Any prospect of awakening or coming to life to a dead man makes indifferent all times and places.  The place where that may occur is always the same， and indescribably pleasant to all our senses.  For the most part we allow only outlying and transient circumstances to make our occasions.  They are， in fact， the cause of our distraction.  Nearest to all things is that power which fashions their being.  Next to us the grandest laws are continually being executed.  Next to us is not the workman whom we have hired， with whom we love so well to talk， but the workman whose work we are.

　　"How vast and profound is the influence of the subtile powers of Heaven and of Earth！"

　　"We seek to perceive them， and we do not see them； we seek to hear them， and we do not hear them； identified with the substance of things， they cannot be separated from them."

　　"They cause that in all the universe men purify and sanctify their hearts， and clothe themselves in their holiday garments to offer sacrifices and oblations to their ancestors.  It is an ocean of subtile intelligences.  They are everywhere， above us， on our left， on our right； they environ us on all sides."

　　We are the subjects of an experiment which is not a little interesting to me.  Can we not do without the society of our gossips a little while under these circumstances ―― have our own thoughts to cheer us？  Confucius says truly， "Virtue does not remain as an abandoned orphan； it must of necessity have neighbors."

　　With thinking we may be beside ourselves in a sane sense.  By a conscious effort of the mind we can stand aloof from actions and their consequences； and all things， good and bad， go by us like a torrent.  We are not wholly involved in Nature.  I may be either the driftwood in the stream， or Indra in the sky looking down on it.  I may be affected by a theatrical exhibition； on the other hand， I may not be affected by an actual event which appears to concern me much more.  I only know myself as a human entity； the scene， so to speak，of thoughts and affections； and am sensible of a certain doubleness by which I can stand as remote from myself as from another.  However intense my experience， I am conscious of the presence and criticism of a part of me， which， as it were， is not a part of me， but spectator， sharing no experience， but taking note of it， and that is no more I than it is you.  When the play， it may be the tragedy， of life is over， the spectator goes his way.  It was a kind of fiction，a work of the imagination only， so far as he was concerned.  This doubleness may easily make us poor neighbors and friends sometimes.

　　對一個死者說來，任何覺醒的，或者復活的景象，都使一切時間與地點變得無足輕重。可能發生這種情形的地方都是一樣的，對我們的感官是有不可言喻的歡樂的。可是我們大部分人只讓外表上的、很短暫的事情成為我們所從事的工作。事實上，這些是使我們分心的原因。最接近萬物的乃是創造一切的一股力量。其次靠近我們的宇宙法則在不停地發生作用。再其次靠近我們的，不是我們雇用的匠人，雖然我們歡喜和他們談談說說，而是那個大匠，我們自己就是他創造的作品。

　　“神鬼之為德，其盛矣乎。”

　　“視之而弗見，聽之而弗聞，體物而不可遺。”

　　“使天下之人，齋明盛服，以承祭祀，洋洋乎，如在其上，如在其左右。

　　我們是一個實驗的材料，但我對這個實驗很感興趣。在這樣的情況下，難道我們不能夠有一會兒離開我們的充滿了是非的社會，――只讓我們自己的思想來鼓舞我們？孔子說得好，“德不孤，必有鄰。”

　　有了思想，我們可以在清醒的狀態下，歡喜若狂。只要我們的心靈有意識地努力，我們就可以高高地超乎任何行為及其后果之上；一切好事壞事，就像奔流一樣，從我們身邊經過。我們并不是完全都給糾纏在大自然之內的。我可以是急流中一片浮木，也可以是從空中望著塵寰的因陀羅。看戲很可能感動了我；而另一方面，和我生命更加攸關的事件卻可能不感動我。我只知道我自己是作為一個人而存在的；可以說我是反映我思想感情的一個舞臺面，我多少有著雙重人格，因此我能夠遠遠地看自己猶如看別人一樣。

　　不論我有如何強烈的經驗，我總能意識到我的一部分在從旁批評我，好像它不是我的一部分，只是一個旁觀者，并不分擔我的經驗，而是注意到它：正如他并不是你，他也不能是我。等到人生的戲演完，很可能是出悲劇，觀眾就自己走了。關于這第二重人格，這自然是虛構的，只是想象力的創造。但有時這雙重人格很容易使別人難于和我們作鄰居，交朋友了。

更多 英文美文、英語美文、英文短文、英語短文，請繼續關注 英語作文大全