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PassagesofClassicLiteratureforIntensiveReading

经典文学篇章选读

Passage1

Patriotism,byAlexisdeTocqueville论爱国主义---托克维尔

Passage2

WhyAreBeggarsDespised?

乞丐为何会被鄙视---乔治·奥威尔

Passage3

WhatIsWrongWithOurSystemofEducation?

byGeorgeBernardShaw我们的教育体制出了什么问题？

---萧伯纳

Passage4

Books论书籍---塞缪尔·约翰逊

Passage5

OnNationalPrejudices,byOliverGoldsmith关于国家偏见---奥立佛·高德史密斯

Passage6

WhyLawIsIndispensable规则为何是不可或缺的---萧伯纳

Passage7

TalkingAboutOurTroubles谈谈我们的麻烦---马克·卢瑟福

Passage8

ALiberalEducation,byThomasHenryHuxley关于通识教育---赫胥黎

Passage1

Patriotism,byAlexisdeTocqueville论爱国主义---托克维尔

亚历西斯·德·托克维尔（AlexisdeTocqueville，1805年7月29日－1859年4月16日）是法国的政治思想家和历史学家。

他最知名的著作是《论美国的民主》（DeladémocratieenAmérique,1835）以及《旧制度与大革命》（L'AncienRégimeetlaRévolution，1856），在这两本书里他探讨了西方社会中民主、平等、与自由之间的关系，并检视平等观念的崛起在个人与社会之间产生的摩擦。

在《论美国的民主》一书里，托克维尔以他游历美国的经验，从古典自由主义的思想传统出发，探索美国的民主制度及其根源，这本书成为社会学的早期重要著作之一。

托克维尔提出以私人慈善而非政府来协助贫穷人口的主张，也对于日后的保守主义和自由意志主义有着深远影响。

托克维尔曾积极投入法国政治，包括了从七月王朝（1830-1848）至第二共和国（1849-1851），但在1851年的政变后他便退出了政坛，并开始撰写《旧制度与大革命》，但只完成了全书的第一卷便去世了。

（内容来自维基百科网站）

AlexisdeTocqueville（1805-1859）

FrenchpoliticalthinkerandhistorianAlexisdeTocquevilleisbestknowntodayforhispenetratingpoliticalstudyDemocracyinAmerica,publishedin1835.Inthisexcerptfromthatwork,deTocquevilleidentifiestwokindsofpatriotismandpointsoutthespecialcharacteristicsofeach.

Patriotism

byAlexisdeTocqueville（1805-1859）

Thereisonesortofpatrioticattachmentwhichprincipallyarisesfromthatinstinctive,disinterested,andundefinablefeelingwhichconnectstheaffectionsofmanwithhisbirthplace.Thisnaturalfondnessisunitedwithatasteforancientcustomsandareverencefortraditionsofthepast;thosewhocherishitlovetheircountryastheylovethemansionoftheirfathers.Theylovethetranquilitythatitaffordsthem;theyclingtothepeacefulhabitsthattheyhavecontractedwithinitsbosom;theyareattachedtothereminiscencesthatitawakens;andtheyareevenpleasedbylivingthereinastateofobedience.Thispatriotismissometimesstimulatedbyreligiousenthusiasm,andthenitiscapableofmakingprodigiousefforts.Itisinitselfakindofreligion:

itdoesnotreason,butitactsfromtheimpulseoffaithandsentiment.Insomenationsthemonarchisregardedasapersonificationofthecountry;and,thefervorofpatriotismbeingconvertedintothefervorofloyalty,theytakeasympatheticprideinhisconquests,andgloryinhispower.TherewasatimeundertheancientmonarchywhentheFrenchfeltasortofsatisfactioninthesenseoftheirdependenceuponthearbitrarywilloftheirking;andtheywerewonttosaywithpride:

"Weliveunderthemostpowerfulkingintheworld."

But,likeallinstinctivepassions,thiskindofpatriotismincitesgreattransientexertions,butnocontinuityofeffort.Itmaysavethestateincriticalcircumstances,butoftenallowsittodeclineintimesofpeace.Whilethemannersofapeoplearesimpleanditsfaithunshaken,whilesocietyissteadilybasedupontraditionalinstitutionswhoselegitimacyhasneverbeencontested,thisinstinctivepatriotismiswonttoendure.

ButthereisanotherspeciesofattachmenttocountrywhichismorerationalthantheoneIhavebeendescribing.Itisperhapslessgenerousandlessardent,butitismorefruitfulandmorelasting:

itspringsfromknowledge;itisnurturedbythelaws,itgrowsbytheexerciseofcivilrights;and,intheend,itisconfoundedwiththepersonalinterestsofthecitizen.Amancomprehendstheinfluencewhichthewell-beingofhiscountryhasuponhisown;heisawarethatthelawspermithimtocontributetothatprosperity,andhelaborstopromoteit,firstbecauseitbenefitshim,andsecondlybecauseitisinparthisownwork.

（1835）

Passage2

乔治·奥威尔（GeorgeOrwell，1903-1950），英国记者、小说家、散文家和评论家。

乔治·奥威尔一生短暂，但其以敏锐的洞察力和犀利的文笔审视和记录着他所生活的那个时代，作出了许多超越时代的预言，被称为“一代人的冷峻良知”。

其代表作有《动物庄园》和《一九八四》。

英国人生性拘谨，但英国的讽刺文学却一枝独秀，自乔叟以下，斯威夫特、狄更斯、查米亚丁，代有才人，各领风骚。

奥威尔的卓异之处就在于，并非仅仅用小说来影射个别的人与政权，而是直接揭露语言的堕落。

在奥威尔眼里，语言是掩盖真实的幕布，粉饰现实的工具，蛊惑民心的艺术。

他坚信，“在一个语言堕落的时代，作家必须保持自己的独立性，在抵抗暴力和承担苦难的意义上做一个永远的抗议者。

”他因作品中的深刻思想，被称为“一代人的冷峻良知”。

（内容来自XX百科网站）

WhyAreBeggarsDespised?

byGeorgeOrwell乞丐为何会被鄙视---乔治·奥威尔

GeorgeOrwell

BestknownforhisnovelsAnimalFarm（1945）andNineteenEighty-four（1949）,GeorgeOrwell（pseudonymofEricArthurBlair）wasoneofthemostnotablepoliticalwritersofhisday.ThefollowingshortpiecehasbeendrawnfromChapter31ofOrwell'sfirstbook,DownandOutinParisandLondon（1933）,asemiautobiographicalaccountoflivinginpovertyinbothcities.Thoughtheword"beggars"israrelyheardnowadays,the"ordinaryhumanbeings"hedescribesare,ofcourse,stillwithus.ConsiderwhetherornotyouagreewithOrwell'sthesis.

WhyAreBeggarsDespised?

byGeorgeOrwell

Itisworthsayingsomethingaboutthesocialpositionofbeggars,forwhenonehasconsortedwiththem,andfoundthattheyareordinaryhumanbeings,onecannothelpbeingstruckbythecuriousattitudethatsocietytakestowardsthem.Peopleseemtofeelthatthereissomeessentialdifferencebetweenbeggarsandordinary"working"men.Theyarearaceapart--outcasts,likecriminalsandprostitutes.Workingmen"work,"beggarsdonot"work";theyareparasites,worthlessintheirverynature.Itistakenforgrantedthatabeggardoesnot"earn"hisliving,asabricklayeroraliterarycritic"earns"his.Heisameresocialexcrescence,toleratedbecauseweliveinahumaneage,butessentiallydespicable.

Yetifonelookscloselyoneseesthatthereisnoessentialdifferencebetweenabeggar'slivelihoodandthatofnumberlessrespectablepeople.Beggarsdonotwork,itissaid;but,then,whatiswork?

Anavvyworksbyswingingapick.Anaccountantworksbyaddingupfigures.Abeggarworksbystandingoutofdoorsinallweathersandgettingvaricoseveins,chronicbronchitis,etc.Itisatradelikeanyother;quiteuseless,ofcourse--but,then,manyreputabletradesarequiteuseless.Andasasocialtypeabeggarcompareswellwithscoresofothers.Heishonestcomparedwiththesellersofmostpatentmedicines,high-mindedcomparedwithaSundaynewspaperproprietor,amiablecomparedwithahire-purchasetout--inshort,aparasite,butafairlyharmlessparasite.Heseldomextractsmorethanabarelivingfromthecommunity,and,whatshouldjustifyhimaccordingtoourethicalideas,hepaysforitoverandoverinsuffering.Idonotthinkthereisanythingaboutabeggarthatsetshiminadifferentclassfromotherpeople,orgivesmostmodernmentherighttodespisehim.

Thenthequestionarises,Whyarebeggarsdespised?

--fortheyaredespised,universally.Ibelieveitisforthesimplereasonthattheyfailtoearnadecentliving.Inpracticenobodycareswhetherworkisusefuloruseless,productiveorparasitic;thesolethingdemandedisthatitshallbeprofitable.Inallthemodemtalkaboutenergy,efficiency,socialserviceandtherestofit,whatmeaningisthereexcept"Getmoney,getitlegally,andgetalotofit"?

Moneyhasbecomethegrandtestofvirtue.Bythistestbeggarsfail,andforthistheyaredespised.Ifonecouldearneventenpoundsaweekatbegging,itwouldbecomearespectableprofessionimmediately.Abeggar,lookedatrealistically,issimplyabusinessman,gettinghisliving,likeotherbusinessmen,inthewaythatcomestohand.Hehasnot,morethanmostmodernpeople,soldhishonor;hehasmerelymadethemistakeofchoosingatradeatwhichitisimpossibletogrowrich.

（1933）

Passage3

WhatIsWrongWithOurSystemofEducation?

byGeorgeBernardShaw我们的教育体制出了什么问题？

---萧伯纳

GeorgeBernardShaw（1856-1950）

IrishdramatistandcriticGeorgeBernardShawwasanactiveSocialistwhooftenwroteaboutmoral,political,andeconomicissues.Aseverecriticofsecondaryeducation,hearguedthatschoolshouldbepurelyvoluntaryandconductedonlybycharitableorganizations.

"WhatIsWrongWithOurSystemofEducation?

"wasoriginallypublishedintheBritishnewspaperTheSundayPictorialinJune1918,asWorldWarIwasdrawingtoaclose.Shaw'sessaywasreprintedwithminorrevisionsinthecollectionDoctors'Delusions,CrudeCriminologyandShamEducation（Constable,1932）.

WhatIsWrongWithOurSystemofEducation?

byGeorgeBernardShaw

Thisquestionunconsciouslybegsanotherquestion,whichis,whetherourschoolsystemisreallyasystemofeducationatall.

Ihavealleged,anddostillallege,thatitisnotasystemofeducationbutacloakforsomethingelse.Andthatsomethingelseisthesequestrationandimprisonmentofchildrensoastopreventthembeingacontinualnuisancetotheirparents.

Thatchildrenandadultscannotlivetogethercomfortablyisasimplefactofnaturewhichmustbefacedbeforeanydiscussionoftheirtreatmentcanadvancebeyondthepresentstageofsentimentaltwaddle.Thebloodrelationshipdoesnotmatter:

ifIhavetodomyworkamidnoiseanddisorder,andbreakitoffrepeatedlytoconsoletheyellingvictimofabrokenshinortoactasjudge,jury,andexecutionerinacaseofassaultwithviolence;ifIhavetobeatcallcontinuallyasadictionaryandencyclopediaforaninsatiablycuriouslittlequestionertowhomeverythingelseinthevisibleuniverserequiresanimmediateexplanation;ifIcannotdiscusstheBillingcasewithanadultfriendbecausethereisalwaysasmallchaperonewithinearshot;ifIhavetotalkdowntothelevelofachild'sintelligence,andincidentallytohumbugitintheinterestofmyownpeaceandquietness,forhourseveryday;ifIhavetochoosebetweenspendingmytimeeitheransweringthequestion"Maywedothi