遣！更不用说他们还要从事体育运动，研究各门科学，学习各种语言，或 者博物学！ 这使我『迷』『惑』不解，而且佩服得五体投地。这就是使我自己越看越小，小得像个小 蚊虫的原因。他们有如此神奇的天赋！正像传说中讲的那样。
random thoughts
john boynton priestley
this matter of other people's learning and acomcplishments has been worrying me for some time。 i never read the life of any important person without discove ring that he knew more and could do more than i could ever hope to know or to do in half a dozen lifetimes。 to begin with； unless these people chance to be obvi ous invalids like stevenson or tchehov； they are always tremendous athletes； wit h surprising strength； powers of endurance； and so forth。
they could all walk and run and climb our heads off； even when they were sev enty。 then they all have the gift of tongues。 you never catch a glimpse of them sitting down to learn a new language； not even running an eye over its irregular verbs； yet it is admitted that they speak any number with an astonishing fluenc y and purity of acoment。 they never confine themselves to one science； but are in evitably masters of several。 the big book of nature they know by heart。 only the other day i was reading an acomount of a great novelist； a most sophisticated an d subtle person； and was told that he knew the name and habits and history of ev ery wild flower and plant and tree and bird in the country。 nor is that all。 the re is not one of these bigwigs who is not （ i quote the customary phrases ） a se nsitive and acomcplished musician； or an extraordinarily fine amateur watercol ourist； or the possessor of a magnificent prose style。 we are always told that； had circumstance been different； their talents were such that they need only hav e given their serious attention to one or other of these arts to have procured f or themselves lasting and perhaps worldwide reputations。 so runs the legend of the eulogists。
i am baffled。 how is it done。 i ask the question again； my voice rises to a scream of envy and vexation。 consider what is involved in this matter （so lightl y touched upon and dismissed） of music or watercolour painting or fine writing ； what years of serious application； of drudgery at the keyboard； the easel； or the writingdesk。 it is one thing to strum on the piano； as you and i do； fakin g the lefthand passages as we go along； or to daub a few patchy water colours； or to paste on to clumsy prose some old spangles of rhetoric； and it is quite a nother thing to be an acomcplished musician or artist or writer。 if the first we re meant； i could understand it； but the second and as a mere recreation； too！ a nd then to add the athleticism； the sciences； the tongues； the natural history！ i am bewildered and crushed。 the very idle rumour of fellowcreatures so wonder fully gifted makes me dwindle in my own estimation to the size of a gnat。
我们在旅途中
亨利。凡。戴克
亨利。凡。戴克（1852—1933），美国作家、教育家、演说家和传道士。他在本文中对 人在旅途这个观点作了平凡而深刻的描述。
不论你处在什么地方，也不论你是什么人，不管是在此时此刻，还是在我们生命中的任 何一个瞬间，有一件事对你我来说是恰巧相同的：我们不是在休息，我们是在一次旅途中。 我们的生活是一种运动，一种趋势，是向一个看不见的目标稳定而不停地进步。每一天，我 们都会赢得某些东西，或者会失去某些东西。甚至当我们的位置和我们的『性』格看起来跟以前 完全相似时，它们事实上仍然在变化着。因为仅仅是时间的前进就是一种变化。对于一块荒 地来说，在1月和7月是不同的，季节会制造差异。能力上的缺陷对于孩子来说是一种可爱的 品质，但对于大人来说就是一种幼稚的表现。
我们做的每一件事都是朝着一个或另一个方向前进一步。甚至“没有做任何事情”这件 事本身也是一种行为，它让我们前进或后退；一根磁针阴极的作用和阳极的作用都是一样真 实的；拒绝也是一种接受——这些都是二中择一的选择。
你今天比昨天更接近你的港口了吗？是的——你必须接近某一个港口或者其它港口。自 从你第一次被抛入生活之海，你的船连一分钟都没有静止过；海是如此之深，你也不可能找 到一个抛锚的地方；于是你不可能停下来，直到你到达自己的港口。
we are on a journey
henry van dyke
wherever you are； and whoever you may be； there is one thing in which you an d i are just alike at this moment； and in all the moments of our existence。 we a re not at rest； we are on a journey。 our life is a movement； a tendency； a stead y； ceaseless progress towards an unseen goal。 we are gaining something； or losin g something； everyday。 even when our position and our character seem to remain p recisely the same； they are changing。 for the mere advance of time is a change。 it is not the same thing to have a bare field in january and in july。 the season makes the difference。 the limitations that are childlike in the child are child ish in the man。
everything that we do is a step in one direction or another。 even the failur e to do something is in itself a deed。 it sets us forward or backward。 the actio n of the negative pole of a magnetic needle is just as real as the action of the positive pole。 to decline is to acomept — the other alternative。
are you nearer to your port today than you were yesterday。 yes；— you must b e a little nearer to some port or other； for since your ship was first launched upon the sea of life； you have never been still for a single moment； the sea is too deep； you could not find an anchorage if you would； there can be no pause un till you come into port。
我为何而生
伯特兰。罗素
伯特兰。罗素（1872—1970），英国著名的哲学家，数学家和文学家。他在多个领域都取 得了巨大成就。他所著的《西方的智慧》、《西方哲学史》对中国读者影响颇大。
对爱的期望，对知识的追求以及对人类苦难难以忍受的怜悯之心——这三种质朴而不可 抗拒的情感主宰着我的生活。这些情感像一阵阵飓风，把我随意地吹得飘来『荡』去，穿过痛苦 的海洋，抵达绝望的彼岸。
我曾追求过爱，首先是因为爱可以使人欣喜狂放——它让人如此高兴。为了这片刻的快 乐，我宁愿拿我的余生作为牺牲；我曾追寻过爱，其次是因为它能解除人孤独的感觉——置 身于这无比可怕的孤独中，那让人战栗的感觉，会掠过这个世界的边缘，把人带入那无声无 息而且寒气『逼』人的无底深渊。我曾追寻过爱，还因为在爱的结合、在这神秘的缩影中，我看 到了圣人和诗人们曾经幻想的天堂美景。我追求的正是如此。尽管对凡人而言，这世间好像 是一种奢望，但这是我最终所寻觅的。
带着同样的情感，我曾追寻过知识。我曾希望对人类的心灵有所了解，我曾想知道星辰 为什么会发光，我曾试图理解毕达哥拉斯的力量，他认为数的力量驾驭着万物的变化。我得 到了为数不多的一点知识。
爱和知识可以把人带入天堂。但是怜悯之心又常常把我拉回尘世之中，我的心中激『荡』着 痛苦的呼唤。嗷嗷待哺的孩子、被压迫者鞭挞的受害者、孤苦无助的老人——他们是儿女们 憎恶的负担。还有那充满着孤独、贫穷和痛苦的世界，都在嘲弄着人类生活本应有的美好。 我渴望减少人间的邪恶，对此却无能为力，因此也承受着煎熬。
这就是我的生活，我觉得值得活下去。如果天赐良机，我愿意再快乐地活一次。
what i have lived for
bertrand russell
three passions； simple but overwhelmingly strong； have governed my life： the longing for love； the search for knowledge； and unbearable pity for the sufferi ng of mankind。 these passions； like great winds； have blown me hither and thithe r； in a wayward： course； over a deep ocean of anguish； reaching to the verge of despair。
i have sought love； first； becaus