The Delights of Books
书海乐无穷
Sir John Lubbock
约翰·拉伯克爵士
Books are to mankind what memory is to the individual. They contain the history of our race, the discoveries we have made, the accumulated knowledge and experience of ages; they picture for us the marvels and beauties of nature; help us in our difficulties, comfort us in sorrow and in suffering, change hours of weariness into moments of delight, store our minds with ideas, fill them with good and happy thoughts, and lift us out of and above ourselves.
书籍之于人类正如记忆之于个人。书籍包含我们种族的历史、作出的发现,以及世世代代积累的知识与经验;书籍为我们描绘大自然的奇观美景;帮助我们去克服重重难关,安抚我们的悲伤与苦难,把消沉时光化成欢乐时刻,用观念充实我们的头脑,让心灵充满美好愉悦的思绪,让我们走出自我,并且超越自我。
There is an Oriental story of two men