第三篇：Companionship of Books 以書為伴（節(jié)選）
Companionship of Books
A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in age.
Men often discover their affinity to each other by the mutual love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third. There is an old proverb, ‘Love me, love my dog.” But there is more wisdom in this:” Love me, love my book.” The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. They live in him together, and he in them.
A good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life could think out; for the world of a man’s life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which, remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters.
Books possess an essence of immortality. They are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay, but books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author’s minds, ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page. The only effect of time have been to sift out the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive e but what is really good.
Books introduce us into the best society; they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did; we see the as if they were really alive; we sympathize with them, enjoy with them, grieve with them; their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were in a measure actors with them in the scenes which they describe.
The great and good do not die, even in this world. Embalmed in books, their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which on still listens.
譯文：
以書為伴（節(jié)選）
通常看一個(gè)讀些什么書就可知道他的為人逻澳，就像看他同什么人交往就可知道他的為人一樣，因?yàn)橛腥艘匀藶榘椋灿腥艘詴鵀榘槟凰妗o(wú)論是書友還是朋友竟趾，我們都應(yīng)該以最好的為伴顾瞻。
好書就像是你最好的朋友。它始終不渝德绿，過(guò)去如此荷荤，現(xiàn)在如此退渗，將來(lái)也永遠(yuǎn)不變。它是最有耐心蕴纳，最令人愉悅的伴侶会油。在我們窮愁潦倒，臨危遭難時(shí)古毛，它也不會(huì)拋棄我們翻翩，對(duì)我們總是一如既往地親切。在我們年輕時(shí)稻薇，好書陶冶我們的性情嫂冻，增長(zhǎng)我們的知識(shí)；到我們年老時(shí)塞椎，它又給我們以慰藉和勉勵(lì)桨仿。
人們常常因?yàn)橄矚g同一本書而結(jié)為知已，就像有時(shí)兩個(gè)人因?yàn)榫茨酵粋€(gè)人而成為朋友一樣案狠。有句古諺說(shuō)道：“愛屋及屋服傍。”其實(shí)“愛我及書”這句話蘊(yùn)涵更多的哲理骂铁。書是更為真誠(chéng)而高尚的情誼紐帶吹零。人們可以通過(guò)共同喜愛的作家溝通思想，交流感情拉庵，彼此息息相通灿椅，并與自己喜歡的作家思想相通，情感相融名段。
好書常如最精美的寶器阱扬，珍藏著人生的思想的精華，因?yàn)槿松木辰缰饕驮谟谄渌枷氲木辰缟毂佟Ｒ虼寺榛蹋詈玫臅墙鹩窳佳院统绺咚枷氲膶殠?kù)，這些良言和思想若銘記于心并多加珍視信夫，就會(huì)成為我們忠實(shí)的伴侶和永恒的慰藉窃蹋。
書籍具有不朽的本質(zhì)，是為人類努力創(chuàng)造的最為持久的成果静稻。寺廟會(huì)倒坍警没，神像會(huì)朽爛，而書卻經(jīng)久長(zhǎng)存振湾。對(duì)于偉大的思想來(lái)說(shuō)杀迹，時(shí)間是無(wú)關(guān)緊要的。多年前初次閃現(xiàn)于作者腦海的偉大思想今日依然清新如故押搪。時(shí)間惟一的作用是淘汰不好的作品树酪，因?yàn)橹挥姓嬲募炎鞑拍芙?jīng)世長(zhǎng)存浅碾。
書籍介紹我們與最優(yōu)秀的人為伍，使我們置身于歷代偉人巨匠之間续语，如聞其聲垂谢，如觀其行，如見其人疮茄，同他們情感交融滥朱，悲喜與共，感同身受力试。我們覺得自己仿佛在作者所描繪的舞臺(tái)上和他們一起粉墨登場(chǎng)徙邻。
即使在人世間，偉大杰出的人物也永生不來(lái)懂版。他們的精神被載入書冊(cè)鹃栽，傳于四海。書是人生至今仍在聆聽的智慧之聲躯畴，永遠(yuǎn)充滿著活力民鼓。
