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名家名篇经典英语美文：个性的表露

A most curious and useful thing to realize is that one never knows the impression one is creating on otherpeople. One may often guess pretty accurately whether it is good, bad, or indifferent — some people render it unnecessary for one to guess, they practically inform one — but that is not what I mean. I mean muchmore than that. I mean that one has one's self no mental picture corresponding to the mental picture whichone's personality leaves in the minds of one's friends. Has it ever struck you that there is a mysterious individual going around, walking the streets, calling at houses for tea, chatting, laughing, grumbling, arguing, and that all your friends know him and have long since added him up and come to a definite conclusion about him — without saying more than a chance, cautious word to you; and that that person is you? Supposing that you came into a drawing room where you were having tea, do you think you would recognize yourself as an individuality? I think not. You would be apt to say to yourself as guests do when disturbed in drawing rooms by other guests: “Who's this chap? See ms rather queer. I hope he won't be a bore.” And yourfirst telling would be slightly hostile. Why, even when you meet yourself in an unsuspected mirror in the very clothes that you have put on that very day and that you know by heart, you are almost always shocked by the realization that you are you. And now and then, when you have gone to the glass to arrange your hair in the full sobriety of early morning, have you not looked on an absolute stranger, and has not that stranger piqued your curiosity? And if it is thus with precise external details of form, colour, and movement, what may it not be with the vague complex effect of the mental and moral individuality?

A man honestly tries to make a good impression. What is the result? The result merely is that his friends,in the privacy of their minds, set him down as a man who tries to make a good impression. If much depends on the result of a sing le interview, or a couple of interviews, a man may conceivably force another to accept an impression of himself which he would like to convey. But if the receiver of the impression is to have time at his disposal, then the giver of the impression may just as well sit down and put his hands in his pockets, for nothing that he can do will modify or influence in any way the impression that he will ultimately give. The real impress is, in the end, given unconsciously, not consciously; and further, it is received unconsciously, not consciously. It depends partly on both persons. And it is immutably fixed beforehand. There can be no final deception…

一件认识起来很奇异也很受益的事是，一个人常常不清楚别人对他的印象是什么。是好呢，是坏呢，还是不好不坏，这些倒是能够十分准确地猜测出来——有些人甚至没有必要让你去猜测，他们差不多就讲给你听了——但是我想要说的不是这个。我想要说的远不止这个。我想要说的是，一个人头脑中对自己的印象和他本人在他朋友们头脑中的印象，往往很不一致。你曾经想到这样的事吗?——世上有那么一个诡异的人，到处跑来跑去，上街访友，又说又笑，口出怨言，大发议论，他的朋友都对他很熟悉，对他早已知根知底，对他的看法早有定论——但除了偶尔且谨慎的只言片语外，平时却很少对你透露。而那个人就是你自己。比如，你走进一家客厅去喝茶，你敢说你便能认得这个人就是你自己吗?我看不一定。很可能，你也会像客厅里的客人那样，当你难以忍受其他客人的骚扰时心里就盘算说：“这是哪个家伙，真是怪异。但愿他少讨人嫌。”你的第一个反应就是略带敌意。甚至就连你突然在一面镜子前面遇到了你自己，穿的衣服也正是你心里记得很清楚的那天的服装，怎么样，你还是会因为认出了你是你这件事而感到吃惊。还有当你有时到镜子前去整理头发时，尽管是在最清醒的大清早时刻，你不是也好像瞥见一个完全陌生的人吗?而且这陌生人还让你颇为好奇呢。如果说连形式颜色动作这类外观准确的细节都是这样，那么对于像心智和道德这种不易把握的复杂效果又将怎样呢?

有人真心实意地去努力留下一个好印象。但结果怎样呢，不过是被他的朋友们在内心深处认为他是一个刻意给人留下好印象的人。如果一切只凭着单独会一次面或见几次面，——这个人倒很能迫使另一个人接受他本人希望造成的某种印象。但是如果接受印象的人有足够的时间来自由支配，那么印象的给予者就干脆束手静坐了，因为他的所有招数都丝毫改变不了或影响不了他最终所造成的印象。真正的印象是在结尾，是无意而不是刻意造成的。同时，它也是无意而不是刻意接受的。它的形成要靠双方，而且是事先就已经确定的，最终的欺骗是不可能的……

名家名篇经典英语美文：关于纯朴

Simplicity is an uprightness of soul that has no reference to self; it is different from sincerity,and itis a still higher virtue. We see many people who are sincere, without being simple; theyonly wish to passfor what they are, and they are unwilling to appear what they are not; theyare always thinking of themselves, measuring their words, and recalling their thoughts, andreviewing their actions, from the fear that they have done too much or too little. These personsare sincere, but they are simple; they are not at ease with others, and others are not at easewith them; they are not free, ingenuous, natural; we prefer people who are less correct, lessperfect, and who are less artificial. This is the decision of man, and it isthe judgment of God,who would not have us so occupied with ourselves, and thus, as it were, always arranging ourfeatures in a mirror.

To be wholly occupied with others, never to look within, is the state of blindness of those whoare entirely engrossed by what is present and addressed to their senses; this is the veryreverse of simplicity. To be absorbed in self in whatever engages us, whether we are laboringfor our fellow beings or for God-to bewise in our own eyes reserved, and full of ourselves,troubled at the least thing that disturbs our self-complacency, is the opposite extreme. Thisis false wisdom, which, with all its glory, is but little less absurd than that folly, which pursuesonly pleasure. The one is intoxicated with all it sees around it; theother with all that it imaginesit has within; but it is delirium in both. To be absorbed in the contemplation of our ownminds is really worse than to be engrossed by outward things, because it appears like wisdomand yet is not, we do not think of curing it, we pride ourselves upon it, we prove of it, it givesus an unnatural strength, it is a sort of frenzy, we are not conscious of it, we are dying, andwe think ourselves in health.

Simplicity consists in a just medium, in which we are neither too much excited, nor toocomposed. The soulis not carried away by outward things, so that it cannot make all necessaryreflections; neither does it make those continual references to self, that a jealous sense of itsown excellence multiplies to infinity.That freedom of the soul, which looks straight onward inits path, losing no time to reason upon its steps, to study them, or to contemplate those thatit has already taken, is true simplicity.

名家名篇经典英语美文：伊拉克战争中牺牲战士写给儿子的信

To son, Cecil,

Just a quick note preface before I start in earnest. When I wrote this you were 8, still a little boy. In 2002, I was called to active duty in the Marine Corps in the War on Terrorism. On the 11th of September 2001 when America was attacked, I knew that I would eventually have to go and I was filled with a deep senseof sadness. That night as you and Keiko were asleep, I looked at your little faces and couldn’t help but fight the tears. I knew it would be hard for you because I had a similar experience. When I was a little boy aged 6, my Dad, your Grandpa Cawley, was sent to Vietnam during the War there. I remember how much I missed him, too. But now unfortunately I have come to realise just how rough it must have been for Grandpa to be away from his children for a year. Thinking about this, I wanted to put my thoughts and feelings downfor you and your sister. I am so sorry that I had to leave for such a long time. There is no place I wouldrather be than with you and Keiko. You two are the lights of my life. I have known no greater joy than in the few years since you two were born. I hope to have many more years with you. If this doesn’t happen, then know that I love you more than words can express. If for some reason I don’t make it home, I will need you to take care of your little sister and your Mom. You will be the Man of the Cawley family. Be good my son and God will watch over you as he has me. I will be waiting impatiently for the time when we can allbe together again.

All my love, Dad

(Two days after Cawley’s death, his last letter arrived at his family’s home in Utah. Written on the packaging of an MRE Meal Ready to Eat, the US military’s frontline ration it consisted of a message in Japanese to his wife and his final words to his children.)

Dear Cecil and Keiko,

Hi little guys. How are you? Daddy is fine. I miss you. Send me a letter okay. It will make me very happy.I am proud of you. You are such good kids. I will see you again.

Love, Daddy -

给儿子塞西尔：

在正式开始前先简单说几句。 当我写这封信的时候，你才8岁，还是一个小男孩。2002年，我被征召在海军陆战队服现役，参加反恐战争。2001年9月11日美国遭受袭击之时，我便知道我终究是要走的，我为此感到深深的悲哀。那天晚上，当你和惠子熟睡之际，我看着你们的小脸蛋，强忍着眼中的泪水。我知道接下来的日子对你们会是艰难的，因为我也有过类似的经历。当我还是一个6岁的孩子的时候，我爸爸，也就是你们的爷爷考利，被派往越南参加那里的战争。我还记得当时我也是多么地想念他。然而不幸的是，现在我开始体会到，你爷爷离开自己的孩子们一年之久，该是多么痛苦的事情。想到这些，我打算把我的想法和感受给你和你妹妹写下来。我非常难过不得不离开这么长时间。除了与你和惠子在一起，我哪儿也不愿去。你们俩是我生命中的光芒。你们俩来到这个世界后的这几年，是我生命中最快乐的时光。我希望还可以和你们一起度过更多的岁月。如果事情没能如此，我希望你们知道我对你们的爱无法言传。如果因故我不能再回到家里，我需要你来照顾你妹妹和妈妈。你将是考利家族的男人。乖一点，我的孩子，如果上帝将我收回，他会照看你的。我会焦急地等待着我们全家重聚的那一天。

我全部的爱， 爸爸

(在考利阵亡后2天，他最后的家书到达了他在犹他州的家。信是写在美军前线士兵配给的快餐包装纸上的。信中有用日文写给妻子的留言，以及给孩子们的绝笔。)

亲爱的塞西尔和惠子：

嗨，小家伙们。你们好吗?爸爸很好。我想念你们。给我来封信好吗?那会让我非常开心的。我为你们而自豪。你们都是这么好的孩子。我会与你们重聚的。

爱你们的爸爸