓伟大的艺术
约翰。罗斯金
绘画，或者说一般的艺术本身，尽管它们技巧高妙、困难重重、目标独特，其实也不过 是一种高贵而富于表现力的语言，和思想的载体一样，非常宝贵，不过它们自身毫无价值。 一个人要想学会通常所说的绘画艺术，也就是忠实地再现任何客观物体的艺术，也不过是学 会了表达思想的语言。为了成为受人尊敬的大师，他付出了艰辛的努力，但这种努力跟某个 学会用合乎语法、音调悦耳的文字表达情意的人想成为伟大诗人所付出的努力是一样的。这 种语言的确比那种语言难学，当它诉诸智力时，也更能使人的感官感到愉悦。然而，它仅仅 是语言，画家认为独特的各种优点，也就相当于诗人和演说家语言具有的节奏、旋律、精密 和力量，这些只是他们伟大的必要条件，而不是检验他们是否伟大的标准。不管是画家还是 作家，他的伟大与否，最终不是看他表现与写作的方式，而是看他表现与写作的内容。
所以，如果我说最伟大的画，就是能向看画人的大脑传达最多伟大思想的画，那么，我 这个定义就包括了艺术所能传达的作为比较对象的全部乐趣。相反，如果我说最好的画就是 模仿自然模仿得最『逼』真的画，我是在假定艺术只有模仿自然才能给人愉悦，我批评时就会抛 开那些不是模仿的艺术作品，即具有自身『色』彩美和形式美的作品，以及像拉斐尔在梵蒂冈宫 给绘制的壁画那样毫无模仿的一切艺术作品。现在，我想找个很广的艺术定义，囊括目标各 异的所有艺术种类。因此，我不说给人愉悦最多的艺术最伟大，因为也许某种艺术目的在于 教育，不在于给人以愉悦。我不说教给我们知识最多的艺术最伟大，因为也许某种艺术目的 在于给人愉悦，不在于教育。我不说模仿最佳的艺术最伟大，因为也许某种艺术目的在于创 造而不在于模仿。但我要说，无论采用何种方式，只要是向观众大脑传达最丰富最伟大的思 想的艺术，就是最伟大的艺术；我所说的伟大思想是指它能够为心智较高的人所接受，它能 更彻底地占有并在占有过程中锻炼和提高接受它的心智。
如果说这就是伟大艺术的定义，那么，伟大艺术家的定义自然就是这样的：最伟大的艺 术家就是其全部作品表现了最丰富最伟大的思想的艺术家。
a definition of greatness in art
john ruskin
painting； or art generally； as such； with all its technicalities； difficulti es； and particular ends； is nothing but a noble and expressive language； invalua ble as the vehicle of thought； but by itself nothing。 he who has learned what is commonly considered the whole art of painting； that is； the art of representing any natural object faithfully； has as yet only learned the language by which hi s thoughts are to be expressed。 he has done just as much towards being that whic h we ought to respect as a great painter； as a man who has learnt how to express himself grammatically and melodiously has towards being a great poet。 the langu age is； indeed； more difficult of acquirement in the one case than in the other； and possesses more power of delighting the sense； while it speaks to the intell ect； but it is； nevertheless； nothing more than language； and all those excellen ces which are peculiar to the painter as such； are merely what rhythm； melody； p recision； and force are in the words of the orator and the poet； necessary to th eir greatness； but not the tests of their greatness。 it is not by the mode of re presenting and saying； but by what is represented and said； that the respective greatness either of the painter or the writer is to be finally determined。
so that； if i say that the greatest picture is that which conveys to the min d of the spectator the greatest number of the greatest ideas； i have a definitio n which will include as subjects of comparison every pleasure which art is capab le of conveying。 if i were to say； on the contrary； that the best picture was th at which most closely imitated nature； i should assume that art could only pleas e by imitating nature； and i should cast out of the pale of criticism those part s of works of art which are not imitative； that is to say； intrinsic beauties of color and form； and those works of art wholly； which； like the arabesques of ra ffaelle in the loggias； are not imitative at all。 now； i want a definition of ar t wide enough to include all its varieties of aim。 i do not say； therefore； that the art is greatest which gives most pleasure； because perhaps there is some ar t whose end is to teach； and not to please。 i do not say that the art is greates t which teaches us most； because perhaps there is some art whose end is to pleas e； and not to teach。 i do not say that the art is greatest which imitates best； because perhaps there is some art whose end is to create and not to imitate。 but i say that the art is greatest which conveys to the mind of the spectator； by a ny means whatsoever； the greatest number of the greatest ideas； and i call an id ea great in proportion as it is received by a higher faculty of the mind； and as it mere fully ocomupies； and in ocomupying； exercises and exalts； the faculty by which it is received。
if this； then； be the definition of great art； that of a great artist natura lly follows。 he is the greatest artist who has embodied； in the sum of his works ； the greatest number of the greatest ideas。
第1卷 第三章
小小伟人
奥利弗。哥尔德斯密斯
奥利弗。哥尔德斯密斯（1730—1774），英国剧作家、诗人、散文家。主要作品有小说 《威克菲尔德牧师》，喜剧《曲身求爱》，诗歌《荒村》等。其散文风格平易近人，风趣幽 默，本篇文章正体现了这种风格。
在翻阅本地报纸的时候，我计算了一下，在不到半年的时间里，这里至少出了25名伟人 ，17名非常伟大的人，9名非常杰出的人。报上说，这些人都会受到后人的敬仰；他们显赫 的名字将为世世代代所惊叹。让我想想——如果半年出46名伟人，那一年下来就有92 名。 我不知道后来的人怎么可能记住这么多的伟人，也不知道将来人们除了背诵伟人名册之外， 还有没有其他的事情要『操』心。
公司的总裁开始演讲了，他马上被当成伟人记录下来；平庸的学者压缩他的著作出对开 本了，很快也成为伟人；诗人用押韵的形式把陈旧的感伤串连起来，一时间也成为伟人。无 论受到仰慕的对象多么渺小，身后总会有一群更加渺小的仰慕者跟随。随行的人们一声欢呼 ，他便大步走向伟大，得意洋洋地回头看看那群追随者，一路领略各式各样古怪、离奇、荒 诞和自命不凡的渺小者。
昨天，有位先生请我吃饭，他保证请我吃一块鹿的腰胴肉、一只甲鱼，并且晋见—位伟 人。我如约而至。鹿肉味道不错，甲鱼也很好，但是，那个伟人却让人难以忍受。我刚一开 口说话，立刻就遭到他的厉声驳斥。为了挽回些面子，我试图接二连三地发起进攻，却又被 稀里糊涂地击退。我决定再次从战壕发起冲锋，把谈论的焦点转到中国『政府』上来。即使在这 个问题上，他还是一如既往地断言、斥责、反驳。天啊，我想，这个人竟然装作比我还了解 中国！我朝四下里望望，想看看有谁站在我这一边，但是，每只眼睛都敬慕地凝视着这位伟 人。因此，我想自己还是安安静静地坐着，在其后的谈话里当个好好先生才是上策。
一个人一旦拥有了一批仰慕者，他就会做出自认为合理其实非常荒唐的事；别人还以为 他的言行都是感情的升华或者是大智若愚。假如他违背了常识，就算把茶壶当成烟盒，也会 有人辩解说，那是因为他在专心致志地思考大事：要是他们的言谈举止跟常人无异，那他们 就跟常人一样算不上伟人了。伟大这个概念涵盖了某种奇特的东西，因为对于跟我们非常相 似的事物，我们很少会感到惊讶。
鞑靼人立喇嘛，最先考虑的是把他放在寺庙里的阴暗角落，让他若隐若现地坐在那里， 调整手、嘴唇和眼睛的活动；但最重要的是，他必须做到庄严和肃静。然而这只是把他奉为 神明的序曲：一批使者被派到民间去，称赞他是非常虔诚、庄严、热爱混沌未开的众生；人 们听信了使者的话，就把喇嘛当作偶像顶礼膜拜；他一动不动地接受人们的称颂，于是成为 神，从此由下面的僧人用那不朽的勺子喂养。这个国家也可以使用相同的办法制造伟人。偶 像只需把自己藏起来，然后派出手下的小使者为他高唱赞歌，不管是政治家还是作家，都会 立即被列入伟人名单；如果时兴赞美，如果他对公众谨小慎微地掩盖了自身的
