酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

The Devil's Dictionary-Part18_Ambrose Bierce(1842-1914)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页
dictionary, comes to be considered "as one having authority," whereas

his function is only to make a record, not to give a law. The natural



servility of the human understanding having invested him with judicial

power, surrenders its right of reason and submits itself to a



chronicle as if it were a statue. Let the dictionary (for example)

mark a good word as "obsolete" or "obsolescent" and few men



thereafter venture to use it, whatever their need of it and however

desirable its restoration to favor -- whereby the process of



improverishment is accelerated and speech decays. On the contrary,

recognizing the truth that language must grow by innovation if it grow



at all, makes new words and uses the old in an unfamiliar sense, has

no following and is tartly reminded that "it isn't in the dictionary"



-- although down to the time of the first lexicographer (Heaven

forgive him!) no author ever had used a word that _was_ in the



dictionary. In the golden prime and high noon of English speech; when

from the lips of the great Elizabethans fell words that made their own



meaning and carried it in their very sound; when a Shakespeare and a

Bacon were possible, and the language now rapidly perishing at one end



and slowly renewed at the other was in vigorous growth and hardy

preservation -- sweeter than honey and stronger than a lion -- the



lexicographer was a person unknown, the dictionary a creation which

his Creator had not created him to create.



God said: "Let Spirit perish into Form,"

And lexicographers arose, a swarm!



Thought fled and left her clothing, which they took,

And catalogued each garment in a book.



Now, from her leafy covert when she cries:

"Give me my clothes and I'll return," they rise



And scan the list, and say without compassion:

"Excuse us -- they are mostly out of fashion."



Sigismund Smith

LIAR, n. A lawyer with a roving commission.



LIBERTY, n. One of Imagination's most precious possessions.

The rising People, hot and out of breath,



Roared around the palace: "Liberty or death!"

"If death will do," the King said, "let me reign;



You'll have, I'm sure, no reason to complain."

Martha Braymance



LICKSPITTLE, n. A useful functionary, not infrequently found editing

a newspaper. In his character of editor he is closely allied to the



blackmailer by the tie of occasionalidentity; for in truth the

lickspittle is only the blackmailer under another aspect, although the



latter is frequently found as an independent species. Lickspittling

is more detestable than blackmailing, precisely as the business of a



confidence man is more detestable than that of a highwayrobber; and

the parallel maintains itself throughout, for whereas few robbers will



cheat, every sneak will plunder if he dare.

LIFE, n. A spiritualpickle preserving the body from decay. We live



in daily apprehension of its loss; yet when lost it is not missed.

The question, "Is life worth living?" has been much discussed;



particularly by those who think it is not, many of whom have written

at great length in support of their view and by careful observance of



the laws of health enjoyed for long terms of years the honors of

successful controversy.



"Life's not worth living, and that's the truth,"

Carelessly caroled the golden youth.



In manhood still he maintained that view

And held it more strongly the older he grew.



When kicked by a jackass at eighty-three,

"Go fetch me a surgeon at once!" cried he.



Han Soper




文章总共2页
文章标签:名著  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号