英语经典阅读与欣赏-第一册

　　Delight of Books　　1 Books are to mankind what memory is to the individual．They contain the historyof our race，the discoveries we have made，the gathered knowledge and experienceof ages；they picture for US the beauties of nature，help US in our difficulties，comfort US in sorrow and in suffering，change hours of boredom into moments ofdelight，store our minds with ideas，hu them with good and happy thoughts，andlift US out of and above ourselves．　　2 Many 0f us 0We much of our purest happiness to books．Ascham in “TheSchoolmastcr．”tells a story of his last visit to Lady Jane Grey．He found hersitting at the window reading Plato’S beautiful account of the death of Socrates．Herfather and mother were hunting in the park，the hounds were full of cry and theirvoices came in through the open window．H e expressed his surprise that she had notjoined them．But，said she，“1 wish that all their pleasure in the park is but ashadow to the pleasure I find in Plato．”　　3 Macaulayhad wealth and fame，rank and power，and yet he tells US in hisbiography that he owed the happiest hours of his life to books．In a charming letter toa little girl，he says，“Thank you for your very pretty letter．I am always glad tomake my little girl happy，and nothing pleases me so much as to see that she likesbooks，for when she is as old as I am，she will find that they are better than all the tarts and cakes，toys and plays，and sights in the world．If anyone would make methe greatest king that ever lived，with palaces and gardens and fine dinners，andwines and coaches，and beautiful clothes，and hundreds of servants．on conditionthat I should not read books．1 would not be a king．1 would rather be a poor man ina garret with plenty of books than a king who did not love reading．”　　4 Books，indeed，give US a whole enchanted palace of thoughts．There is a widerprospect， says Jean Paul Richer，from Parnassusthan from a throne．In oneway they give US an even more vivid idea than the actual reality，just as reflectionsarc often more beautiful than real nature．“Au mirrors．”says George Macdonald．“The commonest room is a room in a poem when I look in the glass．”　　5 Precious and priceless are the blessings which the books scatter around our dailypaths．We walk，in imagination，with the noblest spirits，through the most splendidand enchanting regions．　　6 Without leaving our house we may travel to the most remote regions of the earth，or fly into skies where Spenser’s unearthly beauties flock to meet us．whereMilton’s angels play songs of Paradise．Science，art，literature，philosophy—authat man has thought，all that man has done，the experience that has been boughtwith the sufferings of a hundred generations，all are gathered up for US in the worldnf hnnks。　　……