But to retum to our subject．I have left the repository of our English kings for the contemplation of another day；when I shall find my mind disposed for SO serious an amusement．I know that entertainments of this nature are apt to raise dark and dismal thoughts in timorous minds and gloomy imaginations；but for my own part，though I am always serious，I dO not know what it iS to be melancholy；and can therefore take a view of nature in her deep and solemn scenes，with the same pleasure as in her most gay and delightful ones．By this means I can improve myself with those objects which others consider with terror．When I look upon the tombs of the great，every emotion of envy dies in me；when I read the epitaphs of the beautiful，every inordinate desire goes out；when I meet with the grief of parents upon a tombstone，my heart melts with compassion；when I see the tomb of the parents themselves．I consider the vanity of grieving for those whom we must quickly follow，when I see kings lying by those who deposed them，when I consider rival wits placed side by side，or the holy men that divided the world with their contests and disputes，I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions，factions，and debates of mankind．When I read the several dates of the tombs，of some that died yesterday，and some six hundred years ago，I consider that great day when we shall all of US be contemporaries，and make our appearance together．gloominess n．阴暗；忧郁thoughtfulness n．深思；体贴，亲切；熟虑memorial n．纪念物，请愿书
adi．纪念的；记忆的priest n．牧师，僧侣，神父epitaph n．墓志铭；碑文periwig n．假发contemporary n．同时代的人
adj．同时代的，同时的西敏寺内的遐想（节选）
【英]约瑟夫·艾迪生
心情沉重的时候，我常喜欢独自漫步于西敏寺内。那里特有的肃穆气氛和庄严的建筑以及长眠于此的人们的丰功伟绩、身份地位，无不让我充满感伤之情，又或说让我陷入了无尽的遐想之中。昨天，一个下午，我都在教堂、回廊和墓地里，反复地观赏着那几个墓区里的墓碑以及上面的碑文，聊以自娱。多数墓碑上只刻着死者的姓名和生卒年月：这样人们对其一生的了解也不过是他们同常人一样有生有死。这些生死记录无论是雕刻在黄铜牌上还是雕刻在大理石上，我都将其视做是对故去之人的一种嘲讽：除了生与死，他们没有留下任何供人瞻仰的东西。这不禁使我想起了战争史诗中所描写的几个英雄人物，他们声名赫赫，不为别的，只是因为战死沙场；他们为人歌颂，不为别的，也只是因为已不在人间。《圣经》所描写的“如箭般飞过”，是他们一生的真实写照：转瞬即逝。
一进教堂，我就饶有兴致地看着人们在挖着一座坟墓。每挖出一铲新的腐土，都可见骨头或头颅的碎块混杂其中。曾几何时，这些碎块还附于人身呢。此情此景使我不禁浮想联翩：在这座古老的大教堂的地下该混埋着多少人啊!男人和女人，朋友和敌人，教士和士兵，修道士和受俸牧师……他们全都已然粉身碎骨，混杂于一起。无论是怎样美丽优雅，力大无穷或充满青春活力，还是老态龙钟；无论是孱弱多病还是身有残疾的人，都毫无区别地葬在一块，埋成一堆。
在这片混乱拥挤的墓地之中，处处都竖立着纪念碑，大致环视了一下这座古老建筑后，我便开始细细端详起几座墓碑上仅存的铭文。其中一些写得十分夸张。若死者地下有知，听到朋友们对他的溢美之词，想必也会羞红脸的。另有一些碑文则又过于朴实无华，而且还是用希腊文或希伯来语描述死者的人品，如此一来，恐怕一年之中也难得被人看懂一次就不错了。在“诗人角”，我发现一些没有墓碑的坟墓和没有坟墓的墓碑。毫无疑问，当下的这场战争给教堂平添了许多无主墓碑，它们都是为纪念阵亡将士而竖立的，而他们的尸体也许埋在布兰海姆平原，也许葬于大海之中。
看到几篇标新立异的墓志铭，我不由得高兴起来。这些墓志铭文字措辞优美典雅，内容恰当公允，既为死者增光又给生者添彩。外国人常常喜欢根据公开展出的纪念碑和墓志铭，判断一个国家文明与否，因此在立碑之前，这些铭文理应经过有识之士的仔细推敲。克劳德斯利·肖维尔爵士的墓碑总是让我反感：这位剽悍的英国海军：将军曾因勇猛无敌而闻名于世，享有盛誉。可在他墓碑上，他的形象却像个花花公子，戴着长长的假发，头顶华盖，稳坐于天鹅绒垫子之上。铭文与墓碑的风格一样：它只是告诉我们他是怎样去世的，而并未颂扬他为国家立下的赫赫战功，仅这一点，根本无法使我们升华对他的崇敬。我们一向瞧不起荷兰人，认为他们缺乏天赋，但他们在此类建筑中却显示出优于我们的品味以及深于我们的修养。他们那些将军的纪念碑由公众捐建，雕像生动形象地再现了他们生前的英姿：头顶军帽，身披战甲，并佩挂着用水草、贝壳和珊瑚扎成的美丽垂饰。
言归正传，我本想改天再仔细参观英国历代国王的墓地，因为毕竟这不是一种令人心情轻松的消遣。而且我知道，这样的消遣通常会使那些神经脆弱、多愁善感的人悲观绝望。但就我而言．．虽说总是表面心事重重，忧心忡忡，却从不知忧郁为何物。所以，在生活中无论是遇到欢快高兴的事情还是到达深沉肃穆的场合，我都能一样地欣然应对。这样，我便能泰然面对任何令他人感到恐瞑的东西。看着这些伟人的坟墓，我的一切嫉妒之情便烟消云散；读着那些美人的铭文，我所有的非分之想便荡然无存；在墓碑上读出父母的悲痛，我的心也会被同情所融化；当我再看到那些父母本人的坟墓时，又觉得这种哀伤毫无意义可言，因为人人都会步其后尘，不久人世。当我看到国王们同他们的废黜者同穴而眠，当我想到互相竞争的才子们并肩而卧，当我想到那些试图通过你争我夺而瓜分世界的圣贤们 共赴黄泉，我不禁反思人类那些微不足道的竞争、内讧和争论，它们让我 难过，让我震惊。看着墓碑上的日期，有人故于昨日，有人则亡于六百年前。我想，总有一天，我们大家会同聚上帝的面前，那将会是一个多么伟 大的日子啊!名人名言Nomallisbornwise OFlearned．没有生而知之者。A Day’S Ramble in London
理查德·斯蒂尔(Richard Steele，1672—1729年)，英国散文家、剧作家，与艾迪生为牛津同学，文学史上常将两人并提，他们合办过《闲谈者》与《旁观者》期刊，为自己报刊所写的许多散文是斯蒂尔的主要文学成就。他用毕克斯达夫先生作笔名，以一个上了年纪的老绅士的身份对社会发表各种各样的评论，文风活泼自然，反映出他特有的风趣、机敏、想象力。主要作品有《童年的回忆》《好绅士》等等。
理查德·斯蒂尔与约瑟夫·艾迪生幼年一同在卡特公学就读，后来又同时进入牛津大学。但斯蒂尔中途辍学，自愿担任军职。1700年前后，他开始了笔墨生涯，写了宗教论文《基督教徒的英雄》，接着又写了几个喜剧，但真正使他在文学界取得地位的是他的小品：丈。
It is an inexpressible pleasure to know a lictle of the Wofld，and be of no character or significancy in it．To be ever unconcerned，and everlooking on new objects with an endless curiosit)’，is a delight known onlyto those who are turned for speculation，Nay，they who enjoy it，must value things only as they are the objects of speculation，without drawing any worldly advantage to themselves from them，but just as they are what contribute to their amusement，or the Improvement of the mind．I lay one night last week at Richmond；and being restless，not out of dissatisfaction，but a certain busy inclination one sometimes has，I arose at four in the morning，and took boat for London，with a resolution to rove by boat and coach for the next twenty four hours，till the manY different objects I must meet with should tire my Imagination，and give me an inclination to a repose more profound than 1 was at that time capable of．I beg people’S pardon for an odd humour I aln guilty of,and was often that day，which is saluting any person whom I like，whether I know him or not．This is a particularity would be tolerated in me，if they considered that the greatest pleasure I know I receive at my eyes，and that I am obliged to an agreeable person for coming abroad into my view，as another is for a visit of conversation at their own houses．
The hours of the day and night ale taken up in the cities of London and Westminster by people as different from each other as those who ale born in different centuries．Men of six-a-clock give way to those of nine，they of nine to the generation of twelve，and they of twelve disappear，and make room for the fashionable world，who have made two—a-clock the noon ofthe day．