【作者簡介】賽繆爾?斯邁爾斯闻蛀，英國十九世紀著名的社會改革家和十分多產(chǎn)的人生隨筆作家仙蛉。他寫過許多膾炙人口的人生隨筆作品，如《自己拯救自憶》冠息、《品格的力量》挪凑、《人生的職責》、《金錢與人生》逛艰、《信仰的力量》躏碳、《命運之門》等。
賽繆爾?斯邁爾斯的這些作品在全球暢銷一百多年而不衰散怖，改變了億萬人民的命運菇绵，對近代以來西方社會的道德風尚產(chǎn)生了很大的影響肄渗。正如英國《觀察家》雜志的評論所說：“斯邁爾斯先生為人類的社會生活貢獻了非常優(yōu)秀的精神食糧。他以犀利而又睿智的筆調(diào)向我們揭示了人生的目標咬最、生活的目的翎嫡、生命的服從、生活的激情永乌、生命的力量惑申、良心的自由、信仰的偉大等人生的真諦翅雏，把上蒼賦予我們的脆弱的自然生命塑造并升華成了具有高貴品格和堅強意志的精神生命圈驼。”
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.
通趁度伲看一個讀些什么書就可知道他的為人碗脊，就像看他同什么人交往就可知道他的為人一樣啼肩，因為有人以人為伴橄妆，也有人以書為伴。無論是書友還是朋友祈坠，我們都應該以最好的為伴害碾。
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.
好書就像是你最好的朋友。它始終不渝赦拘，過去如此慌随，現(xiàn)在如此，將來也永遠不變躺同。它是最有耐心阁猜，最令人愉悅的伴侶。在我們窮愁潦倒蹋艺，臨危遭難時剃袍，它也不會拋棄我們，對我們總是一如既往地親切捎谨。在我們年輕時民效，好書陶冶我們的性情，增長我們的知識涛救；到我們年老時畏邢，它又給我們以慰藉和勉勵。
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.
人們常常因為喜歡同一本書而結(jié)為知已检吆，就像有時兩個人因為敬慕同一個人而成為朋友一樣舒萎。有句古諺說道："愛屋及屋。"其實"愛我及書"這句話蘊涵更多的哲理蹭沛。書是更為真誠而高尚的情誼紐帶臂寝。人們可以通過共同喜愛的作家溝通思想虱肄，交流感情，彼此息息相通交煞，并與自己喜歡的作家思想相通咏窿，情感相融。
“Books,” said Hazlitt,“wind into the heart; the poet's verse slides in the current of our blood. We read them when young, we remember them when old. We feel that it has happened to ourselves. They are to be had very cheap and good. We breathe but the air of books.”
黑茲利特曾經(jīng)說過素征，“書潛移默化人們的內(nèi)心集嵌，詩歌熏陶人們的氣質(zhì)品性。少小所習御毅，老大不忘根欧，恍如身歷其事。書籍價廉物美端蛆，不啻我們呼吸的空氣”凤粗。
A good book is often the best thoughts of which that life was capable; 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 and golden thoughts, which, remembered and cherished, become our abiding companions and comforters.They are never alone, said Sir Philip Sidney,that are accompanied by noble thoughts.
好書常如最精美的寶器，珍藏著人生的思想的精華今豆，因為人生的境界主要就在于其思想的境界嫌拣。因此，最好的書是金玉良言和崇高思想的寶庫呆躲，這些良言和思想若銘記于心并多加珍視异逐，就會成為我們忠實的伴侶和永恒的慰藉。菲利普·錫德尼爵士說得好：“以高尚思想為伴的人永不孤獨插掂』艺埃”
The good and true thought may in times of temptation be as an angel of mercy purifying and guarding the soul. It also enshrines the germs of action, for good words almost always invariably inspire to good works.
當我們面臨誘惑的時候，虔誠而公正的信念就像仁慈的天使辅甥，保衛(wèi)我們的靈魂酝润，使她依舊純潔。這同樣孕育著行為的沖動璃弄，往往成為善行的先導要销。
