He Is a Happy Man(幸福的人)英语美文
Joseph Hall, English bishop, moral philosopher, satirist and miscellaneous writer, the present essay is from his Characters of Virtues and Vices (1608)
That hath learned to read himself more than all books, and hath so taken out this lesson that he can never forget it; that knows the world, and cares not for it; that, after many traverses of thoughts,[1] is grown to know what he may trust to, and stands now equally armed for all events; that hath got the mastery at home, so as he can cross his will without a mutiny, and so please it that he makes it not a wanton; that in earthly things wishes no more than nature, in spiritual is ever graciously ambitious;[2] that for his condition stands on his own feet, not needing to lean upon the great, and can so frame his thoughts to his estate that when he hath least he cannot want, because he is as free from desire as superfluity; that hath seasonably broken the headstrong restiness[3] of prosperity, and can now manage it at pleasure; upon whom all smaller crosses light as hailstones upon a roof; and for the greater calamities, he can take them as tributes of life and tokens of love; and if his ship be tossed, yet he is sure his anchor is fast. If all the world were his, he could be no other than he is, no whit gladder of himself, no whit higher in his carriage, [4] because he knows contentment lies not in the things he hath, but in the mind that values them. The powers of his resolution can either multiply or subtract at pleasure. He can make his cottage a manor or a palace when he lists, and his home close [5] a large dominion, his stained cloth arras, [6] his earth plate, [7] and he can see state in the attendance of one servant, as one that hath learned a man’s greatness or baseness is in himself; and in this he may even contest with the proud, that he thinks his own the best. Or if he must be outwardly great, he can but turn the glass, and make his stately manor a low and straight [8] cottage, and in all his costly furniture he can see not richness but use; he can see dross in the best metal and earth through the best clothes, and in all his troop he can see himself his own servant. He lives quietly at home out of the noise of the world, and loves to enjoy himself always, and sometimes his friend, and hath as full scope to his thought as to his eyes. He walks ever even midway betwixt hopes and fears, resolved to fear nothing but God, to hope for nothing but that which he must have. He hath a wise and virtuous mind in a serviceable body, which that better part affects as a present servant and a future companion, so cherishing his flesh as one that would scorn to be all flesh. He hath no enemies; not for that all love him, but because he knows to make a gain of malice. [9] He is not so engaged to any earthly thing that they two cannot part on even terms; there is neither laughter in their meeting, nor in their shaking of hands tears. He keeps ever the best company, the God of Spirits and the spirits of that God, whom he entertains continually in an awful familiarity, not being hindered either with too much light or with none at all. His conscience and his hand are friends, and (what devil soever tempt him) will not fall out. That divine part goes ever uprightly and freely, not stooping under the burden of a willing sin, not fettered with the gyves [10] of unjust scruples. He would not, if he could, run away from himself or from God; not caring from whom he lies hid, so he may look these two in the face. Censures and applauses are passengers to him, not guests; his ear is their thoroughfare, not their harbor; he hath learned to fetch both his counsel and his sentence from his own breast. He doth not lay weight upon his own shoulders, as one that loves to torment himself with the honor of much employment; but as he makes work his game, so doth he not list to make himself work. His strife is ever to redeem and not to spend time. It is his trade to do good, and to think of it his recreation. He hath hands enough for himself and others, which are ever stretched forth for beneficence, not for need. He walks cheerfully in the way that God hath chalked, and never wishes it more wide or more smooth. Those very temptations whereby he is foiled strengthen him; he comes forth crowned and triumphing out of the spiritual battles, and those scars that he hath make him beautiful. His soul is every day dilated to receive that God, in whom he is; and hath attained to love himself for God, and God for his own sake. His eyes stick so fast in heaven that no earthly object can remove them; yea, his whole self is there before his time, and sees with Stephen [11], and hears with Paul, [12] and enjoys with Lazarus, [13] the glory that he shall have, and takes possession beforehand of his room amongst the saints; and these heavenly contentments have so taken him up that now he looks down displeasedly upon the earth as the region of his sorrow and banishment, yet joying more in hope than troubled with the sense of evils. He holds it no great matter to live, and his greatest business to die; and is so well acquainted with his last guest [14] that he fears no unkindness from him: neither makes he any other of dying than of walking home when he is abroad, or of going to bed when he is weary of the day. He is well provided for both worlds, and is sure of peace here, of glory hereafter; and therefore hath a light heart and a cheerful face. All his fellow-creatures rejoice to serve him; his betters, the angels, love to observe him; God himself takes pleasure to converse with him; and hath sainted him before his death, and in his death crowned him.
Questions for Comprehension and Consideration:
1. Joseph Hall says “His conscience and his hand are friends and (what devil so ever tempt him) will not fall out.” What do “conscience” and “hand “ stand for and how do you understand “they never fall out”?
2. How do you understand the metaphor “Censures and applauses are passengers to him, not guests; his ear is their thoroughfare, not their harbor;” What does “ he hath learned to fetch both his counsel and his sentence from his own breast” imply?
3. “He is well provided for both worlds.” What does “both worlds” stand for? How do you understand this idea?
4. Use your own words to sum up the author’s point of view of “a happy man”. Do you think the author is philosophic or religious? To what extent do you agree or disagree with the author’s ideas? Write a passage on your own understanding of happiness, using concrete examples and vivid experience to support your view.
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[1] traverses of thought thoughts on misfortune, “traverses” meaning things that “obstruct” or “thwart”.
[2] graciously ambitious: ambitious for divine grace
[3] restiness stubborness or sluggishness (of a horse)
[4] carriage manner of carrying the body
[5] home close yard of a house
[6] arras wall-tapestry
[7] earth plate i.e. , he can convert his common earthenware into gold plate.
[8] straight i.e. “strait”, or narrow
[9] knows to make a gain of malice knows how to profit by others’ hate.
[10] gyves shackles
[11] Stephen See Acts, VII,55—6 (But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”)
[12] Paul See Acts, IX,3—4 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Paul, Paul, why do you persecute me?”)
[13] Lazarus See Luke, XII, 23 (Life is more than food and the body more than clothes.)
[14] last guest Death
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