寫作的樂趣

The fortunate people in the world—the only reallyfortunate people in the world, in my mind, are those whose work is also their pleasure. The class is not a large one, not nearly so large as it is often represented to be; and authors are perhaps one of the most important elements in its composition.They enjoy in this respect at least a real harmony of life. To my mind, to be able to make your work your pleasure is the one class distinction in the world worth striving for; and I do not wonder that others are inclined to envy those happy human beings who find their livelihood in the gay effusions of their fancy, to whom every hour of labour is an hour of enjoyment, to whom repose—however necessary—is a tiresome interlude. And even a holiday is almost deprivation. Whether a man writes well or ill, has much to say or little, if he cares aboutwriting at all, he will appreciate the pleasures of composition. To sit at one's table on a sunny morning, with four clear hours of uninterruptible security, plenty of nice white paper, and a Squeezer pen—that is true happiness. The complete absorption of the mind upon an agreeable occupation—what more is there than that to desire? What does it matter what happens outside？The House of Commons may do what it likes, and so may the House of Lords. The heathen may rage furiously in every part of the globe. The bottom may be knocked clean out of the American market. Consols may fall and suffragettes may rise. Nevermind, for four hours, at any rate, we will withdraw ourselves from a common, ill-governed, and disorderly world, and with the key of fancy unlock that cupboard where all the good things of the infinite are put away.
在我看來，世上幸運的人——世上唯一真正幸運的人，是那些以工作為樂的人。這個階層的人并不多，還沒有人們常說的那樣多。也許，作家是其中最重要的組成部分之一。就幸運而言，他們至少享受著生活中真正的和諧美。依我看，能使工作成為樂趣，是世人值得為之奮斗的一種崇高的榮譽；而且，我毫不懷疑別人會羨慕這些幸福的人，因為他們在快樂地噴涌的幻想中找到了生計，對他們來說，每勞動一小時，就是享受一小時，而休息——無論多么有必要——是令人討厭的插曲，甚至度假也幾乎成了一種損失。無論寫得好壞，寫成多少，只要在意，就可嘗到謀章布局的樂趣。在一個陽光明媚的早晨，臨桌而坐，整整四個小時不受打擾，有足夠數(shù)量的雪白稿紙，還有一支“擠壓式”妙筆——那才叫真正的幸福。全心全意地投入一項令人愉快的職業(yè)——此愿足矣！外面發(fā)生什么事又有何妨？下院想干什么就干什么吧，上院也可如此。異教徙可以在全球各地大發(fā)作。美國市場可以徹底崩潰。證券可以下跌；女權(quán)運動可以興起。沒有關(guān)系，不管怎么說，我們有四個小時可以躲開這俗氣的、治理不善的、雜亂無章的世界，并且用想象這把鑰匙，去開啟藏有大千世界一切寶物的小櫥。