第6章 美腿与丑腿
The Handsome and Deformed Leg
[美]本杰明·富兰克林/Benjamin Franklin
这世上有两种人，他们拥有着同样的健康、财富以及其他生活上的享受，但是，一种人快乐，另一种人却烦恼。这很大程度上缘于他们对事物的观点不同，比如对人和对事，因此产生了快乐和烦恼的差别。
人无论处于什么境地，总是会遇到“幸”与“不幸”。不管在什么场合，与什么样的人接触并进行交流，总有让他开心或烦心的；无论在什么样的餐桌前吃饭，酒肉总有对味和不对味的，餐具也总有精致和粗糙的；无论在什么气候下，他们总能遭遇好天气或坏天气；无论哪个政府统治，法律条文总有好坏之分；再伟大的诗句或著作中，总能挑出精彩的和平庸的；差不多每一个人的脸上，都有美丽和难看的地方，每一个人，也总有优点和缺点。
在这种情况下，上面所说的两种人注重的东西刚好相反。快乐的人，总是看着事物的长处：交谈中愉快的部分，食物的精致，酒的美味，美好的天气等等，并且满心欢喜地享受这一切。那些不快乐的人，却站在对立的一面，因此他们总是对自己不满意，他们说的话在社交场合很扫兴，既得罪了别人，也让自己闷闷不乐。如果这种性格是与生俱来的，那么真值得同情，可是如果是盲目模仿别人，最后不知不觉成了习惯的，那么他们应该深信不疑这种恶习将对他们幸福的人生产生很不好的影响，即便这种顽固的恶习是可以根除的。我希望这忠告可以给他们一点帮助，改变这不好的习惯。或许这习惯主要作用于心理上，但是却能给生活造成恶劣的影响，带来一些现实的悲伤与不幸。因为总是得罪人，大家都不喜欢他，顶多表示一些必不可少的礼节，甚至连最起码的尊重都不会给他。这会使他们的生活缺乏情趣，而且会引起各种矛盾和争执。如果他们想增加财富，没有人会祝福他们好运，没有人愿意为他们出谋划策。如果他们招致公众的责难和羞辱，也没有人出来为他们辩护或谅解，有的人甚至夸大其词地攻击他们，使他们变得更讨厌。如果这些人不改变这些坏习惯，仍旧对那些人们认为美好的事物不屑一顾，一天到晚怨天尤人，那么大家还是少和他接触好，因为这种人很难相处，而且当你卷进他们的争吵时，你会有更大的麻烦。
我有一个哲学家老朋友，他经历过很多人情世故，按照他的阅历，行为谨慎的话，就要尽量避免和这种人打交道。和其他的哲学家一样，他也有一个显示气温的温度计和一个预报天气好坏的气压计，但世上没有人可以发明一种仪器，来预测人的这种坏习惯，因此，他就利用自己的两条腿来测验。他的一条腿长得很好看，另一条腿因为意外事故而成了畸形。如果陌生人初见他时，对他的丑腿比美腿更专注，那么他就会有所疑虑。如果那人只谈论那条丑腿，而不注意他的好腿，那我的朋友就会很快决定不再与他深交。不是每个人都有这样一双腿作为测量仪器，但只要稍加留意，每个人都能看出点那种挑三拣四的人的劣迹，从而避免和这种人交往。所以，我奉劝那些爱挑剔、爱发牢骚、整天愁眉苦脸的人，如果想受人尊敬并且想给自己找乐子，就不要总是盯着别人的丑腿看。
There are two sorts of people in the world， who with equal degrees of health & wealth， and the other comforts of life， become， the one happy， and the other miserable. This arises very much from the different views in which they consider things， persons， and events； and the effect of those different views upon their own minds.
In whatever situation Men can be placed， they may find conveniences & inconveniences； In whatever company， they may find persons & conversation more or less pleasing； At whatever table， they may meet with meats & drinks of better and worse taste， dishes better&worse dressed； In whatever climate they will find good and bad weather； Under whatever government， they may find good & bad laws， and good & bad administration of those laws. In every poem or work of genius they may see faults andbeauties. In almost every face & every person， they may discover fine features & defects， good & bad qualities.
Under these circumstances， the two sorts of people above mentioned fix their attention， those who are to be happy， on the conveniencies of things， the pleasant parts of conversation， the well-dressed dishes， the goodness of the wines， the fine weather； & etc.， and enjoy all with chearfulness. Those who are to be unhappy think & speak only of the contraries. Hence they are continually discontented themselves， and by their remarks sour the pleasures of society， offend personally many people， and make themselves everywhere disagreeable. If this turn of mind was founded in nature， such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. But as the disposition to criticize，& be disgusted， is perhaps taken up originally by imitation， and is unawares grown into a habit， which though at present strong may nevertheless be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their felicity； I hope this little admonition may be of service to them， and put them on changing a habit， which though in the exercise it is chiefly an act of imagination yet has serious consequences in life， as it brings on real griefs and misfortunes. For as many are offended by，& nobody well loves this sort of people， no one shows them more than the most common civility and respect， and scarcely that； and this frequently puts them out of humour， and draws them into disputes and contentions. If they aim at obtaining some advantagein rank of fortune， nobody wishes them success， or will stir a step， or speak a word， to favour their pretensions. If they incur public censure or disgrace， no one will defend or excuse， and many join to aggravate their misconduct， and tender them completely odious. If these people will not change this bad habit， and condescend to be pleased with what is pleasing， without fretting themselves and others about the contraries， it is good for others to avoid an acquaintance with them； which is always disagreeable， and sometimes very inconvenient， especially when one finds one's self entangled in their quarrels.
An old philosophical friend of mine was grown， form experience， very cautious in this particular， and carefully avoided any intimacy with such people. He had， like other philosophers， a thermometer to show him the heat of the weather， and a barometer to mark when it was likely to prove good or bad； but， there being no instrument invented to discover， at first sight， this unpleasing disposition in a person， he for that purpose made use of his legs； one of which was remarkably handsome， the other， by some accident， crooked and deformed. If a stranger， at the first interview， regarded his ugly leg more than his handsome one， he doubted him. If he spoke of it，& took no notice of the handsome leg， that was sufficient to determine my philosopher to have no further acquaintance with him. Everybody has not this two-legged instrument， but everyone with a little attention， may observesigns of that carping， fault-finding disposition，& take the same resolution of avoiding the acquaintance of those infected with it. I therefore advise those critical， querulous， discontented， unhappy people， that if they wish to be respected and beloved by others，& happy in themselves they should leave off looking at the ugly leg.