21-The Love of Beauty

    The Love of Beauty

    The love of beauty is an essential part of all healthy human nature. It is a moral quality. The absence of it is not an assured ground of condemnation， but the presence of it is an invariable sign of goodness of heart. In proportion to the degree in which it is felt will probably be the degree in which nobleness and beauty of character will be attained.

    Natural beauty is an all-pervading presence. The universe is its temple. It unfolds into the numberless flowers of spring. It waves in the branches of trees and the green blades of grass. It haunts the depths of the earth and the sea. It gleams from the hues of the shell and the precious stone. And not only these minute objects but the oceans， the mountains， the clouds， the stars， the rising and the setting sun——all overflow with beauty. This beauty is so precious， and so congenial to our tenderest and noblest feelings， that it is painful to think of the multitude of people living in the midst of it and yet remaining almost blind to it.

    All persons should seek to become acquainted with the beauty in nature. There is not a worm we tread upon， nor a leaf that dances merrily as it falls before the autumn winds， but calls for our study and admiration. The power to appreciated beauty not merely increases our sources of happiness——it enlarges our moral nature， too. Beauty calms our restlessness and dispels our cares. Go into the fields or the woods， spend a summer day by the sea or the mountains， and all your little perplexities and anxieties will vanish. Listen to sweet music， and your foolish fears and petty jealousies will pass away. The beauty of the world helps us to seek and find the beauty of goodness.

    譯文：

    愛美

    愛美及是整個健全人性不可或缺之一部分。它是一種道德品質。缺乏這種品質并不能作為受到責難的充分理由，但是擁有這種品質則是心靈美好的永恒標志。品德的高尚與美好所達到的程度可能與對美的感受程度成正比。

    大自然的美無處不在，整個宇宙就是美的殿堂。美，在春日百花中綻放；美，在綠葉嫩枝間搖曳；美，在深海幽谷里游弋；美，在奇石與貝殼的繽紛色彩中閃爍。不只是這些細微之物，還有海洋，山川，云彩，繁星，日升日落 – 一切都是洋溢著美。這樣的美是如此珍貴，與我們最溫柔，最高尚的情愫是如此相宜。然而，想到很多人置身于美之中，卻幾乎對它熟視無睹，真是令人痛心不已。

    所有的人都應該去認識大自然之美。沒有一條我們踩過的小蟲，沒有一片在秋風拂掠之際飛舞的樹葉不值得我們研究與贊賞。欣賞美的能力不僅增加了我們快樂的來源，也加強了我們德性的修養。美使我們不安的心平靜下來，也驅散了我們的憂慮。到田野或森林去，在夏日的海邊或山上呆上一天，那么你所有微不足道的困惑與焦慮都會煙消云散。傾聽悅耳的音樂，你那愚蠢的恐懼與狹隘的嫉妒都會過去。世界之美將有助于我們找到為善之美。