《四季隨筆》是吉辛的散文代表作。其中對隱士賴克羅夫特醉心于書籍、自然景色與回憶過去生活的描述,其實(shí)是吉辛的自述,作者以此來抒發(fā)自己的情感,因而本書是一部富有自傳色彩的小品文集。
吉辛窮困的一生,對文學(xué)名著的愛好與追求,以及對大自然恬靜生活的向往,在書中均有充分的反映。本書分為春、夏、秋、冬四個部分,文筆優(yōu)美,行文流暢,是英國文學(xué)中小品文的珍品之一。
以下是由網(wǎng)友分享的《四季隨筆》節(jié)選 - 春 24的內(nèi)容,讓我們一起來感受吉辛的四季吧!
Morning after morning, of late, I have taken my walk in the same direction, my purpose being to look at a plantation of young larches. There is no lovelier colour on earth than that in which they are now clad; it seems to refresh as well as gladden my eyes, and its influence sinks deep into my heart. Too soon it will change; already I think the first radiant verdure has begun to pass into summer's soberness. The larch has its moment of unmatched beauty—and well for him whose chance permits him to enjoy it, spring after spring.
最近,每天早晨我都會往同一個方向散步,目的是看看一片幼嫩的落葉松。世上再沒有比它們現(xiàn)在的新裝更可愛的顏色了;這顏色讓我的眼睛感覺清新又愉悅,它的影響也已滲入我的內(nèi)心。它變化得太快,我甚至覺得起初的青翠欲滴已經(jīng)開始向夏天的深沉過渡了。這些落葉松有過美麗無比的時刻—那些每個春天都有機(jī)會欣賞它們的人真是幸運(yùn)。
Could anything be more wonderful than the fact that here am I, day by day, not only at leisure to walk forth and gaze at the larches, but blessed with the tranquility of mind needful for such enjoyment? On any morning of spring sunshine, how many mortals find themselves so much at peace that they are able to give themselves wholly to delight in the glory of heaven and of earth? Is it the case with one man in every fifty thousand? Consider what extraordinary kindness of fate must tend upon one, that not a care, not a preoccupation, should interfere with his contemplative thought for five or six days successively! So rooted in the human mind (and so reasonably rooted) is the belief in an Envious Power, that I ask myself whether I shall not have to pay, by some disaster, for this period of sacred calm. For a week or so I have been one of a small number, chosen out of the whole human race by fate's supreme benediction. It may be that this comes to every one in turn; to most, it can only be once in a lifetime, and so briefly. That my own lot seems so much better than that of ordinary men, sometimes makes me fearful.
日復(fù)一日,我都有閑暇來這里散步,懷著享受此刻必要的寧靜心緒,凝視這片落葉松,世上還有比這更美好的事嗎?在一個春光燦爛的早晨,有多少人能有我這樣的平靜心態(tài),可以全身心地享受天與地的美景?五萬人中恐怕只有一個吧?想想命運(yùn)給了這個人多大的恩惠,竟然讓他可以在連續(xù)五六天中沒有一絲憂慮、一點(diǎn)煩惱來打擾他的沉思!人類頭腦中“嫉妒之力”的信念如此根深蒂固(也合情合理),讓我自問是否會遭遇什么災(zāi)難,作為這段神賜的平靜生活的代價。有一個星期左右,我是從全人類中挑出的少數(shù)幸運(yùn)兒中的一個,享受命運(yùn)的無上福澤。也許這種好運(yùn)每個人都會輪到,但對大多數(shù)人而言,一生可能只有一次,而且轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝。而我的命運(yùn)看起來比普通人好這么多,想到這一點(diǎn),我經(jīng)常感覺惶恐。