Lesson53 The Appreciation of Good Literature
When one reads a number of good authors and feels that one author describesthings very vividly, that another shows great tenderness of delicacy, athird expresses things exquisitely, a fourth has an indescribable charm, afifth one's writing is like good whiskey, a sixth one's is like mellow wine,he should not be afraid to say that he likes them and appreciates them, ifonly his appreciation is genuine. After such a wide experience in reading,he has the proper experiential basis for knowing what are mildness,mellowness, strength, power, brilliance, pungency, delicacy, and charm. Whenhe has tasted all these flavours, then he knows what is good literaturewithout reading a single handbook.
The first rule of a student of literature is to learn to sample differentflavours. The best flavour is mildness and mellowness, but is most difficultfor a writer to attain. Between mildness and mere flatness there is only avery thin margin.A writer whose thoughts lack depth and originality may tryto write a simple style and end up by being insipid. Only fresh fish may becooked in its own juice; stale fish must be flavoured with anchovy sauce andpepper and mustard - the more the better.
A good writer is like the sister of Yang Kueifei, who could go to see theEmperor himself without powder and rouge. All the other beauties in thepalace required them. This is the reason why there are so few writers whodare to write in simple English.
exquisitely 精致地
mellowness 醇厚
pungency 辛辣
anchovy sauce 鱼鲜味酱油
insipid 索然无味的
文学作品的欣赏
当人们阅读了许多优秀作家的作品后，就会感到有的作家描写生动，有的作家细腻，第三位作家表达精致，第四位作家有难以言表的魅力，第五位作家犹如陈年威士忌， 第六位作家犹如醇厚的老窖，只要他的感受是真实的，他就只管大胆地这样说出来好了。有了这样广泛阅读的基础， 他就有了亲身经历的基础， 知道什么是柔和，醇厚，刚强，力量，聪明，辛辣，细腻和魅力。 当他尝遍了这些味道，不用读任何教科书，他就学会了如何判断优秀作品。
文学学生的第一条规则是学会品尝各种滋味。最佳的滋味是柔和和醇厚，但这对作家来说是最难达到的境地。在柔和与平淡无味之间只隔着薄薄的一层纸。
没有思想深度和创造性的作家可能试图写得柔和些，但结果常常是使作品味同嚼蜡。只有清水煮鲜鱼才能出佳味，烂鱼就一定得多用鱼鲜酱油，辣椒和芥末&&而且是多多益善。
好作家犹如杨贵妃，不用涂脂抹粉就可去见皇上。而其他宫中美人却少不得胭脂，这就是为什么很少有作家敢用简单的语言写作的道理。 |