AnApologyforIdlers
羅伯特·路易斯·史蒂文森/RobertLouisStevenson
Extremebusyness,whetheratschoolorcollege,kirkormarket,isasymptomofdeficientvitality;andafacultyforidlenessimpliesacatholicappetiteandastrongsenseofpersonalidentity.Thereisasortofdead-alive,hackneyedpeopleabout,whoarescarcelyconsciousoflivingexceptintheexerciseofsomeconventionaloccupation.Bringthesefellowsintothecountry,orsetthemaboardship,andyouwillseehowtheypinefortheirdeskortheirstudy.
Theyhavenocuriosity;theycannotgivethemselvesovertorandomprovocations;theydonottakepleasureintheexerciseoftheirfacultiesforitsownsake;andunlessnecessitylaysaboutthemwithastick,theywillevenstandstill.Itisnogoodspeakingtosuchfolk:theycannotbeidle,theirnatureisnotgenerousenough;andtheypassthosehoursinasortofcoma,whicharenotdedicatedtofuriousmoilinginthegold-mill.Whentheydonotrequiretogototheoffice,whentheyarenothungryandhavenomindtodrink,thewholebreathingworldisablanktothem.Iftheyhavetowaitanhourorsoforatrain,theyfallintoastupidtrancewiththeireyesopen.Toseethem,youwouldsupposetherewasnothingtolookatandnoonetospeakwith;youwouldimaginetheywereparalysedoralienated;andyetverypossiblytheyarehardworkersintheirownways,andhavegoodeyesightforaflawinadeedoraturnofthemarket.Theyhavebeentoschoolandcollege,butallthetimetheyhadtheireyesonthemedal;theyhavegoneaboutintheworldandmixedwithcleverpeople,butallthetimetheywerethinkingoftheirownaffairs.Asifaman』ssoulwerenottoosmalltobeginwith,theyhavedwarfedandnarrowedtheirsbyalifeofallworkandnoplay;untilheretheyareatforty,withalistlessattention,amindvacantofallmaterialsofamusement,andnotonethoughttorubagainstanother,whiletheywaitforthetrain.Beforehewasbreeched,hemighthaveclamberedontheboxes;whenhewastwenty,hewouldhavestaredatthegirls;butnowthepipeissmokedout,thesnuffboxempty,andmygentlemansitsboltuprightuponabench,withlamentableeyes.ThisdoesnotappealtomeasbeingSuccessinLife.
Butitisnotonlythepersonhimselfwhosuffersfromhisbusyhabits,buthiswifeandchildren,hisfriendsandrelations,anddowntotheverypeoplehesitswithinarailwaycarriageoranomnibus.