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From This World to the Next-Part11_HENRY FIELDING(1707-1754)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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person was far from being lovely, but her temper was intolerable.

During fifteen years' habitation, I never passed a single day



without heartily cursing her, and the hour in which we came

together. The only comfort I received, in the midst of the



highest torments, was from continuallyhearing the prudence of my

match commended by all my acquaintance.



"Thus you see, in the affairs of love, I bought the reputation of

wisdom pretty dear. In other matters I had it somewhat cheaper;



not that hypocrisy, which was the price I gave for it, gives one

no pain. I have refused myself a thousand little amusements with



a feigned contempt, while I have really had an inclination to

them. I have often almost choked myself to restrain from



laughing at a jest, and (which was perhaps to myself the least

hurtful of all my hypocrisy) have heartily enjoyed a book in my



closet which I have spoken with detestation of in public. To sum

up my history in short, as I had few adventures worth



remembering, my whole life was one constant lie; and happy would

it have been for me if I could as thoroughly have imposed on



myself as I did on others: for reflection" target="_blank" title="n.反射；映象；想法">reflection, at every turn, would

often remind me I was not so wise as people thought me; and this



considerably embittered the pleasure I received from the public

commendation of my wisdom. This self-admonition, like a memento



mori or mortalis es, must be, in my opinion, a very dangerous

enemy to flattery: indeed, a weight sufficient to counterbalance



all the false praise of the world. But whether it be that the

generality of wise men do not reflect at all, or whether they



have, from a constant imposition on others, contracted such a

habit of deceit as to deceive themselves, I will not determine:



it is, I believe, most certain that very few wise men know

themselves what fools they are, more than the world doth. Good



gods! could one but see what passes in the closet of wisdom! how

ridiculous a sight must it be to behold the wise man, who



despises gratifying his palate, devouring custard; the sober wise

man with his dram-bottle; or, the anti-carnalist (if I may be



allowed the expression) chuckling over a b--dy book or picture,

and perhaps caressing his house-maid!



"But to conclude a character in which I apprehend I made as

absurd a figure as in any in which I trod the stage of earth, my



wisdom at last but an end to itself, that is, occasioned my

dissolution.



"A relation of mine in the eastern part of the empire

disinherited his son, and left me his heir. This happened in the



depth of winter, when I was in my grand climacteric, and had just

recovered of a dangerous disease. As I had all the reason



imaginable to apprehend the family of the deceased would conspire

against me, and embezzle as much as they could, I advised with a



grave and wise friend what was proper to be done; whether I

should go myself, or employ a notary on this occasion, and defer



my journey to the spring. To say the truth, I was most inclined

to the latter; the rather as my circumstances were extremely



flourishing, as I was advanced in years, and had not one person

in the world to whom I should with pleasure bequeath any fortune



at my death.

"My friend told me he thought my question admitted of no manner



of doubt or debate; that common prudenceabsolutely required my

immediate departure; adding, that if the same good luck had



happened to him he would have been already on his journey; 'for,'

continued he, 'a man who knows the world so well as you, would be



inexcusable to give persons such an opportunity of cheating you,

who, you must be assured, will be too well inclined; and as for






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