人生之计常虚无

Lesson 7　人生之计常虚无　SCHEMES OF LIFE OFTEN ILLUSORY

Samuel Johnson，1700—1784.This truly remarkable man was the son of a bookseller and stationer；he was born in Lichfield，Staffordshire，England.He entered Pembroke College，Oxford，in 1728；but，at the end of three years，his poverty compelled him to leave without taking his degree.In 1736，he married Mrs.Porter，a widow of little culture，much older than himself，but possessed of some property.The marriage seems to have been a happy one，nevertheless；and，on the death of his wife，in 1752，Johnson mourned for her，most sincerely.Soon after his marriage，he opened a private school，but，obtained only three pupils，one of whom was David Garrick，afterward the celebrated actor.In 1737，he removed to London，where he lived for most of the remainder of his life.Here he entered upon literary work，in which he continued，and from which he derived his chief support，although at times it was but a meager one.His “Vanity of Human Wishes”was sold for ten guineas.His great Dictionary，the first one of the English language worthy of mention，brought him 1575 pounds，and occupied his time for seven years.Most of the money he received for the work went to pay his six amanuenses.The other most famous of his numerous literary works are “The Rambler，”“Rasselas，”“The Lives of the English Poets，”and his edition of Shakespeare.In person，Johnson was heavy and awkward；he was the victim of scrofula in his youth，and of dropsy in his old age.In manner，he was boorish and overbearing；but his great powers and his wisdom caused his company to be sought by many eminent men of his time.

Omar，the son of Hassan，had passed seventy-five years in honor and prosperity.The favor of three successive caliphs had filled his house with gold and silver；and whenever he appeared，the benedictions of the people proclaimed his passage.

Terrestrial happiness is of short continuance.The brightness of the flame is wasting its fuel；the fragrant flower is passing away in its own odors.The vigor of Omar began to fail；the curls of beauty fell from his head；strength departed from his hands，and agility from his feet.He gave back to the caliph the keys of trust，and the seals of secrecy；and sought no other pleasure for the remainder of life than the converse of the wise and the gratitude of the good.

The powers of his mind were yet unimpaired.His chamber was filled by visitants，eager to catch the dictates of experience，and officious to pay the tribute of admiration.Caleb，the son of the viceroy of Egypt，entered every day early，and retired late.He was beautiful and eloquent；Omar admired his wit，and loved his docility.

“Tell me，”said Caleb，“thou to whose voice nations have listened，and whose wisdom is known to the extremities of Asia，tell me，how I may resemble Omar the prudent？The arts by which thou hast gained power and preserved it，are to thee no longer necessary or useful；impart to me the secret of thy conduct，and teach me the plan upon which thy wisdom has built thy fortune.”

“Young man，”said Omar，“it is of little use to form plans of life.When I took my first survey of the world，in my twentieth year，having considered the various conditions of mankind，in the hour of solitude I said thus to myself，leaning against a cedar which spread its branches over my head: ‘Seventy years are allowed to man；I have yet fifty remaining.’”

“ ‘Ten years I will allot to the attainment of knowledge，and ten I will pass in foreign countries；I shall be learned，and therefore I shall be honored；every city will shout at my arrival，and every student will solicit my friendship.Twenty years thus passed will store my mind with images which I shall be busy through the rest of my life in combining and comparing.I shall revel in inexhaustible accumulations of intellectual riches；I shall find new pleasures for every moment，and shall never more be weary of myself.’”

“‘I will not，however，deviate too far from the beaten track of life；but will try what can be found in female delicacy.I will marry a wife as beautiful as the houries，and wise as Zobeide；and with her I will live twenty years within the suburbs of Bagdad，in every pleasure that wealth can purchase，and fancy can invent.’”

“‘I will then retire to a rural dwelling，pass my days in obscurity and contemplation；and lie silently down on the bed of death.Through my life it shall be my settled resolution，that I will never depend on the smile of princes；that I will never stand exposed to the artifices of courts；I will never pant for public honors，nor disturb my quiet with the affairs of state.’ Such was my scheme of life，which I impressed indelibly upon my memory.”

“The first part of my ensuing time was to be spent in search of knowledge，and I know not how I was diverted from my design.I had no visible impediments without，nor any ungovernable passion within.I regarded knowledge as the highest honor，and the most engaging pleasure；yet day stole upon day，and month glided after month，till I found that seven years of the first ten had vanished，and left nothing behind them.”

“I now postponed my purpose of traveling；for why should I go abroad，while so much remained to be learned at home？I immured myself for four years，and studied the laws of the empire.The fame of my skill reached the judges: I was found able to speak upon doubtful questions，and I was commanded to stand at the footstool of the caliph.I was heard with attention；I was consulted with confidence，and the love of praise fastened on my heart.”

“I still wished to see distant countries；listened with rapture to the relations of travelers，and resolved some time to ask my dismission，that I might feast my soul with novelty；but my presence was always necessary，and the stream of business hurried me along.Sometimes，I was afraid lest I should be charged with in-gratitude；but I still proposed to travel，and therefore would not confine myself by marriage.”

“In my fiftieth year，I began to suspect that the time of my traveling was past；and thought it best to lay hold on the felicity yet in my power，and indulge myself in domestic pleasures.But，at fifty，no man easily finds a woman beautiful as the houries，and wise as Zobeide.I inquired and rejected，consulted and deliberated，till the sixty-second year made me ashamed of wishing to marry.I had now nothing left but retirement；and for retirement I never found a time，till disease forced me from public employment.”

“Such was my scheme，and such has been its consequence.With an insatiable thirst for knowledge，I trifled away the years of improvement；with a restless desire of seeing different countries，I have always resided in the same city；with the highest expectation of connubial felicity，I have lived unmarried；and with an unalterable resolution of contemplative retirement，I am going to die within the walls of Bagdad.”

译文　TRANSLATION

塞缪尔·约翰逊（1709—1784）出生于英国里奇菲尔德的一位书商之家。1728年，约翰逊进入牛津大学彭布柔克学院，但不久就因贫困辍学。1736年，他和一位薄有资产、粗通文墨的寡妇波特女士结婚。这似乎是桩幸福的婚姻，1752年，约翰逊夫人去世，约翰逊曾深为哀悼。在和波特女士婚后不久，约翰逊开办了一所学堂，但学生只有三个，其中之一是日后成为著名演员的戴维·伽利克。1737年，他去往伦敦，从此一生大部分时间都在那里度过。在伦敦，他开始卖文为生，稿酬是他的主要生活来源，但有时很菲薄。他的《虚妄的人世愿望》只卖了10畿尼。他编纂的《英语辞典》是第一部值得注意的英语辞典，这部书他用了七年的时间，得1 575镑稿酬，而其中大部分都用于支付六名抄写员的工资。在他卷帙浩繁的著述中，著名的作品还有《漫游者》《拉瑟勒斯》《英国诗人评传》以及他编辑的莎士比亚全集。就外貌而言，约翰逊身材高大、行动笨拙，幼时罹患淋巴结核，晚年又为水肿所苦；而在举止上，约翰逊粗鲁、傲慢，但他的智慧和才气却令当时很多名人愿意与之交游。

哈桑之子奥马尔在尊荣中度过了七十五岁。三任哈里发的宠幸使他的府邸满是金银。只要他一出现，人们都会夹道祝福。

尘世的幸福是短暂的。火焰的光华将耗尽它的燃料，花的芬芳也会淡去。奥马尔的精力开始衰退。美丽的卷发从他头上脱落；他的双手不再有力、双足也不再矫健。他向哈里发交还了忠诚的钥匙，机密的印玺。余生不求别的欢娱，只求与智慧的交谈、善良的感恩。

他心智的力量并未削弱。厅堂里访客云集。那些人都渴望从他的经验中得到教诲，向他殷勤地奉上敬慕。埃及总督之子卡莱布每天一早就来拜望奥马尔，待到很晚才告退。卡莱布俊美、健谈。奥马尔欣赏他的才气，喜爱他的恭谨。

“告诉我，”卡莱布说，“以你万国倾聆的声音、以你名满亚细亚的智慧，告诉我，我怎样才能成为像您一样的人？获得与保有权力的技艺对您已不再需要、已毫无用处；把您处世的秘诀传授给我吧，把您借以建立功业的规划运筹教给我吧。”

“年轻人，”奥马尔说，“人生规划毫无用处。二十岁时，我第一次环游世界。独处时，我权衡了人类各种不同的境遇；倚着荫荫如盖的雪松，我想：‘人生七十古来稀，我还有五十年，大有可为。’”

“我将用十年来治学，十年去异邦游历。我会成为饱学之士，备受推崇。每个城市都将为我的莅临欢呼，每位学者都渴望与我交游。在接下来的人生中，我将综合、比较这二十年在我脑海中所储存的各种概念。我将陶然自得于知识财富的无尽积累。每一刻我都会发现新的乐趣，没有须臾倦怠。”

“不过，我也不会偏离人生的常轨，而会去领略在女性的柔媚中所能发现的所有魅力。我将娶一位貌若天仙、智慧超群的姑娘为妻，我将和她一起在巴格达城郊生活二十年，尽享财富所能买到、奇思所能设想的各种享乐。”

“我将退隐田园，在幽寂与冥想中默默以终。整个一生，我都将不改初衷，不仰赖王者的欢颜，不厕身宫廷的诡谲，不汲汲于浮名，不因政务而扰乱自己的宁静。这就是我的一生之计，我一直铭刻于心。”

“我的第一部分时间本来用于求知，可不知道怎么就偏离了规划，既没有明显的外在的阻碍，也没有不可控制的内在的激情。我原本把知识视作无上的荣誉、最怡人的赏心乐事，但日复一日、月复一月，我发现我的第一个十年规划已经过去了七年，却一无所成。”

“于是，我推迟了旅行计划，因为既然在国内我还有那么多东西有待学习，那又为什么要出国呢？我潜心研读了四年帝国法律。谙熟律法的声名传到了法官们耳中，他们发现我能在疑难问题上侃侃而谈，就命我立于哈里发座前以备咨询。哈里发认真地听取我的见解，满怀信任地咨询我的意见。对称扬的热爱攫住我的心。”

“我仍想去见识遥远的异国，常常兴高采烈地倾听旅行者讲述他们历经的故事，偶或下决心辞去官职，以便我的灵魂能享受新奇，但我的存在又总是不可或缺，政务烦冗，让我无暇抽身。有时想若是被贬谪、放逐，或许就可趁机旅行了。但我还是做着旅行的规划，因而没有让婚姻把自己束缚。”

“五十岁时，我开始怀疑自己已错过游历的好时机，故而认为把握力所能及的幸福、让自己享受家室之乐才是上策。可是，到了五十岁，男人就不能轻而易举地找到貌若天仙、智慧超群的姑娘做妻子了，我咨询、思量，屡试屡败。而到了六十二岁，我已羞于谈及婚娶。我只能幽居退隐。我从前从未有时间休息，但疾病却迫使我放弃公职。”

“这就是我曾有过的规划和现在的结果。尽管有对知识的无尽渴求，却蹉跎了进修的年华；尽管总是憧憬游历异国，却一直栖居在同一个城市。对家室之乐怀有最高的期许，却孑然一身；沉思退隐的素志从未改变，却将终老于巴格达。”