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这个世界的启示在荒野TheintroductionofThoreauHenry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau-American essayist,philosopher,poet,pacifist,individualist Henry D.Thoreau is one of Americas most important 19th century literary figures.He is famous for the literary excellence of his nature and political writings and best known for his time spent at Walden Pond and the work that came out of that experience-Walden,or,Life in the Woods.Thoreau was a man full of dreams and ideals,writing about nature and philosophy of life.He spoke out on many social issues such as peace,living simply,abolishing slavery,and was a vigorous advocate of civil liberties.He is regarded as one of Americas most influential writers.Early life and educationThoreaustudiedatHarvardUniversitybetween1833and1837.UpongraduationThoreaureturnedhometoConcord,wherehewasintroducedtoacircleoflocalwritersandthinkers.Thoreauwasaphilosopherofnatureanditsrelationtothehumancondition.InhisearlyyearshefollowedTranscendentalismTranscendentalismalooseandeclecticidealistphilosophyadvocatedbyEmerson,Theyheldthatanidealspiritualstatetranscends,orgoesbeyond,thephysicalandempirical,andthatoneachievesthatinsightviapersonalintuitionratherthanreligiousdoctrine.Intheirview,Natureistheoutwardsignofinwardspirit,expressingthe“radicalcorrespondenceofvisiblethingsandhumanthoughts”byEmersonLate years:1851-1862In1851,Thoreaubecamefascinatedwithnaturalhistoryandtravel/expeditionnarratives.HereadavidlyonbotanyandoftenwroteobservationsonthistopicintohisJournalThoreauswritingshadfarreachinginfluencesonmanypublicfigures.PoliticalleadersandreformerslikeMahatmaGandhi,PresidentJohnF.Kennedy,civilrightsactivistMartinLutherKing,andfeministEmmaGoldmanalsoappreciatedThoreau,andreferredtohimas“thegreatestAmericananarchist”.WaldenPondTheworkispartpersonaldeclarationofindependence,socialexperiment,voyageofspiritualdiscovery,satire,andmanualforself-reliance.2Publishedin1854,itdetailsThoreausexperiencesoverthecourseoftwoyearsinacabinhebuiltnearWaldenPond,amidstwoodlandownedbyhisfriendandmentorRalphWaldoEmerson,nearConcord,Massachusetts.By immersing himself in nature,Thoreau hoped to gain a more objective understanding of society through personal introspection.Simple living and self-sufficiency were Thoreaus other goals,and the whole project was inspired by transcendentalist philosophy,a central theme of the American Romantic Period.As Thoreau made clear in his book,his cabin was not in wilderness but at the edge of town,about two miles(3 km)from his family home.IwenttothewoodsbecauseIwishedtolivedeliberately,tofrontonlytheessentialfactsoflife,andseeifIcouldnotlearnwhatithadtoteach,andnot,whenIcametodie,discoverthatIhadnotlived.Ididnotwishtolivewhatwasnotlife,livingissodear;nordidIwishtopracticeresignation,unlessitwasquitenecessary.Iwantedtolivedeepandsuckoutallthemarrowoflife,tolivesosturdilyandSpartan-likeastoputtoroutallthatwasnotlife,tocutabroadswathandshaveclose,todrivelifeintoacorner,andreduceittoitslowestterms,and,ifitprovedtobemean,whythentogetthewholeandgenuinemeannessofit,andpublishitsmeannesstotheworld;orifitweresublime,toknowitbyexperience,andbeabletogiveatrueaccountofitinmynextexcursion.HenryDavidThoreau3Thoreauopensthischapterbywarningagainstrelyingtoomuchonliteratureasameansoftranscendence.Instead,oneshouldexperiencelifeforoneself.Solitude:Thoreaurhapsodizesaboutthebeneficialeffectsoflivingsolitaryandclosetonature.Heclaimstolovebeingalone,sayingIneverfoundthecompanionthatwassocompanionableassolitude.HisopinionsIwishtospeakawordforNature,forabsolutefreedomandwildness,ascontrastedwithafreedomandculturemerelyciviltoregardmanasaninhabitant,orapartandparcelofNature,ratherthanamemberofsociety.Hereisthisvast,savage,hoveringmotherofours,Nature,lyingallaround,withsuchbeauty,andsuchaffectionforherchildren,astheleopard;andyetwearesoearlyweanedfromherbreasttosociety,tothatculturewhichisexclusivelyaninteractionofmanonman.Weareoftenmadetofeelthatthereisanotheryouthandagethanthatwhichismeasuredfromtheyearofournaturalbirth.Somethoughtsalwaysfindusyoung,andkeepusso.SuchathoughtistheloveoftheuniversalandeternalbeautyIfthedayandthenightmakeonejoyful,oneissuccessful.Ifamandoesnotkeeppacewithhiscompanions,perhapsitisbecausehehearsadifferentdrummer.Lethimsteptothemusicwhichhehears,howevermeasuredorfaraway.Bydoingso,menmayfindhappinessandself-fulfillment.The news we hear,for the most part,is not news to our genius.It is the stalest repetition.Sustainyourselfbythelifeyoulive,notbyexchangingyourlifeformoneyandlivingoffthat.Dontwasteconversationandattentiononthesuperficialtrivialitiesandgossipofthedailynews,butattendtothingsofmoreimport:“ReadnottheTimes.ReadtheEternities.”Henry David ThoreauThestandardofhappinessIlookdownfrommyheightonnations,Andtheybecomeashesbeforeme;Calmismydwellingintheclouds;Pleasantarethegreatfieldsofmyrest.我从自己的高度俯视众国他们在我面前化为灰尘平静是我云端的寓所愉悦系我休憩的温床Goconfidentlyinthedirectionofyourdreams!Livethelifeyouveimagined.Asyousimplifyyourlife,thelawsoftheuniversewillbesimpler.Inwhatconcernsyoumuch,donotthinkthatyouhavecompanions:knowthatyouarealoneintheworld.Betruetoyourwork,yourword,andyourfriend.Cultivatethehabitofearlyrising.Itisunwisetokeeptheheadlongonalevelwiththefeet.Underagovernmentwhichimprisonsanyunjustly,thetrueplaceforajustmanisalsoaprison.Ifoneadvancesconfidentlyinthedirectionofhisdreams,andendeavorstolivethelifewhichhehasimagined,hewillmeetwithasuccessunexpectedincommonhours.Ifyouhavebuiltcastlesintheair,yourworkneednotbelost;thatiswheretheyshouldbe.Nowputthefoundationsunderthem.Itisashardtoseeonesselfastolookbackwardswithoutturningaround.Menhavebecomethetoolsoftheirtools.我喜欢独处。我从没遇到过比孤独更好的伴侣。城市是一个几百万人一起孤独地生活的地方。我们的生活都被耗费在细节上简单，再简单。你必须活在当下，乘着每一个波浪前行，在每一刻找到你的永恒。傻瓜站在他们的机会之岛上寻找另一片陆地。没有别的陆地，除了这一生，没有别的生命。一本真正的好书教给我的远不止只是阅读它。我必须很快将它放在一边，然后按照它来生活。我始于阅读，终于行动。于身体有益的是劳作，与灵魂有益的是灵魂的工作，于两者都有益的是为他人工作。任何人都是自己幸福的工匠。4Hedoesthis,hesays,toillustratethespiritualbenefitsofasimplifiedlifestyle.ThoreausintentionduringhistimeatWaldenPondwastoconductanexperimentWalden Pondisa102foot-(31metre)-deeplakeinConcord,MassachusettsintheUnitedStates.2Itis61acres(250,000m2)inareaand1.7miles(2.7km)around.Afamousexampleofakettlehole,itwasformedbyretreatingglaciers10,00012,000yearsago.docin/sanshengshiyuandoc88/sanshenglu 更多精品资源请访问更多精品资源请访问
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