爱默生NATURE英文.docx

爱默生NATURE英文.docx

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爱默生NATURE英文

NATURE

Theroundedworldisfairtosee,Ninetimesfoldedinmystery:

ThoughbaffledseerscannotimpartThesecretofitslaboringheart,ThrobthinewithNature'sthrobbingbreast,Andallisclearfromeasttowest.

Spiritthatlurkseachformwithin

Beckonstospiritofitskin;

Self-kindledeveryatomglows,Andhintsthefuturewhichitowes.EssayVI_Nature_

Therearedayswhichoccurinthisclimate,atalmostanyseasonoftheyear,whereintheworldreachesitsperfection,whentheair,theheavenlybodies,andtheearth,makeaharmony,asifnaturewouldindulgeheroffspring;when,inthesebleakuppersidesoftheplanet,nothingistodesirethatwehaveheardofthehappiestlatitudes,andwebaskintheshininghoursofFloridaandCuba;wheneverythingthathaslifegivessignofsatisfaction,andthecattlethatlieonthegroundseemtohavegreatandtranquilthoughts.ThesehalcyonsmaybelookedforwithalittlemoreassuranceinthatpureOctoberweather,whichwedistinguishbythenameoftheIndianSummer.Theday,immeasurablylong,sleepsoverthebroadhillsandwarmwidefields.Tohavelivedthroughallitssunnyhours,seemslongevityenough.Thesolitaryplacesdonotseemquitelonely.Atthegatesoftheforest,thesurprisedmanoftheworldisforcedtoleavehiscityestimatesofgreatandsmall,wiseandfoolish.Theknapsackofcustomfallsoffhisbackwiththefirststephemakesintotheseprecincts.Hereissanctitywhichshamesourreligions,andrealitywhichdiscreditsourheroes.Herewefindnaturetobethecircumstancewhichdwarfseveryothercircumstance,andjudgeslikeagodallmenthatcometoher.Wehavecreptoutofourcloseandcrowdedhousesintothenightandmorning,andweseewhatmajesticbeautiesdailywrapusintheirbosom.Howwillinglywewouldescapethebarrierswhichrenderthemcomparativelyimpotent,escapethesophisticationandsecondthought,andsuffernaturetointranceus.Thetemperedlightofthewoodsislikeaperpetualmorning,andisstimulatingandheroic.Theancientlyreportedspellsoftheseplacescreeponus.Thestemsofpines,hemlocks,andoaks,almostgleamlikeironontheexcitedeye.Theincommunicabletreesbegintopersuadeustolivewiththem,andquitourlifeofsolemntrifles.Herenohistory,orchurch,orstate,isinterpolatedonthedivineskyandtheimmortalyear.Howeasilywemightwalkonwardintotheopeninglandscape,absorbedbynewpictures,andbythoughtsfastsucceedingeachother,untilbydegreestherecollectionofhomewascrowdedoutofthemind,allmemoryobliteratedbythetyrannyofthepresent,andwewereledintriumphbynature.

Theseenchantmentsaremedicinal,theysoberandhealus.Theseareplainpleasures,kindlyandnativetous.Wecometoourown,andmakefriendswithmatter,whichtheambitiouschatteroftheschoolswouldpersuadeustodespise.Wenevercanpartwithit;themindlovesitsoldhome:

aswatertoourthirst,soistherock,theground,tooureyes,andhands,andfeet.Itisfirmwater:

itiscoldflame:

whathealth,whataffinity!

Everanoldfriend,everlikeadearfriendandbrother,whenwechataffectedlywithstrangers,comesinthishonestface,andtakesagravelibertywithus,andshamesusoutofournonsense.Citiesgivenotthehumansensesroomenough.Wegooutdailyandnightlytofeedtheeyesonthehorizon,andrequiresomuchscope,justasweneedwaterforourbath.Therearealldegreesofnaturalinfluence,fromthesequarantinepowersofnature,uptoherdearestandgravestministrationstotheimaginationandthesoul.Thereisthebucketofcoldwaterfromthespring,thewood-firetowhichthechilledtravellerrushesforsafety,--andthereisthesublimemoralofautumnandofnoon.Wenestleinnature,anddrawourlivingasparasitesfromherrootsandgrains,andwereceiveglancesfromtheheavenlybodies,whichcallustosolitude,andforetelltheremotestfuture.Thebluezenithisthepointinwhichromanceandrealitymeet.Ithink,ifweshouldberaptawayintoallthatwedreamofheaven,andshouldconversewithGabrielandUriel,theupperskywouldbeallthatwouldremainofourfurniture.

Itseemsasifthedaywasnotwhollyprofane,inwhichwehavegivenheedtosomenaturalobject.Thefallofsnowflakesinastillair,preservingtoeachcrystalitsperfectform;theblowingofsleetoverawidesheetofwater,andoverplains,thewavingrye-field,themimicwavingofacresofhoustonia,whoseinnumerablefloretswhitenandripplebeforetheeye;thereflectionsoftreesandflowersinglassylakes;themusicalsteamingodoroussouthwind,whichconvertsalltreestowindharps;thecracklingandspurtingofhemlockintheflames;orofpinelogs,whichyieldglorytothewallsandfacesinthesittingroom,--thesearethemusicandpicturesofthemostancientreligion.Myhousestandsinlowland,withlimitedoutlook,andontheskirtofthevillage.ButIgowithmyfriendtotheshoreofourlittleriver,andwithonestrokeofthepaddle,Ileavethevillagepoliticsandpersonalities,yes,andtheworldofvillagesandpersonalitiesbehind,andpassintoadelicaterealmofsunsetandmoonlight,toobrightalmostforspottedmantoenterwithoutnoviciateandprobation.Wepenetratebodilythisincrediblebeauty;wedipourhandsinthispaintedelement:

oureyesarebathedintheselightsandforms.Aholiday,avilleggiatura,aroyalrevel,theproudest,mostheart-rejoicingfestivalthatvalorandbeauty,powerandtaste,everdeckedandenjoyed,establishesitselfontheinstant.Thesesunsetclouds,thesedelicatelyemergingstars,withtheirprivateandineffableglances,signifyitandprofferit.Iamtaughtthepoornessofourinvention,theuglinessoftownsandpalaces.Artandluxuryhaveearlylearnedthattheymustworkasenhancementandsequeltothisoriginalbeauty.Iamover-instructedformyreturn.HenceforthIshallbehardtoplease.Icannotgobacktotoys.Iamgrownexpensiveandsophisticated.Icannolongerlivewithoutelegance:

butacountrymanshallbemymasterofrevels.Hewhoknowsthemost,hewhoknowswhatsweetsandvirtuesareintheground,thewaters,theplants,theheavens,andhowtocomeattheseenchantments,istherichandroyalman.Onlyasfarasthemastersoftheworldhave

calledinnaturetotheiraid,cantheyreachtheheightofmagnificence.Thisisthemeaningoftheirhanging-gardens,villas,garden-houses,islands,parks,andpreserves,tobacktheirfaultypersonalitywiththesestrongaccessories.Idonotwonderthatthelandedinterestshouldbeinvincibleinthestatewiththesedangerousauxiliaries.Thesebribeandinvite;notkings,notpalaces,notmen,notwomen,butthesetenderandpoeticstars,eloquentofsecretpromises.Weheardwhattherichmansaid,weknewofhisvilla,hisgrove,hiswine,andhiscompany,buttheprovocationandpointoftheinvitationcameoutofthesebeguilingstars.Intheirsoftglances,IseewhatmenstrovetorealizeinsomeVersailles,orPaphos,orCtesiphon.Indeed,itisthemagicallightsofthehorizon,andtheblueskyforthebackground,whichsaveallourworksofart,whichwereotherwisebawbles.Whentherichtaxthepoorwithservilityandobsequiousness,theyshouldconsidertheeffectofmenreputedtobethepossessorsofnature,onimaginativeminds.Ah!

iftherichwererichasthepoorfancyriches!

Aboyhearsamilitarybandplayonthefieldatnight,andhehaskingsandqueens,andfamouschivalrypalpablybeforehim.Hehearstheechoesofahorninahillcountry,intheNotchMountains,forexample,whichconvertsthemountainsintoanAeolianharp,andthissupernaturaltiralirarestorestohimtheDorianmythology,Apollo,Diana,andalldivinehuntersandhuntresses.Canamusicalnotebesolofty,sohaughtilybeautiful!

Tothepooryoungpoet,thusfabulousishispictureofsociety;heisloyal;herespectstherich;theyarerichforthesakeofhisimagination;howpoorhisfancywouldbe,iftheywerenotrich!

Thattheyhavesomehigh-fencedgrove,whichtheycallapark;thattheyliveinlargerandbetter-garnishedsaloonsthanhehasvisited,andgoincoaches,keepingonlythesocietyoftheelegant,towatering-places,andtodistantcities,arethegroundworkfromwhichhehasdelineatedestatesofromance,comparedwithwhichtheiractualpossessionsareshantiesandpaddocks.Themuseherselfbetraysherson,andenhancesthegiftsofwealthandwell-bornbeauty,byaradiationoutoftheair,andclouds,andforeststhatskirttheroad,--acertainhaughtyfavor,asiffrompatriciangeniitopatricians,akindofaristocracyinnature,aprinceofthepoweroftheair.

ThemoralsensibilitywhichmakesEdensandTempessoeasily,maynotbealwaysfound,butthemateriallandscapeisneverfaroff.WecanfindtheseenchantmentswithoutvisitingtheComoLake,ortheMadeiraIslands.Weexaggeratethepraisesoflocalscenery.Ineverylandscape,thepointofastonishmentisthemeetingoftheskyandtheearth,andthatisseenfromthefirsthillockaswellasfromthetopoftheAlleghanies.Thestarsatnightstoopdownoverthebrownest,homeliestcommon,withallthespiritualmagnificencewhichtheyshedontheCampagna,oronthemarbledesertsofEgypt.Theuprolledcloudsandthecolorsofmorningandevening,willtransfiguremaplesandalders.Thedifferencebetweenlandscapeandlandscapeissmall,butthereisgreatdifferenceinthebeholders.Thereisnothingsowonderfulinanyparticularlandscape,asthenecessityofbeingbeautifulunderwhicheverylandscapelies.Naturecannotbesurprisedinundress.Beautybreaksineverywhere.

Butitisveryeasytooutrunthesympathyofreaderson