景色,也都漠然置之。海洋的神秘、恐怖和韵律,有助于医疗疲惫心灵和烦躁精神;森林所具有的奥妙和慑人魂魄的魔力;在其幽深之处保有光与大气之奥秘的山峦所呈现的庄严肃穆之美;从不模仿或重复、永远以一种出人意料的新鲜美丽冲击着人类想象力的风景变幻无穷——谁能感受到这些奇异景物的全部力量,或者能从它们那里得到所赐予的健康、快乐和丰美呢?
Man and Nature
Hamilton Wright Mabie
The intimacy between man and Nature began with the birth of man on the earth; and bees each century more intelligent and far…reaching。 To Nature; therefore; we turn as to the oldest aim most influential teacher of our race; from one point of view once our task…master; now our servant; from another point of view; our constant friend; instructor and inspirer。 The very intimacy of this relation robs it of a certain mystery and richness which it would have for all minds if it were the reward of the few instead of being the privilege of the many。 To the few it is; in every age; full of wonder and beauty; to the many it is a matter of course。 The heavens shine for all; but they have a changing splendor to those only who see in every midnight sky a majesty of creative energy and resource which no repetition of the spectacle can dim。 If the stars shone but once in a thousand years; men would gaze; awe struck and worshipful; on a vision which is not less but more wonderful because it shines nightly above the whole earth。 In like manner; and for the same reason; we bee indifferent to that delicately beautiful or sublimely impressive sky scenery which the clouds form and reform; pose and dissipate; a thousand times on a summer day。 The mystery; the terror; and the music of the sea; the secret and subduing charm of the woods; so full of healing for the spent mind or the restless spirit; the majesty of the hills; holding in their recesses the secrets of light and atmosphere; the infinite variety of landscape; never imitative or repetitious; but always appealing to the imagination with some fresh and unsuspected loveliness; who feels the full power of these marvelous resources for the enrichment of life; or takes from them all the health; delight; and enrichment they have to bestow?
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十月之湖(1)
'英国'赫伯特·欧内斯特·贝慈
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赫伯特·欧内斯特·贝慈(1905—1974),英国著名小说家。最初做村书记员,对农村生活比较了解,后来为当地报社撰稿。早期关于农村题材的小说给他带来了较高的声誉,这些小说包括《偷猎者》(1935年),《女人们的房子》(1936年)和短篇小说集《死者的美》(1941年)。二战期间,他参加了皇家空军;进行战前报道。战后他又发表了《爱情的本质》(1954)、《瞬间》(1964年)等等。
十月的枯叶飘落在湖上。在明朗而又平静的日子里,成千上万片的树叶散落在此时色泽渐暗的湖面。白杨的大部分黄色小舰队,在没有风的空中,不断从高大的树梢上自己掉落,稀稀落落的,似乎有落水的声音。不过在雨中,或是雨后,这些小船就游走,或者是被吹走了。于是,除了残留的莲叶依然遮住湖面,湖上就再没有侵犯物了。盛夏时节,那些像一个个翡翠玉盘而覆盖了整个湖面的莲叶,如今也枯萎了;而那犹如正在游动的小蛇的黄色小花蕾,此刻也已不复存在。芦苇也枯了,被寒风和严霜编织成凌乱的篓状小洲。湖上的骨顶鸡和黑水鸡听到陌生人的响动,便溜进这“小洲”底下躲起来。
在睡莲的世界里,骨顶鸡和黑水鸡整个夏天都过着迷茫的生活。它们没有戏水的地方,只能整天在这莲叶的世界里,时而轻轻侧头,时而微微低头,慢慢地滑过莲叶覆盖的湖面。这叶的世界带给它们同冰雪的严冬一样的茫然。在秋季湖面比较干净的日子,骨丁鸡和黑水鸡便活跃得多了。长长的湖面,除两处小岛外,大体都连成一片。鸟儿们突发兴致般发狂地在湖面上时上时下,像小小的黑色水上飞机,时升时降。除了这些鸟儿之外,野鸭也会以相当高的速度飞来,甚是壮观。雄鸭脖颈处的羽毛闪耀着如昂贵的深绿缎面般的光泽,犹如经过了长途远行的空军中队,初次降落在这里。
要等到夏末才可以钓鱼。湖水经过干旱之后,水面变得清且浅。你会看到成群的黑鱼浮到水面上来晒太阳。它们怕羞易惊,要捕捉到是很难的。只有在傍晚的时候,随着天气变凉,湖水也变暗了,湖面也会被游上来的鱼群的银色舞蹈划破,这时,你才可能钓到一两条初生的鲈鱼,或比沙丁鱼还小的鳊鱼。整个夏季,尤其是晴热的早晨,10到20条大梭子鱼的鱼群会在湖中心游来游去,像黑色的电鳐,呆呆地浮在水面,只是偶尔突然的一个挺身,使水面漾起道道涟漪。
尽管很令人奇怪,但是似乎水中和水上的生命都与水密切相关。除了一只孤独的鹪鹩在岸边的赤杨树下心不在焉地站立着,还有在十月的午后哼唱着从岛上飞过湖面的知更鸟,所有的鸟类都属于水鸟。白嘴鸦似乎从来也没有来过,八哥也是。偶尔有一只鸽子拍打着翅膀掠过湖面,飞到林间去了。就连海鸥也成了陆地上的禽类。但是春天,野天鹅会回到淡黄色的芦苇丛中安家,并且有两只高大的苍鹭,每天在河边的草地上踱着步子,听到响声必奋力地、笨重地昂起头来。鹬鸟在沼泽地的棕色草丛上空盘旋;有时,一只翠鸟也魔幻般地飞过赤杨树下的阴暗树篱,树篱就横跨在最窄的水面处。但是有时,这里也会在好长的一段时间里寂静无声。最后一只鱼打破湖面的平静之后,湖水渐渐寂静下来。黑水鸡沉默了,树叶也在十月的空气中停止了摇动与飘落。深红色的浮萍静止在平静的水面。
在这样清新的日子里,湖上的色彩依旧很美。南岸的白杨、赤杨树、栲树和七叶树在湖中投下如柠檬黄和青铜色水帘般的倒影。樱桃园、梨子园火红一片,几乎光秃的秋柳是挡不住那橙黄的火焰的。橡树依然是郁郁葱葱,但是远处的山毛榉却像红色的山峰一样挺立着。湖面本身就有意想不到的绚丽色彩:长满温柏的岛屿依旧是苍绿的,但树的枝头挂满了没人采摘的成熟果实,它们就如盏盏灯笼一样悬挂着。txt电子书分享平台
十月之湖(2)
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明朗而又平静的日子里,让我们带上一份平静的心态,看落叶纷纷,看潮涨潮落,倾听鸟儿的鸣叫……你会发现,原来世界这般美好!
October Lake
Herbert Ernest Bates
The October leaves have fallen on the lake。 On bright; calm days they lie in thousands on the now darkening water; mostly yellow flotillas of poplar; floating continuously down from great trees that themselves shake in the windless air with the sound of falling water; but on rainy days or after rain they seem to swim or be driven away; and nothing remains to break the surface except the last of the olive…yellow lily pads that in high summer covered every inch of water like plates of emerald porcelain。 The lilies have gone too; the yellow small…headed kind that in bud are like swimming snakes; and the great reeds are going; woven by wind and frost into untidy basket islands under which coot and moorhen skid for cover at the sound of strangers。
All summer; in this world of water…lilies; the coot and moorhen lived a bewildered life。 There was no place where they could swim; and all day they could be seen walking daintily; heads slightly aside and slightly down; cross the lily…hidden water; as bemused by the world of leaves as they had been in winter by the world of ice。 In unbroken expect for two small islands。 This birds; as the fit takes them; dash madly up and down it; taking off and touching down like small fussy black sea…planes。 Beside them the arrival of the wild duck; at much higher speed; is almost majestic。 They plane down; the necks of the drakes shining like royal green satin; with the air of squadrons ing in after long flights from home。
It was not until late summer fishing was possible。 The water was so low and clear after drought that the fish could be seen in great dark shoals; sunning themselves; shy; impossible to catch。 Only in the evenings; as the air cooled and the water darkened; and the surface was broken with the silver dances of the rising shoals; would you perhaps get a bite or two; a baby perch sucking at the worm; a roach no bigger than a sardine。 All the time; on bright hot mornings especially; great pike would lie out in the middle of the lake in shoals of ten or even twenty; like black torpedoes; transfixed; never moving except in sudden immense rises that rocked the water…surface with rings。
It is curious; but all the life on and about water seems to belong to water。 Except for a solitary wren fidgeting delicately about the banks under the alder trees; or a robin singing in the October afternoon across the water from the islands; all the bird…life is that of water… birds。 Rooks never seem to e here; nor starlings; an occasional pigeon flaps across to the woods; even the sea…gulls belong to the ploughed land。 But wild swans e back to nest in the piles of fawn…colored reeds in the spring; and two great herons stalk the water…meadows every day; struggling ponderously upwards at the sound of voices。 Snipe whirl away across the tussocks of brown…quelled sedge on the adjacent marshland; and a solitary kingfisher breaks with magic electric streaks the dark enclosures under the alders that span the narrowest water。 But something; and for long periods; there is no life and no sound at all。 The water is slowly stilled after the last fish have broken it; the coot are silent; the leaves cease their shaking and falling in the dead October air。 The crimson float es to rest on water that seems to have on it a skin of oil。
On such still clear days the color is wonderful。 From the south bank of the water poplar and alder and ash and horse…chestnut let fall high liquid curtains of lemon and bronze。 Orchards of cherry and pear shoulder with drooping orange flames beyond the light wall of almost naked willows。 The oaks are still green; but the beeches in the distances stand like red mountains。 And on the lake itself unexpected color springs up: an island of quince trees; still green; but hung with many ripe lanterns of bright fruit that no one gathers。
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玫 瑰(1)
'美国'洛根·皮尔索尔·史密斯
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洛根·皮尔索尔·史密斯(1865—1946),生于美国费城,但大半生在英国度过,主要致力于英国语言的研究。主要作品有《亨利·沃顿爵士传记》《读莎士比亚》《弥尔顿和他的现代评论家》《难忘的年代》等。本文是一篇围绕玫瑰展开的一个触动人心的爱情故事。
这位老太太总以她花园中那棵巨大的玫瑰树为荣。她会津津有味地告诉你她头一次结婚时,从意大利带回来的一根插条,是怎么样长成参天大树的。回想当年她和丈夫乘马车从罗马旅行归来(那时还未通铁路),途经锡耶纳南部的一段路时,道路很难走以至于马车都坏了,没有办法他们只好夜宿于路边的一间小店。住宿条件的恶劣使她彻夜无眠,很早就起身穿好衣服,站在窗前等待黎明。凉风不时从窗外袭来。事隔多年,她依然记得一轮明月挂在那蓝色的群山上,远山上的小城一点一点地变白,直到月亮渐渐落下,初升的太阳为群山抹上一层淡淡的粉色。突然,小城像是被一盏明灯照亮了,一扇扇窗户明亮地反射出耀眼的光芒,最后,小城如满天繁星般在天空中熠熠生光。
那天上午,得知必须等一段时间马车才能修好,他们便乘当地的交通车上了那个山顶小城,听说在那儿可以找到好一点的住处。之后,他们在山上逗留了两三天。那是个意大利小城,有一个高高的教堂,一个不是很繁华的市场,一些窄窄的街道,几座小小的宫殿,稠密而完美地立于山顶。被城墙围着的城区并不比英国人的菜园子大多少,但这里生机勃勃,喧闹嘈杂,昼夜回荡着脚步声和话语声。
他们居住在当地一个名流云集的小酒店里,有市长、律师、医生,还有其他一些人。其中一位英俊、高个儿而又健谈的老人引起了他们的注意。他乌黑的眼睛,雪白的头发,腰板挺直,像年轻人一样。但是酒店的侍者却自豪地告诉他们实际上这位伯爵已届高龄,明年是他的八十寿辰。侍者还说到伯爵是这个家族的最后一员,他们家曾是豪门大户,但其一生无子嗣。但事实上,这个侍者还甚是得意地说,伯爵情场失意,终生未娶,似乎这是一件本地值得炫耀的事情。
不过幸好,这位老先生看起来活得还挺开心;显然他对陌生人很感兴趣,愿意与之结交。很快这位好心的侍者促成了他们之间的认识。刚聊一会儿,老人就邀请他们参观他郊外的别墅和花园。因此,第二天下午,日落之时,当他们从门口和窗口瞥见蓝色的阴影覆盖了褐色的山峦时,就动身去造访这位老伯爵了。其实别墅比较一般,只是一座用灰泥粉饰过的现代小别墅,铺有石子的花园里有些热,石盆中的鱼儿无精打采,狄安娜和猎犬的雕像倚墙而立。然而,一棵巨大的玫瑰树为这个花园增色不少,?