汽化英语美文背诵文选100篇

2021年1月24日发(作者：shevchenko)

英语美文背诵文选
100
篇


1. The First Snow
The first snow came. How beautiful it was, falling so silently all day long, all
night long, on the mountains, on the meadows, on the roofs on the living, on the
graves of the dead! All white save the river, that marked its course be a winding
black line across the landscape; and the leafless tress, that against the leaden
sky
now
revealed
more
fully
the
wonderful
beauty
and
intricacies
of
their
branches.
What
silence,
too,
came
with
the
snow,
and
what
seclusion!
Every
sound
was
muffled,
every noise
changed to something soft and musical. No more tramping hoofs, no more
rattling wheels! Only the chiming of sleigh-bell, beating as swift and merrily as
the hearts of children. (118 words)
From Kavanagh
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
2. The Humming-bird
Of
all
animals
being
this
is
the
most
elegant
in
form
and
the
most
brilliant
in
colors.
The
stones
and
metals
polished
by
our
arts
are
not
comparable
to
this
jewel
of
Nature.
She
has
placed
it
least
in
size
of
the
order
of
birds.

Miranda
in
minimis.
Her
masterpiece
is
this
little
humming-bird,
and
upon
it
she
has
heaped
all
the
gifts
which the other birds may only share. Lightness, rapidity, nimbleness, grace, and
rich
apparel
all
belong
to
this
little
favorite.
The
emerald,
the
ruby,
and
the
topaz
gleam
upon
its
dress.
It
never
soils
them
with
the
dust
of
earth,
and
in
its
aerial
life scarcely touches the turf an instant. Always in the air, flying from flower
to flower, it has their freshness as well as their brightness. It lives upon their
nectar, and dwells only in the climates where they perennially bloom. (149 words)
From Natural History
By George Louise Buffon
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3. Pines
The
pine,
placed
nearly
always
among
scenes
disordered
and
desolate,
bring
into
them
all possible elements of order and precision. Lowland trees may lean to this side
and
that,
though
it
is
but
a
meadow
breeze
that
bends
them
or
a
bank
of
cowlips
from
which
their
trunks
lean
aslope.
But
let
storm
and
avalanche
do
their
worst,
and
let
the pine find only a ledge of vertical precipice to cling to, it will nevertheless
grow straight. Thrust a rod from its last shoot down the stem; it shall point to
the center of the earth as long as the tree lives. It may be well also for lowland
branches to reach hither and thither for what they need, and to take all kinds of
irregular shape and extension. But the pine is trained to need nothing and endure
everything.
It
is
resolvedly
whole,
self- contained,
desiring
nothing
but
rightness,
content with restricted completion. Tall or short, it will be straight.
(160 words)
From Modern Painters
By John Ruskin
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4. Reading Good Books
Devote
some
of
your
leisure,
I
repeat,
to
cultivating
a
love
of
reading
good
books.
Fortunate
indeed
are
those
who
contrive
to
make
themselves
genuine
book- lovers.
For
book
lovers
have
some
noteworthy
advantages
over
other
people.
They
need
never
know
lonely hours so long as they have books around them, and the better the books the
more delightful the company. From good books, moreover, they draw much besides
entertainment.
They
gain
mental
food
such
as
few
companions
can
supply.
Even
while
resting
from
their
labors
they
are,
through
the
books
they
read,
equipping
themselves
to
perform
those
labors
more
efficiently.
This
albeit
they
may
not
be
deliberately
reading to improve their mind. All unconsciously the ideas they derive from the
printed
paged
are
stored
up,
to
be
worked
over
by
the
imagination
for
future
profit.
(135 words)
From Self-Development
By Henry Addington Bruce
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5. On Etiquette
Etiquette
to
society
is
what
apparel
is
to
the
individual.
Without
apparel
men
would
go
in
shameful
nudity
which
would
surely
lead
to
the
corruption
of
morals;
and
without
etiquette
society
would
be
in
a
pitiable
state
and
the
necessary
intercourse
between
its
members
would
be
interfered
with
by
needless
offences
and
troubles.
If
society
were
a
train,
the
etiquette
would
be
the
rails
along
which
only
the
train
could
rumble
forth; if society were a state coach, the etiquette would be the wheels and axis
on which only the coach could roll forward. The lack of proprieties would make the
most
intimate
friends
turns
to
be
the
most
decided
enemies
and
the
friendly
or
allied
countries declare war against each other. We can find many examples in
the history
of mankind. Therefore I advise you to stand on ceremony before anyone else and to
take
pains
not
to
do
anything
against
etiquette
lest
you
give
offences
or
make
enemies.
(160 words)
by William Hazlitt
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6. An Hour Before Sunrise
An
hour
before
sunrise
in
the
city
there
is
an
air
of
cold.
Solitary
desolation
about
the noiseless streets, which we are accustomed to see thronged at other times by
a busy, eager crowd, and over the quiet, closely shut buildings which throughout
the day are warming with life. The drunken, the dissipated, and the criminal have
disappeared;
the
more
sober
and
orderly
part
of
the
population
have
not
yet
awakened
to the labors of the day, and the stillness of death is over streets; its very hue
seems to be imparted to them, cold and lifeless as they look in the gray, somber
light of daybreak. A partially opened bedroom window here and there bespeaks the
heat of the weather and the uneasy slumbers of its occupant; and the dim scanty
flicker of a light through the blinds of yonder windows denotes the chamber of
watching
and
sickness.
Save
for
that
sad
light,
the
streets
present
no
signs
of
life,
nor the houses of habitation. (166 words)
From Boz


By Charles Dickens
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7. The Importance of Scientific Experiments
The rise of modern science may perhaps be considered to date as far as the time of
Roger Bacon, the wonderful monk and philosopher of Oxford, who lived between the
years 1214 and 1292. He was probable the first in the middle ages to assert that
we must learn science by observing and experimenting on the things around us, and
he himself made many remarkable discoveries. Galileo, however who lived more than
300
years
later
(1564
to
1642),
was
the
greatest
of
several
great
men,
who
in
Italy,
France,
Germany
or
England,
began
by
degrees
to
show
how
many
important
truths
could
be
discovered
by
well- directed
observation.
Before
the
time
of
Galileo,
learned
men
believed that large bodies fall more rapidly towards the earth than small ones,
because Aristotle said so. But Galileo, going to the top of the Leaning Tower of
Pisa, let fall two unequal stones, and proved to some friends, whom he had brought
there to see his experiment, that Aristotle was in error. It is Galileo's sprit of
going
direct
to
Nature,
and
verifying
our
opinions
and
theories
by
experiment,
that
has led to all the great discoveries of modern science.
(196 words)
From Logic
By William Stanley Jevons
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8. Address at Gettysburg
Fourscore
and
seven
years
ago
our
fathers
brought
forth
on
this
continent
a
new
nation
in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now
we
are
engaged
in
a
great
civil
war,
testing
whether
that
nation,
or
any
nation
so conceived and so dedicated, ca n long endure. We are met on a great battlefield
of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting
place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But,
in
a
larger
sense,
we
cannot
dedicate-we
cannot
consecrate-we
cannot
hallow-this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, heave
consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little
note
nor
long
remember
what
we
say
here,
but
it
can
never
forget
what
they
did
here.
It
is
for
us,
the
living,
rather,
to
be
dedicated
here
to
the
unfinished
work
which
they
who
fought
here
have
thus
far
so
nobly
advanced.
It
is
rather
for
us
to
be
here
dedicated
to
the
great
task
remaining
before
us-that
form
these
honored
dead
we
take
increased
devotion
to
that
cause
for
which
they
gave
the
last
full
measure
of
devotion;
that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this
nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the
people,
by
the
people,
for
the
people,
shall
not
perish
from
the
earth.
(268
words)
By Abraham Lincoln
9. A Little Girl (1)
Sitting on a grassy grave, beneath one of the windows of the church, was a little
girl. With her head bent back she was gazing up at the sky and singing, while one


of
her
little
hands
was
pointing
to
a
tiny
cloud
that
hovered
like
a
golden
feather
above
her
head.
The
sun,
which
had
suddenly
become
very
bright,
shining
on
her
glossy
hair, gave it a metallic luster, and it was difficult to say what was the color,
dark
bronze
or
black.
So
completely
absorbed
was
shi
in
watching
the
cloud
to
which
her
strange
song
or
incantation
and
went
towards
her.
Over
her
head,
high
up
in
the
blue, a lark that was soaring towards the same gauzy could was singing, as if in
rivalry. As I slowly approached the child, I could see by her forehead, which in
the sunshine seemed like a globe of pearl, and especially by her complexion, that
she uncommonly lovely.
(159 words)
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10. A Little Girl (2)
Her eyes, which at one moment seemed blue- gray, at another violet, were shaded by
long black lashes, curving backward in a most peculiar way, and these matched in
hue
her
eyebrows,
and
the
tresses
that
were
tossed
about
her
tender
throat
and
were
quivering
in
the
sunlight. All this I did not take in at
once; for at first I could
see
nothing
but
those
quivering,
glittering,
changeful
eyes
turned
up
into
my
face.
Gradually
the
other
features,
especially
the
sensitive
full-lipped
mouth,
grew
upon
me
as
I
stood
silently
gazing.
Here
seemed
tome
a
more
perfect
beauty
than
had
ever
come to me in my loveliest dreams of beauty. Yet it was not her beauty so much as
the look she gave me that fascinated me, melted me. (129 words)
(302 words)
From Aylwin
by Theodore Watts- Dunton
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11. Choosing an Occupation
Hodeslea, Eastbourne,
November 5, 1892
Dear Sir,
I
am
very
sorry
that
the
pressure
of
other
occupations
has
prevented
me
form
sending
an earlier reply to your letter.
In my opinion a man's first duty is to find a way of supporting himself, thereby
relieving other people of the necessity of supporting him. Moreover, the learning
to so work of practical value in the world, in an exact and careful manner, is of
itself,
a
very
important
education
the
effects
of
which
make
themselves
felt
in
all
other pursuits. The habit of doing that which you do not dare about when you would
much
rather
be
doing
something
else,
is
invaluable.
It
would
have
saved
me
a
frightful
waste of time if I had ever had it drilled into me in youth.
Success
in
any
scientific
career
requires
an
unusual
equipment
of
capacity,
industry,
and energy.
If you possess that
equipment, you will find leisure
enough
after your
daily
commercial
work
is
over,
to
make
an
opening
in
the
scientific
ranks
for
yourself.
If
you
do
not,
you
had
better
stick
to
commerce.
Nothing
is
less
to
be
desired
than
the fate
of a young man
who,
as the Scotch proverb says,
in 'trying to make a spoon
spoils a horn,


might have been a useful and a valuable member of Society in other occupations.
I think that your father ought to see this letter. (244 words)
Yours faithfully
T.H. Huxley
From Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley
By Leonard Huxley
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12. An Important Aspect of College Life
It is perfectly possible to organize the life of our colleges in such a way that
students and teachers alike will take part in it; in such a way that a perfectly
natural daily intercourse will
be established between
them; and
it is
only by such
an
organization
that
they
can
be
given
real
vitality
as
places
of
serious
training,
be
made
communities
in
which
youngsters
will
come
fully
to
realize
how
interesting
intellectual work is, how vital, how important, how closely associated with all
modern
achievement-only
by
such
an
organization
that
study
can
be
made
to
seem
part
of life itself. Lectures often seem very formal and empty things; recitations
generally proved very dull and unrewarding. It is in conversation and natural
intercourse
with
scholars
chiefly
that
you
find
how
lively
knowledge
is,
how
it
ties
into
everything
that
is
interesting
and
important,
how
intimate
a
part
it
is
of
every
thing that is interesting and important, how intimate a part it is of everything
that
is

and
connected
with
the
world.
Men
are
not
always
made
thoughtful
by
books;
but
they
are
generally
made
thoughtful
by
association
with
men
who
think.
(195 words)
By Woodrow Wilson
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13. Night (1)
Night has fallen over the country. Through the trees rises the red moon, and the
stars
are
scarcely
seen.
In
the
vast
shadow
of
night
the
coolness
and
the
dews
descend.
I sit at
the
open window to enjoy them; and hear only the voice of the summer wind.
Like black hulks, the shadows of the great trees ride at anchor on the billowy sea
of grass. I cannot see the red and blue flowers, but I know that they are there.
Far
away
in
the
meadow
gleams
the
silver
Charles.
The
tramp
of
horses'
hoofs
sounds
from the wooden bridge. Then all is still save the continuous wind or the sound of
the neighboring sea. The village clock strikes; and I feel that I am not alone.
(128 words)
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14. Night (2)
How different it is in the city! It is late, and the crowd is gone. You step out
upon
the
balcony,
and
lie
in
the
very
bosom
of
the
cool,
dewy
night
as
if
you
folded
her
garments
about
you.
Beneath
lies
the
public
walk
with
trees,
like
a
fathomless,
black gulf,
into
whose silent beloved spirit
clasped in
its embrace. The lamps are
still
burning
up
and
down
the
long
street.
People
go
by
with
grotesque
shadows,
now
foreshortened, and now lengthening away into the darkness and vanishing, while a
new
one
springs
up
behind
the
walker,
and
seems
to
pass
him
revolving
like
the
sail


of a windmill. The iron gates of the park shut with a jangling clang. There are
footsteps
and
loud
voices;
--a
tumult;
--a
drunken
brawl;
--an
alarm
of
fire;
--then
silence again. And now at length the city is asleep, and we can see the night. The
belated moon looks over the roofs, and finds no one to welcome her. The moonlight
is
broken.
It
lies
here
and
there
in
the
squares,
and
the
opening
of
the
streets-angular like blocks of white marble. (195 words)
(323 words)
By Nathanial Hawthorne
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15. An October Sunrise (1)
I
was
up
the
next
morning
before
the
October
sunrise,
and
away
through
the
wild
and
the
woodland.
The
rising
of
the
sun
was
noble
in
the
cold
and
warmth
of
it;
peeping
down the spread of light, he raised his shoulder heavily over the edge of gray
mountain and wavering length of upland. Beneath his gaze the dew-fogs dipped and
crept to the hollow places, then stole away in line and column, holding skirts and
cling subtly at the sheltering corners where rock hung over grass- land, while the
brave lines of the hills came forth, one beyond other gliding.
The woods arose in folds, like drapery of
awakened mountains, stately with a depth
of
awe,
and
memory
of
the
tempests.
Autumn's
mellow
hand
was
upon
them,
as
they
owned
already,
touched
with
gold
and
red
and
olive,
and
their
joy
towards
the
sun
was
less
to a bridegroom than a father. (152 words)
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16. An October Sunrise (2)
Yet before the floating impress of the woods could clear itself, suddenly the
gladsome light leaped over hill and valley, casting amber, blue, and purple, and
a tint of rich red rose, according to the scene they lit on, and the curtain flung
around; yet all alike dispelling fear and the coven hoof of darkness, all on the
wings of hope advancing, and proclaiming,
reassured
from
every
crouching
hollow;
every
flower
and
bud
and
bird
had
a
fluttering
sense of them, and all the flashing of God's gaze merged into soft beneficence.
So, perhaps, shall break upon us that eternal morning, when crag and chasm shall
be no more, neither hill and valley, nor great unvintaged ocean; when glory shall
not
scare
happiness,
neither
happiness
envy
glory;
but
all
things
shall
arise,
and
shine
in
the
light
of
the
Father's
countenance,
because
itself
is
risen.
(153
words)
(305 words)
By Richard D. Blackmore
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17. Of Studies (1)
Studies serve for delight, for ornamental, and for ability. Their chief use for
delight,
in
privateness
and
retiring;
for
ornament,
is
in
discourse;
and
for
ability,
is in the judgment and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and
perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots
and
marshalling
of
affairs,
come
best
from
those
that
are
learned.
To
spend
too
much
time
in
studies
is
sloth;
to
use
them
too
much
for
ornament,
is
affectation;
to
make


judgment wholly by their rules, is the humour of a scholar. They perfect nature,
natural plants, that need proyning by study; and studies themselves do give forth
directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men
contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not
their
own
use;
but
that
is
a
wisdom
without
them,
and
above
them,
won
by
observation.
(157 words)
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18. Of Studies (2)
Read
not
to
contradict
and
confute;
nor
to
believe
and
take
for
granted;
nor
to
find
talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted; others
to swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to
be
read
only
in
parts;
others
to
be
read,
but
not
curiously;
and
some
few
to
be
read
wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy,
and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important
arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are like common
distilled
waters,
flashy
things.
Reading
maketh
a
full
man;
conference
a
ready
man;
and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have
a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; an if he read
little,
he
had
need
have
much
cunning,
to
seem
to
know
that
he
doth
not.
(170
words)
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19. Of Studies (3)
Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy
deep; moral
grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.
Abeunt studia
in
mores.
Nay
there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies:
like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for
the
stone
and
reins;
shooting
for
the
lungs
and
breast;
gentle
walking
for
the
stomach;
riding for the head; and the like. So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study
the mathematics; for
demonstrations, if
his wit
be called away never so
little, he
must
begin
again.
If
his
wit
be
not
apt
to
distinguish
or
find
differences,
let
him
study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over
matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study
the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt. (163
words)
(490 words)
By Francis Bacon
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20. Books (1)
The good books of the hour, then, --I do not speak of the bad ones
—
is simply the
useful or pleasant talk of some person whom you cannot otherwise converse with,
printed
for
you.
Very
useful
often,
telling
you
what
you
need
to
know;
very
pleasant
often,
as
a
sensible
friend's
present
talk
would
be.
These
bright
accounts
of
travels;
good-humoured and witty discussion of questions; lively or pathetic story-telling
in
the
form
of
novel;
firm
fact-telling,
by
the
real
agents
concerned
in
the
events
of
passing
history;
--all
these
books
of
the
hour,
multiplying
among
us
as
education


becomes more general, are a peculiar characteristic and possession of the present
age: we ought to be entirely thankful for them, and entirely ashamed of ourselves
if
we
make
no
good
use
of
them.
But
we
make
the
worse
possible
use,
if
we
allow
them
to
usurp
the
place
of
true
books:
for,
strictly
speaking,
they
are
not
books
at
all,
but
merely
letters
or
newspapers
in
good
print.
Our
friend's
letter
may
be
delightful,
or
necessary,
today:
whether
worth
keeping
or
not,
is
to
be
considered.
(189
words)
冠商《英语背诵文选》

21. Books (2)
The newspaper may be entirely proper at breakfast time, but assuredly it is not
reading for all day. So though bound up in a volume, the long letter which gives
you so pleasant an account of the inns, the roads, and weather last year at such
a
place,
or
which
tells
you
that
amusing
story,
or
gives
you
the
real
circumstances
of such
and such events, however valuable for
occasional reference,
may
not be,
in
the real sense of the word, a
A
book
is
essentially
not
a
talked
thing,
but
a
written
thing;
and
written,
not
with
the
view
of
mere
communication,
but
of
permanence.
The
book
of
talk
is
printed
only
because its author cannot speak to thousands of people at once; if he could, he
would-the
volume
is
mere
multiplication
of
his
voice.
You
cannot
talk
to
your
friend
in India; if you could, you would; you write instead: that is mere conveyance of
voice.
But
a
book
is
written,
not
to
multiply
the
voice
merely,
not
to
carry
it
merely,
but to preserve it. (190 words)
冠商《英语背诵文选》

22. Books (3)
The
author
has
something
to
say
which
he
perceives
to
be
true
and
useful,
or
helpfully
beautiful. So far as he knows, no one has yet said it; so far as he knows, no one
else
can
say
it.
He
is
bound
to
say
it,
clearly
and
melodiously
if
he
may;
clearly,
at all events. In the sum of his life he finds this to be the thing, or group of
things, manifest to him; --this the piece of true knowledge, or sight, which his
share of sunshine and earth has permitted him to seize. He would fain set it down
for ever; engrave it
on
rock, if
he could; saying,
is the best
of
me; for the
rest, I ate, and drank, and slept, loved and hated, like another; my life was as
the
vapour,
and
is
not;
but
this
I
saw
and
knew:
this,
if
anything
of
mine,
is
worth
your
memory,

That
is
his

it
is,
in
his
small
human
way,
and
with
whatever
degree
of
true
inspiration
is
in
him,
his
inscription,
or
scripture.
That
is
a

(186 words)
(565 words)
By John Ruskin
冠商《英语背诵文选》

24. The Value of Time (1)

says
the
proverb

money
This
means
that
every
moment
well
spent
may
put
some money into our pockets. If our time is usefully employed, it will either turn
out
some
useful
and
important
piece
of
work
which
will
fetch
its
price
in
the
market,
or it will add to our experience and increase our capacities so as to enable us to
earn money when the proper opportunity comes. There can thus be no doubt that time


is convertible into money. Let those who think nothing of wasting time, remember
this;
let
them
remember
that
an
hour
misspent
is
equivalent
to
the
loss
of
a
bank-note;
an
that
an
hour
utilized
is
tantamount
to
so
much
silver
or
gold;
and
then
they
will
probably
think
twice
before
they
give
their
consent
to
the
loss
of
any
part
of
their
time.
Moreover, our life is nothing more than our time. To kill time is therefore a form
of
suicide.
We
are
shocked
when
we
think
of
death,
and
we
spare
no
pains,
no
trouble,
and no expense to preserve life. But we are too often indifferent to the loss of
an hour or of a day, forgetting that our life is the sum total of the days and of
the
hours
we
live.
A
day
of
an
hour
wasted
is
therefore
so
much
life
forfeited.
Let
us bear this in mind, and waste of time will appear to us in the light of a crime
as culpable as suicide itself. (250 words)
冠商《英语背诵文选》

25. The Value of Time (2)
There
is
a
third
consideration
which
will
also
tend
to
warn
us
against
loss
of
time.
Our life is a brief span measuring some sixty or seventy years in all, but nearly
one
half
of
this
has
to
be
spent
in
sleep;
some
years
have
to
be
spent
over
our
meals;
some over dressing and undressing; some in making journeys on land and voyages by
sea;
some
in
merry-making,
either
on
our
own
account
or
for
the
sake
of
others;
some
in
celebrating
religious
and
social
festivities;
some
in
watching
over
the
sick-beds
of our nearest and dearest relatives. Now if all these years were to be deducted
from
the
tern
over
which
our
life
extends
we
shall
find
about
fifteen
or
twenty
years
at our disposal for active work. Whoever remembers this can never willingly waste
a
single
moment
of
his
life.

is
astonishing
says
Lord
Chesterfield

anyone
can squander away in absolute idleness one single moment of that portion of time
which is allotted to us in this world. Know the true value of time; snatch, seize,
and enjoy every moment of it!
冠商《英语背诵文选》

26. The Value of Time (3)
All
time
is
precious;
but
the
time
of
our
childhood
and
of
our
youth
is
more
precious
than any other portion of our existence. For those are the periods when alone we
can acquire knowledge and develop our faculties and capacities. If we allow these
morning
hours
of
life
to
slip
away
unutilized,
we
shall
never
be
able
to
recoup
the
loss. As we grow older, our power of acquisition gets blunted, so that the art or
science which is not acquired in childhood or youth will never be acquired at all.
Just
as
money
laid
out
at
interest
doubles
and
trebles
itself
in
time,
so
the
precious
hours
of
childhood
and
youth,
if
properly
used,
will
yield
us
incalculable
advantages.

moment
you
lose
says
Lord
Chesterfield

so
much
character
and
advantage
lost; as on the other hand, every moment you now employ usefully is so much time
wisely laid out at prodigious interest.
A proper employment of time is of great benefit to us from a moral point of view.
Idleness is justly said to be the rust of the mind and an idle brain is said to be
Satan's workshop. It is mostly when you do not know what to do with yourself that
you
do
something
ill
or
wrong.
The
mind
of
the
idler
preys
upon
itself.
As
Watt
has


said:
In works of labour or of skill
Let me be busy too;
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do. (249 words
(686 words)
By Robert William Service
冠商《英语背诵文选》

27. Spring The Resurrection Time
Springs
are
not
always
the
same,
In
some
years,
April
bursts
upon
our
Virginia
hills
in
one
prodigious
leap
—
and
all
the
stage
is
filled
at
once,
whole
choruses
of
tulips,
arabesques
of
forsythia,
cadenzas
of
flowering
plum.
The
trees
grow
leaves
overnight.
In
other
years,
spring
tiptoes
in.
It
pauses,
overcome
by
shyness,
like
my
grandchild
at
the
door,
peeping
in,
ducking
out
of
sight,
giggling
in
the
hallway.

know
you're
out there,
The dogwood bud, pale green, is inlaid with russet markings. With in the perfect
cup
a
score
of
clustered
seeds
are
nestled.
Once
examined
the
bud
in
awe:
Where
were
those seeds a month ago The apples display their milliner's scraps of ivory silk,
rose- tinged. All the sleeping things wake up-primrose, baby iris, blue phlox. The
earth warms-you can smell it, feel it, crumble April in your hands.
The dark Blue Mountains in which I dwell, great-hipped, big-breasted, slumber on
the western sky. And then they stretch and gradually awaken. A warm wind, soft as
a girl's hair, moves sailboat clouds in gentle skies. The rain come-good rains to
sleep
by-and
fields
that
were
dun
as
oatmeal
turn
to
pale
green,
then
to
Kelly
green.
All this reminds me of a theme that runs through my head like a line of music. Its
message is profoundly simple, and profoundly mysterious also: Life goes on. That
is all there is to it. Everything that is, was; and everything that is, will be.
(259 words)
by James J. Kilpatrick
擎红《英语背诵散文》

27. Spell of the Rising Moon
As
the
moon
lifted
off
the
ridge
it
gathered
firmness
and
authority.
Its
complexion
changed from red, to orange, to gold, to impassive yellow. It seemed to draw light
out
of
the
darkening
earth,
for
as
it
rose,
the
hills
and
valleys
below
grew
dimmer.
By
the
time
the
moon
stood
clear
of
the
horizon,
full
chested
and
round
and
the
color
of ivory, the valley were deep shadows in the landscape. The dogs, reassured that
this was the familiar moon, stopped barking.
The drama took an hour. Moonrise is slow and serried with subtleties. To watch it,
we must slip into an older, more patient sense of time. To watch the moon move
inexorably
higher
is
to
find
an
unusual
stillness
within
ourselves.
Our
imaginations
become
aware
of
the
vast
distances
of
space,
the
immensity
of
the
earth
and
the
huge
improbability of our own existence. We feel small but privileged.
Moonlight
shows
us
none
of
life's
harder
edges.
Hillsides
seem
silken
and
silvery,


the oceans still and blue in its light. In moonlight we become less calculating,
more drawn to our feelings.
(184 words)
by Peter Steinhart
擎红《英语背诵散文》

28. The Enchantment of Creeks (1)
Nearly
everybody
has
a
creek
in
his
past,
a
confiding
waterway
that
rose
in
the
spring
of youth.
……
.
My creek wound between Grandfather's apricot orchard and a neighbor's hillside
pasture. It banks were shaded by cottonwoods and redwood trees and a thick tangle
of
blackberries
and
wild
grapevines.
On
hot
summer
days
the
quiet
water
flowed
clear
and cold over gravel bars where I fished for trout.
Nothing historic ever happens in these recollected creeks. But their persistence
in
memory
suggests
that
creeks
are
bigger
than
they
seem,
more
a
part
of
our
hearts
and minds than mighty rivers.
Creek
time
is
measured
in
the
lives
of
strange
creatures,
in
sandflecked
caddis
worms
under the rocks, sudden gossamer clouds of mayflies in the afternoon, or minnows
of darting like silvers of inspiration into the dimness of creek fate. Mysteries
float
in
creeks'
riffles,
crawl
over
their
pebbled
bottoms
and
slink
under
the
roots
of trees.
While
rivers
are
heavy
with
sophistication
and
sediment,
creeks
are
clear,
innocent,
boisterous,
full
of
dream
and
promise.
A
child
can
wade
across
them
without
a
parent's
cautions. You can go it along, jig for crayfish, swing from ropes along the bank.
Creeks
belong
to
childhood,
drawing
you
into
the
wider
world,
teaching
you
the
curve
of the earth. (214 words)
擎红《英语背诵散文》

29. The Enchantment of Creeks (2)
Above
all,
a
creek
offers
the
mind
a
chance
to
penetrate
the
alien
universe
of
water,
of
tadpoles
and
trout.
What
drifts
in
creek
water
is
the
possibility
of
other
worlds
inside and above our own. Poet Robert Frost wrote:
and with us. And it is time, strength, tone, light, life, and love.
Creeks lead one on, like perfume on the wind. A creek is something that disappears
around a bend, into the ground, into the next dimension. To follow a creek is to
seek new acquaintance with life.
I still find myself following creeks. In high mountain meadows I'll trace their
course
into
the limegreen grass
and deep glacial duff, marveling
at the
sparkle of
quartz and mica. The pursuit liquefies my citified haste and lifts weight from my
shoulders. Once, in the California desert, as hummingbirds darted from cactus
blossoms, I heard the babble of rushing water. My ears led me over dusty hillsides
and
sown
scabrous
ravines
to
an
unexpected
ribbon
of
clear,
cold
water,
leaping
from
rock
to
rock,
filling
little
pools.
The
discovery
seemed
Biblical.
It
filled
me
with
joy.
(191 words)
(405 words)


by Peter Steinhart
擎红《英语背诵散文》

30.
If one realizes that our time on this earth is but a tiny fraction of that within
the
cosmos,
then
life
calculation
in
years
may
not
be
as
important
as
we
think.
Why
measure
life
in
heartbeats
When
life
is
so
dependent
on
such
an
unreliable
function
as the beating f the heart, then it is fragile indeed. The only thing that one can
depend upon with absolute certainty is death.
I believe that death may be the most important part of life. I believe that life
is
infinitesimally
brief
in
relation
to
the
immensity
of
eternity.
I
believe,
because
of my religious faith, that I shall
beyond description. I believe that though my life was short in years, it was full
in experience, joy, love and accomplishment; that my own immortality will reside
in
the
memories
of
my
loved
ones
left
behind,
mother,
brother,
wife,
children,
dear
friends.
I
believe
that
I
will
die
with
loved
ones
close
by
and,
one
hopes,
achieve
that great gift of God-death in peace, and with dignity. (184 words)
by John A. Macdonald
擎红《英语背诵散文》

31. If I were a Boy Again (1)
If I were a boy again, I would practise perseverance oftener, and never give up a
thing
because
it
was
hard
or
inconvenient.
If
we
want
light,
we
must
conquer
darkness.
Perseverance
can
sometimes
equal
genius
in
its
results.

are
only
two
creatures,
says
a
proverb,

can
surmount
the
pyramids
-the
eagle
and
the
snail.
If I
were a boy again, I would school myself
into a habit of
attention;
I would let
nothing
come
between
me
and
the
subject
in
hand.
I
would
remember
that
a
good
skater
never
tries
to
skate
in
two
directions
at
once.
The
habit
of
attention
becomes
part
of our life, if we begin early enough. I often hear grown-up people say,
not fix my attention on the lecture or book, although I wished to do so,
reason is, the habit was not formed in youth.
If
I
were
to
live
my
life
over
again,
I
would
pay
more
attention
to
the
cultivation
of
the
memory.
I
would
strengthen
that
faculty
by
every
possible
means,
and
on
every
possible
occasion.
It
takes
a
little
hard
work
at
first
to
remember
things
accurately;
but memory soon helps itself, and gives very little trouble. It only needs early
cultivation to become a power. (213 words)
华江《英语名篇佳作
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32. If I were a Boy Again (2)
If I were a boy again, I would look on the cheerful side. Life is very much like
a mirror: if you smile upon it, it smiles back upon you; but if you frown and look
doubtful on it, you will get a similar look in return.
Inner
sunshine
warms
not
only
the
heart
of
the
owner,
but
of
all
that
come
in
contact
with it.
If
I
were
a
boy
again,
I
would
school
myself
to
say

oftener.
I
might
write
pages
on the importance of learning very early in life to gain that point where a young
boy can stand erect, and decline doing an unworthy act because it is unworthy.


If
I
were
a
boy
again,
I
would
demand
of
myself
more
courtesy
towards
my
companions
and friends, and indeed towards strangers as well. The smallest courtesies along
the rough roads of life are like the little birds that sing to us all winter long,
and make that season of ice and snow more endurable.
Finally,
instead
of
trying
hard
to
happy,
as
if
that
were
the
sole
purpose
of
life,
I would, if I were a boy again, try still harder to make others happy. (211 words)
(424 words)
华江《英语名篇佳作
100
篇背诵手册》

33. Ways of Communication
When
you
speak,
write
a
letter,
or
make
a
telephone
call,
your
words
carry
a
message.
People
communicate
with
words.
But
do
you
know
people
also
communicate
without
words
A
smile
on
your
face
shows
you
are
happy
or
friendly.
Tears
in
your
eyes
tell
others
that you are sad. When you raise your hand in class, the teacher knows you want to
say something or ask questions. You shake your head and people know you are saying

Other
things
can
also
carry
messages.
For
example,
a
sign
at
the
bus
stop
helps
you
to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the
library. Signs on the doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed
that
there
area
lot
of
signs
around
you
and
that
you
receive
messages
from
them
all
the time
People can communicate in many other ways. An artist can use his drawings to tell
about beautiful mountains, the blue seas and many other things. Books are written
to tell you about all the wonderful things in the world and what other people are
thinking about.
(204 words)
华江《英语名篇佳作
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34. Touchy Topics
Immediately
after
introductions
are
made
there
is
usually
a
period
of
time
in
which
impersonal or trivial subjects are discussed. This type of conversation, called

talk
is
important
because
it
often
helps
to
keep
conversations
and
can
lead
into interesting discussions.
Usually people start small talk by asking about things like family, work, school
or sports. They ask each other questions like
have any brothers or sisters

you
like
sports

these
are
polite
questions.
They
are
not
personal
or
private.
But
it
is
uncommon
and
considered
impolite
to
ask
questions
about
a
person's
salary,
such as
for
something,
for
example,

How
much
does
your
house
cost

It
is
OK
to
ask
children
how
old
they
are,
but
it
is
not
polite
to
ask
old
people
about
their
age,
especially
women. It is not polite to ask people questions about politics or religion either
unless
you
know
them
very
well.
People
don't
ask
unmarried
people,

are
you
single

children
words)


华江《英语名篇佳作
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(
放前
)35. What Money Is For (1)
Money
is
a
blessing
when
it
is
used
rightly.
The
same
is
true
of
all
other
good
things.
They bless id used well; they curse when abused. Many people do not seem to know
what
money
is
for.
They
want
it
above
all
things.
But
they
want
it
to
spend
chiefly
on themselves.
Some boys appear to think that money is to buy good clothes and foods, toys and
amusements.
Some
also
seem
to
think
that
money
is
to
buy
leisure
with.
They
consider
that
the
highest
happiness
is
to
live
without
work.
But
that
is
not
at
all
what
money
id for. We should get nearer the truth than that.
Money is our circulating medium in trade. Families need it to buy things they must
have. In this way society exists, and the world of traffic prospers. Money means
food, clothing, dwelling schools, books, wise recreation, and the means of doing
good. (153 words)
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36. What Money Is For (2)
Of course money is not something to hoard. It value is in its use. A million gold
dollars would have been worth no more than a million stones to Robinson Crusoe on
his island home. There was nothing to buy, and therefore, no use for money. And so
money that is simply hoarded is of no value. It does not purchase the necessaries
of life, nor relieve those who are in want. That is not what money is for.
The
Bible
says
that

love
of
money
id
the
root
of
all
evil
That
is,
money
sought
for
its
own
sake
is
the
cause
of
all
sorts
of
evil
-lying,
stealing,
cheating,
robbery,
and
even
murder.
This
is
the
best
reason
for
avoiding
the
love
of
money.
(127
words)
(280 words)
华江《英语名篇佳作
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37. Education
—
a Means to an End (1)
Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate
children
only
for
the
purpose
of
educating
them;
our
purpose
is
to
fit
them
for
life.
As soon as we realize this fact, we will understand that it is very important to
choose a good way education which will really prepare children for life.
In many modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that, by
free education for all-whether rich or poor, clever or stupid, one can solve all
the
problems
of
society
and
build
a
perfect
nation.
But
we
can
already
see
that
free
education for all is not enough: we find in such countries a far larger number of
people
with
university
degrees
than
there
are
jobs
for
them
to
fill.
Because
of
their
degree,
they
refused
to
do
what
they
think

work;
and
in
fact,
work
with
hands
is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries. (165 words)
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38. Education
—
a Means to an End (2)
But we have to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is more
important than that of a professor in a way: we can live without education, but we
die
if
we
have
no
food.
If
no
one
cleaned
our
streets
and
took
the
rubbish
away
from
our houses,
we should
get terrible diseases in our towns. In
countries where there


are no servants because nobody is willing to so such work, the professors have to
waste of their time doing housework.
In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means
that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever
job is suited to his brain and ability, and secondly, that we can realize that all
jobs are necessary to society, and that it is very bad to be unwilling to do one's
work, or to laugh at someone else's. Only such a type of education can be called
valuable to society. (172 words)
(337 words)
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39. Blood, Toil, Sweat and Tears (1)
In
this
crisis
I
think
I
may
be
pardoned
if
I
do
not
address
the
House
at
any
length
today, and I hope that any of my friends and colleagues or former colleagues who
are
affected
by
the
political
reconstruction
will
make
all
allowances
for
any
lack
of ceremony with which it has been necessary to act.
I say to the House as I said to Ministers who have joined this government, I have
nothing to offer but blood, toil, sweat and tears. We have before us an ordeal of
the
most
grievous
kind.
We
have
before
us
many,
many
months
of
struggle
and
suffering.
You ask, what is our policy I say it is to wage war by land, sea and air. War with
all our might and with all the strength God has given up, and to wage war against
a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human
crime. That is our policy.
(160 words)
by Winston Churchill
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40. Blood, Toil, Sweat and Tears (2)
You ask, what is our aim I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all
costs-victory in spite of all terrors-victory, however long and hand the road may
be, for without victory there is no survival.
Let that be realizes. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that
the
British
Empire
has
stood
for,
no
survival
for
the
urge,
the
impulse
of
the
ages,
that mankind shall move forward toward his goal.
I
take
up
my
task
in
buoyancy
and
hope.
I
feel
sure
that
our
cause
will
not
be
suffered
to fail among men.
I feel entitled at this
juncture,
at
this time,
to claim
the
aid
of all
and to say,

(292 words)
by Winston Churchill
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41. Science
—
a Way of Thinking
Many
scientists,
from
their
earlier
work,
have
enough
knowledge
to
make
good
guesses
as
to
the
solution
of
a
problem
they
are
working
on.
In
making
new
discoveries,
they
may use
the trial-and-error method,
they
may draw on past experiences, or they may
try
to
find
out
that
others
have
discovered.
They
may
design
new
investigations
and


new
ways
of
testing
their
results.
Scientists
have
to
train
themselves
to
use
their
brains efficiently; that is, they train themselves to think.
For example, when Thomas A. Edison was trying to make an electric lamp, he needed
a
substance
for
the
filament
inside
the
bulb
that
would
glow
brightly
without
burning
up
quickly.
He
tried
more
than
thousand
different
filaments
before
he
found
one
that
he could use. After each trial he thought about how the new substance had acted.
He
kept
notes
and
compared
results.
After
he
had
experimented
for
a
long
time,
someone
asked Mr. Edison if he were not discouraged at the waste of time. He replied,
have not been wasting time. I have found one thousand materials that won't work.
Now
I
can
look
for
others.
Edison's
statement
is
all-important.
Above
all,
scientists demand to know when and where they are wrong. A good question to ask in
science is not
Scientists
spend
many
years
of
study,
training
themselves
in
using
their
brains
and
the
tools
of
investigation.
They
also
use
each
other's
work.
Issac
Newton,
a
British
scientist, who lived over 300 years ago, said he saw further than others because
he stood on the shoulders of giants.
(269 words)
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42. Accurate or Polite

the road. In some countries, because the man realizes that the traveler is tired
and eager to reach his destination, he will politely say,
thinks this is more encouraging, gentler, and therefore the wanted answer. So the
American
drives
through
the
night,
getting
more
and
more
angry,
feeling

He thinks the man deliberately lied to him, for obviously he must have known the
distance quite well.
If
conditions
had
been
reversed,
the
American
would
have
felt
he
was

the
driver if he had said the nest town was close when he knew it was really 50 miles
further on. Although he, too, would be sympathetic to the weary driver, he would
say,
disappointed, but he would know what to expect.
Whether
to
be
accurate
or
polite
leads
to
many
misunderstandings
between
people
of
different cultures. If you are aware of the situation in advance, it is sometimes
easier to recognize the problem. (195 words)
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43. The Importance of English (1)
There are thousands of languages in the world. Each language seems to be the most
important to those who speak it as their native language. This is not strange at
all, seeing that it is the language they learned at their mothers' knees and may
be the only language many of them will ever know all their lives.
The importance of a language can be judged according to several things. The first
is
the
number
of
native
speakers
that
a
language
happens
to
have.
The
second
is
how
widely
the
native
speakers
are
distributed
over
the
world.
Next
comes
the
cultural,
economic and political influence of those who speak it as their mother tongue.


There
can
be
no
doubt
now
that
English
is
one
of
the
world's
most
widely
used
languages.
People use a language in three ways: as a native language, as a second language,
or
as
a
foreign
language.
English
is
spoken
as
a
native
language
by
nearly
300
million
people:
in
the
United
States,
Britain,
Australia,
New
Zealand,
Canada,
some
Caribbean countries, and South Africa. As a second language, English is often
necessary for official business, education, information and other activities in a
great
many
countries
such
as
India,
Pakistan,
Nigeria,
Singapore,
and
the
Philippines. It is one of the few
more frequently used than the others. (228 words)
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44. The Importance of English (2)
It is said that English has become the language of the international trade and
transport. Most planes traveling from one country to another use it to talk with
airports.
All
ships
sailing
on
the
oceans
call
for
help
by
radio
in
it.
It
has
been
said that 60 percent of the world's radio broadcasts and 70 percent of the world's
mail
are
in
English.
At
international
sports
meets,
at
meetings
of
scientists
from
different countries, and at talks of writers and artists from the corners of the
earth, English is the language most commonly used and most widely understood.
English
has
in
fact
become
the
language
of
international
cooperation
in
science
and
technology. The most advanced results in space, nuclear and computer research are
published in it. A scientist who speaks and writes English is in close touch with
the scientists in other countries than one who doesn't. (148 words)
(376 words)
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45. Don't Give Up
If we should ever accomplish anything in life, let us not forget that we must
persevere.
If
we
would
learn
our
lessons
in
school,
we
must
be
diligent
and
not
give
up whenever we come to anything difficult. We shall find many of our lessons very
hard, but let us consider that the harder they are the better they will do us if
we will persevere and learn them thoroughly.
But
there
are
some
among
us
who
are
ready
to
give
up
when
they
come
to
a
hard
example
in
mathematics,
and
say,

can't
do
this.
They
never
will
if
they
feel
so.

can't

never
did
anything
worthwhile;
but

try
accomplish
wonders.
Let
us
remember
that we shall meet with difficulties al through life. They are in the pathway of
everyone.
If
we
will
only
try
and
keep
trying,
we
shall
be
sure
to
conquer
and
overcome
every
difficulty
we
meet
with.
If
we
have
a
hard
lesson
today,
let
us
strive
to
learn
it well and then we shall be prepared for a harder one tomorrow. And if we learn
to master hard lessons in school, it will prepare us to overcome the hard things
that we shall meet in life, when our school days are over. (212 words)
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46. Colour and Life (1)
What is your favourite colour Do you like yellow, orange, red If you do, you must
be an optimist, a
leader, an active person who
enjoys life,
people and excitement.
Do
you
prefer
greys
and
blues
Then
you
are
probably
quiet,
shy,
and
you
would
rather


follow than lead. You tend to be a pessimist. At least, this is what psychologists
tell
us,
and
they
should
know,
because
they
have
been
seriously
studying
the
meaning
of
colour
preference,
as
well
as
the
effect
that
colours
have
on
human
beings.
They
tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as we grow
up-we
are
born
with
our
preference.
If
you
happen
to
love
brown,
you
did
so,
as
soon
as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. (139 words)
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47. Colour and Life (2)
Colours
do
influence
our
moods
—
there
is
no
doubt
about
it.
A
yellow
room
makes
most
people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress
brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is
depressing.
A
black
bridge
over
the
Thames
River,
near
London,
used
to
be
the
scene
of more suicides than any other bridge in the area-until it was repainted green.
The
number
of
suicide
attempts
immediately
fell
sharply;
perhaps
it
would
have
fallen
even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.
Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active. It is an
established
fact
that
factory
workers
work
better,
harder,
and
have
fewer
accidents
when their machines are painted rather than black or grey. (140 words)
(279 words))
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48. Companionship of Books (1)
A
many
may
usually
be
known
by
the
books
he
reads
as
well
as
by
the
company
he
keeps;
for
there
is
a
companionship
of
books
as
well
as
of
men;
and
one
should
always
live
in the best company.
A good book may be among the
best friends. It is the
same today that
it
always was,
and
it
will
never
change.
It
is
the
most
patient
and
cheerful
of
companions.
It
does
not
turn
its
back
upon
us
with
the
same
kindness;
amusing
and
instructing
us
in
youth,
and comforting and consoling us in age.
Books posses an essence of immortality. They are by far the most lasting products
on
human
effort.
Temples
and
statues
decay,
but
books
survive.
Time
is
of
no
account
with
great
thoughts,
which
are
as
fresh
today
as
when
they
first
passed
through
their
author's
minds
ages
ago.
What
was
then
said
and
thought
still
speaks
to
us
as
vividly
as ever from
the
printed page. The only effect of time has been to sift
out the bad
products; for nothing in literature
can long survive but what is really
good. (188
words)
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49. Companionship of Books (2)
Books introduce us into the best society; they bring us into the presence of the
greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did; we see them
as
if
they
were
really
alive;
we
sympathize
with
them,
enjoy
with
them,
grieve
with
them;
their
experience
becomes
ours,
and
we
feel
as
if
we
were,
in
a
measure,
actors
with them in the scenes which they describe.
The great and good do not die even in this world. Embalmed in books, their spirits
walk
abroad.
The
book
is
a
living
voice.
It
is
an
intellect
to
which
one
still
listens.


Hence we ever remain under the influence of the great men of old. The imperial
intellects of the world are as much alive now as they were ages ago. (132 words)
(320 words)
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50. On Idleness (1)
There are some that profess Idleness in its full dignity, who call themselves the
Idle, who boast that they do nothing, and thank their stars that they have nothing
to
do;
who
sleep
every
night
till
they
can
sleep
no
longer,
and
rise
only
that
exercise
may
enable
them
to
sleep
again;
who
prolong
the
reign
of
darkness
by
double
curtains,
and never see the sun but to
is to vary the postures of indulgence, and whose day differs from their night but
as a couch or chair differs from a bed.
These are the true and open votaries of Idleness, for whom she weaves the garlands
of
poppies,
and
into
whose
cup
she
pours
the
waters
of
oblivion;
who
exist
in
a
state
of
unruffled
stupidity,
forgetting
and
forgotten;
who
have
long
ceased
to
live,
and
at whole death the survivors can only say, that they have ceased to breathe. (161
words)
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51. On Idleness (2)
But
Idleness
predominates
in
many
lives
where
it
is
not
suspected;
for
being
a
vice
which terminates in itself, it may be enjoyed without injury to others; and it
therefore not watched like fraud, which endangers property, or like Pride, which
naturally seeks it gratifications in another's inferiority. Idleness is a silent
and
peaceful
quality,
that
neither
raises
envy
by
ostentation,
nor
hatred
by
opposition; and therefore nobody is busy to censure or detest it.
There are others
to whom Idleness dictates another expedient, by
which life may
be
passed
unprofitably
away
without
the
tediousness
of
many
vacant
hours.
The
art
is,
to
fill
the
day
with
petty
business,
to
have
always
something
in
hand
which
may
raise
curiosity, but not solicitude, and keep the mind in a state of action, but not of
labor.
No
man
is
so
much
open
to
conviction
as
the
idler,
but
there
is
none
on
whom
it
operates
so little. What will be the effect of this paper I know not: perhaps he will read
it and laugh, and light the fire in his furnace; but my hope is that he will quit
his trifles, and betake himself to rational and useful diligence. (199 words)
(360 words)
By Samuel Johnson (1709--1784)
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52. Bill Gates' Tips on the Makings of a Good Manager (1)
There
isn't
a
magic
formula
for
good
management,
of
course,
but
id
you're
a
manager,
perhaps these tips will help you be more effective.
Choose
a
field
thoughtfully.
Make
it
one
you
enjoy.
It's
hard
to
be
productive
without