Oliver Goldsmith，1728—1774.This eccentric son of genius was an Irishman；his father was a poor curate.Goldsmith received his education at several preparatory schools，at Trinity College，Dublin，at Edinburgh，and at Leyden.He was indolent and unruly as a student，often in disgrace with his teachers；but his generosity，recklessness，and love of athletic sports made him a favorite with his fellow-students.He spent some time in wandering over the continent，often in poverty and want.In 1756 he returned to England，and soon took up his abode in London.Here he made the acquaintance and friendship of several notable men，among whom were Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds.“The Traveler”was published in 1764，and was soon followed by the “Vicar of Wakefield.”He wrote in nearly all departments of literature，and always with purity，grace，and fluency.His fame as a poet is secured by the “Traveler”and the “Deserted Village；”as a dramatist，by “She Stoops to Conquer；”as a satirist，by the “Citizen of the World；”and as a novelist by the “Vicar of Wakefield.”In his later years his writings were the source of a large income，but his gambling，careless generosity，and reckless extravagance always kept him in financial difficulty，and he died heavily in debt.His monument is in Westminster Abbey.
Writers of every age have endeavored to show that pleasure is in us，and not in the objects offered for our amusement.If the soul be happily disposed，everything becomes capable of affording entertainment，and distress will almost want a name.Every occurrence passes in review，like the figures of a procession；some may be awkward，others ill-dressed，but none but a fool is on that account enraged with the master of ceremonies.I remember to have once seen a slave，in a fortification in Flanders，who appeared no way touched with his situation.He was maimed，deformed，and chained；obliged to toil from the appearance of day till nightfall，and condemned to this for life；yet，with all these circumstances of apparent wretchedness，he sang，would have danced，but that he wanted a leg，and appeared the merriest，happiest man of all the garrison.What a practical philosopher was here！A happy constitution supplied philosophy，and though seemingly destitute of wisdom he was really wise.No reading or study had contributed to disenchant the fairyland around him.Everything furnished him with an opportunity of mirth；and though some thought him，from his insensibility，a fool，he was such an idiot as philosophers should wish to imitate.
They who，like that slave，can place themselves all that side of the world in which everything appears in a pleasant light，will find something in every occur-rence to excite their good humor.The most calamitous events，either to themselves or others，can bring no new affliction；the world is to them a theater，in which only comedies are acted.All the bustle of heroism，or the aspirations of ambition，seem only to heighten the absurdity of the scene，and make the humor more poignant.They feel，in short，as little anguish at their own distress，or the complaints of others，as the undertaker，though dressed in black，feels sorrow at a funeral.
Of all the men I ever read of，the famous Cardinal de Retz possessed this happiness in the highest degree.When fortune wore her angriest look，and he fell into the power of Cardinal Mazarin，his most deadly enemy，（being confined a close prisoner in the castle of Valenciennes，）he never attempted to support his distress by wisdom or philosophy，for he pretended to neither.He only laughed at himself and his persecutor，and seemed infinitely pleased at his new situation.In this mansion of distress，though denied all amusements，and even the conveniences of life，and entirely cut off from all intercourse with his friends，he still retained his good humor，laughed at the little spite of his enemies，and carried the jest so far as to write the life of his jailer.
All that the wisdom of the proud can teach，is to be stubborn or sullen under misfortunes.The Cardinal's example will teach us to be goodhumored in circumstances of the highest affliction.It matters not whether our good humor be construed by others into insensibility or idiotism，——it is happiness to ourselves；and none but a fool could measure his satisfaction by what the world thinks of it.
The happiest fellow I ever knew，was of the number of those goodnatured creatures that are said to do no harm to anybody but themselves.Whenever he fell into any misery，he called it “seeing life，”If his head was broken by a chairman，or his pocket picked by a sharper，he comforted himself by imitating the Hibernian dialect of the one，or the more fashionable cant of the other.Nothing came amiss to him.His inattention to money matters had concerned his father to such a degree that all intercession of friends was fruitless.The old gentleman was on his deathbed.The whole family （and Dick among the number）gathered around him.
“I leave my second son，Andrew，”said the expiring miser，“my whole estate，and desire him to be frugal.”Andrew，in a sorrowful tone （as is usual on such occasions），prayed heaven to prolong his life and health to enjoy it himself.“I recommend Simon，my third son，to the care of his elder brother，and leave him，besides，four thousand pounds.”“Ah，father！”cried Simon （in great affliction，to be sure），“may heaven give you life and health to enjoy it yourself！”At last，turning to poor Dick: “As for you，you have always been a sad dog；you'll never come to good；you'll never be rich；I leave you a shilling to buy a halter.”“Ah，father！”cries Dick，without any emotion，“may heaven give you life and health to enjoy it yourself！”
译文 TRANSLATION
奥利弗·哥尔德斯密（1728—1774）出生在爱尔兰一位贫穷的牧师家中。他曾在都柏林三一学院及莱顿大学读过书。哥尔德斯密是位懒散、桀骜的学生，经常与老师发生龃龉，但他的慷慨、不羁及对体育运动的热爱使他深受同学喜爱。他曾在困窘的条件下漫游欧洲大陆。1756年他回到英国，很快在伦敦落脚。在那里他结交了塞缪尔·约翰逊等知名人物。1764年他发表《旅行者》一诗，不久出版小说《威克菲尔德牧师传》。哥尔德斯密文笔清新、优雅、流畅。他的作品几乎包括各种文类：《旅行者》与《荒村》奠定了他诗人的名望；《委曲求全》则为他赢得了剧作家的声誉；《世界公民》使他成为杰出的讽刺作家；《威克菲尔德牧师传》则令他跻身著名小说家之列。在哥尔德斯密晚年，他的作品为他带来了滚滚财源，但由于嗜赌、奢华，待到去世时，他已是债台高筑。西敏寺有哥尔德斯密的纪念碑。
历代作者都努力展现欢愉是在我们自己身上而不是在那些供我们消遣的事物身上。如果一个人生性乐观，那么，一切就都会赏心悦目，而苦恼则几乎不存在。回思往事，就像观看游行队伍一样，其中虽然有的笨手笨脚，有的衣冠不整，但只有傻瓜才会为此对仪式的主持者大发光火。
我记得在弗兰德斯要塞曾遇见过一个奴隶，他看上去似乎不为境遇所动。他身体残疾、受了伤、带着锁链；从早到晚被迫做着苦工，为活命不得不尔。但是尽管外在环境这般凄惨，他却放声歌唱，如果他腿脚健全，他也许还会翩然起舞。他似乎是整个要塞最快乐、最幸福的人。他多像一个践履哲思的哲人。幸福的天性提供了一种哲学，虽然表面看去疯疯癫癫，他却是真正的智者。没有阅读或研究来为他身畔的仙境祛魅。一切都为他提供欢笑的机缘；尽管某些人因他的迟钝而视他为白痴，但他却是一个连哲人都欲师法的白痴。
像那个苦工一样，一些人总能置身于这样一个世界，其间一切事物都呈现其欢愉的一面，他们也总能在每件事中找到激发自己美好情致的东西。深巨的苦难，无论是他们亲历的还是别人遭遇的，都不会给他们带来新的烦恼；世界对他们说来就像一个剧院，舞台上演出的只有一幕幕喜剧。所有轰轰烈烈、所有宏图大志似乎只是让场景更荒诞，令幽默更隽永。简而言之，在自己的困厄与他人的怨诉中，他们所体认的辛酸同葬礼上一袭黑衣的殡仪员所感受的哀伤一样少。
在我读到的所有作家中，著名的雷斯枢机主教最具上文所述的幸福感。在命运女神对他最为怨毒之际，当他落入死敌马扎林枢机主教之手被关入瓦朗谢讷城堡时，他从未试图借助智慧或哲理来承受苦难，或者佯装未曾向两者求助。他只是自嘲和讥讽那些迫害自己的人，在新的境遇下，他看似无限满足。在这痛苦的城堡中，尽管没有任何娱乐，甚至生活也诸多不便，并与朋友完全断绝了联系，但他仍保持良好的心境，嘲讽敌人的小奸小恶，而且带着这份嬉笑怒骂来书写自己的铁窗生涯。
高傲者所能教授的全部智慧是在厄运下横眉冷对、坚强不屈。这位枢机主教却以身作则告诉我们即使在最痛苦的环境中也要保持良好的心情。我们的欢愉是否会被他人解释为麻木或痴顽，这无关紧要——重要的是那对我们自己来说是幸福，只有白痴才会依据别人的想法来衡量自己是否心满意足。
我认识的最快乐的某公亦属性情美好之人。据说，那样的性格与人无害却伤自己。无论何时他陷入不幸，他都称其为“见识生活”。如果他被杂耍剧场的演出司仪打破了头，或者被老千掏空了腰包，他就学一段爱尔兰方言或更时髦的切口来安慰自己。他总是这样优哉游哉。他在钱财方面的粗心大意让他父亲如此担心以致朋友们所有的调停都无果而终。老先生临终前，全家人围在他的病榻旁，某公亦忝列其间。
“我留给二儿安德鲁，”这要断气的守财奴说，“我全部的财产，望他勤俭持家。”安德鲁以悲伤的语调（在这样的场合通常如此）祈祷上帝延长父亲的生命，让他拥有健康以便亲自享受财富。“我推荐三儿子西蒙为哥哥打理财产，此外，我留给他4000镑。”“啊，爸爸！”西蒙喊道（的确，很是悲戚），“唯愿上帝赐您生命与健康亲自享受这财富。”最后，老人转向可怜的某公：“至于你，你一直是个倒霉蛋；永远不会转运，永远不会富有；我留给你1先令去买副缰绳勒住你自己。”“哦，爸爸！”某公淡漠地说“唯愿上帝赐您生命与健康亲自享受它。”
免责声明：以上内容源自网络，版权归原作者所有，如有侵犯您的原创版权请告知，我们将尽快删除相关内容。
