Beauty
拉爾夫·沃爾多·愛默生/RalphWaldoEmerson
Anoblerwantofmanisservedbynature,namely,theloveofBeauty.
TheancientGreekscalledtheworldKoouos,beauty.Suchistheconstitutionofallthings,orsuchtheplasticpowerofthehumaneye,thattheprimaryforms,asthesky,themountain,thetree,theanimal,giveusadelightinandforthemselves;apleasurearisingfromoutline,color,motion,andgrouping.Thisseemspartlyowingtotheeyeitself.Theeyeisthebestofartists.Bythemutualactionofitsstructureandofthelawsoflight,perspectiveisproduced,whichintegrateseverymassofobjects,ofwhatcharactersoever,intoawellcoloredandshadedglobe,sothatwheretheparticularobjectsaremeanandunaffecting,thelandscapewhichtheycomposeisroundandsymmetrical.Andastheeyeisthebestcomposer,solightisthef?irstofpainters.Thereisnoobjectsofoulthatintenselightwillnotmakebeautiful.Andthestimulusitaffordstothesense,andasortofinf?initudewhichithas,likespaceandtime,makeallmattergay.Eventhecorpsehasitsownbeauty.Butbesidesthisgeneralgracediffusedovernature,almostalltheindividualformsareagreeabletotheeye,asisprovedbyourendlessimitationsofsomeofthem,astheacorn,thegrape,thepine-cone,thewheat-ear,theegg,thewingsandformsofmostbirds,thelion』sclaw,theserpent,thebutterf?ly,sea-shells,f?lames,clouds,buds,leaves,andtheformsofmanytrees,asthepalm.
Forbetterconsideration,wemaydistributetheaspectsofBeautyinathreefoldmanner.
1.F?irst,thesimpleperceptionofnaturalformsisadelight.Theinf?luenceoftheformsandactionsinnatureissoneedfultoman,that,initslowestfunctions,itseemstolieontheconf?inesofcommodityandbeauty.Tothebodyandmind,whichhavebeencrampedbynoxiousworkorcompany,natureismedicinalandrestorestheirtone.Thetradesman,theattorneycomesoutofthedin.andcraftofthestreetandseestheskyandthewoods,andisamanagain.Intheireternalcalm,hef?indshimself.Thehealthoftheeyeseemstodemandahorizon.Weareneverf?ired,solongaswecanseefarenough.
Butinotherhours,Naturesatisf?iesbyitsloveliness,andwithoutanymixtureofcorporealbenef?it.Iseethespectacleofmorningfromthehilltopoveragainstmyhouse,fromdaybreaktosunrise,withemotionswhichanangelmightshare.Thelongslenderbarsofcloudf?loatlikef?ishesintheseaofcrimsonlight.Fromtheearth,asashore,Ilookoutintothatsilentsea.Iseemtopartakeitsrapidtransformations;theactiveenchantmentreachesmydust,andIdilateandconspirewiththemorningwind.HowdoesNaturedeifyuswithafewandcheapelements!Givemehealthandaday,andIwillmakethepompofemperorsridiculous.ThedawnismyAssyria;thesunsetandmoon-risemyPaphos,andunimaginablerealmsoffaerie;broadnoonshallbemyEnglandofthesensesandtheunderstanding;thenightshallbemyGermanyofmysticphilosophyanddreams.
Notlessexcellent,exceptforourlesssusceptibilityintheafternoon,wasthecharm,lastevening,ofaJanuarysunset.Thewesterncloudsdividedandsubdividedthemselvesintopinkf?lakesmodulatedwithtintsofunspeakablesoftness,andtheairhadsomuchlifeandsweetnessthatitwasapaintocomewithindoors.Whatwasitthatnaturewouldsay?Wastherenomeaninginthelivereposeofthevalleybehindthemill,andwhichHomerorShakespearecouldnotre-formformeinwords?Theleaf?lesstressbecomespiresoff?lameinthesunset,withthebluecastfortheirbackground,andthestarsofthedeadcalicesoff?lowers,andeverywitheredstemandstubblerimedwithfrost,contributesomethingtothemutemusic.
Theinhabitantsofcitiessupposethatthecountrylandscapeispleasantonlyhalftheyear.Ipleasemyselfwiththegracesofthewinterscenery,andbelievethatweareasmuchtouchedbyitasbythegenialinf?luencesofsummer.Totheattentiveeye,eachmomentoftheyearhasitsownbeauty,andinthesamef?ield,itbeholds,everyhour,apicturewhichwasneverseenbefore,andwhichshallneverbeseenagain.Theheavenschangeeverymoment,andref?lecttheirgloryorgloomontheplainsbeneath.Thestateofthecropinthesurroundingfarmsalterstheexpressionoftheearthfromweektoweek.Thesuccessionofnativeplantsinthepasturesand:roadsides,whichmakesthesilentclockbywhichtimetellsthesummerhours,willmakeeventhedivisionsofthedaysensibletoakeenobserver.Thetribesofbirdsandinsects,liketheplantspunctualtotheirtime,followeachother,andtheyearhasroomforall.Bywatercourses,thevarietyisgreater.InJuly,thebluepontederiaorpickerel-weedbloomsinlargebedsintheshallowportsofourpleasantriver,andswarmswithyellowbutterf?liesincontinualmotion.Artcannotrivalthispompofpurpleandgold.Indeedtheriverisaperpetualgala,andboastseachmonthanewornament.
ButthisbeautyofNaturewhichisseenandfeltasbeauty,istheleastpart.Theshowsofday,thedewymorning,therainbow,mountains,orchardsinblossom,stars,moonlight,shadowsinstillwater,andthelike,iftooeagerlyhunted,becomeshowsmerely,andmockuswiththeirunreality.Gooutofthehousetoseethemoon,and』tismeretinsel;itwillnotpleaseaswhenitslightshinesuponyournecessaryjourney.ThebeautythatshimmersintheyellowafternoonsofOctober,whoevercouldclutchit?Goforthtof?indit,anditisgone;'tisonlyamirageasyoulookfromthewindowsofdiligence.