英语名篇诵读爱美之心（打印版）

The Love of Beauty

爱美之心

John Ruskin(约翰·罗斯金)

The love of beauty is an essential part of all healthy human nature. It is a moral quality. The

absence of it is not an assured ground of condemnation , but the presence of it is an

invariable sign of goodness of heart. In proportion to the degree in which it is felt will

probably be the degree in which nobleness and beauty of character will be attained.

Natural beauty is an all-pervading presence. The universe is its temple. It unfolds into the

numberless flowers of spring. It waves in the branches of trees and the green blades of grass. It

haunts the depths of the earth and the sea. It gleams from the hues of the shell and the

precious stone. And not only these minute objects but the oceans, the mountains, the clouds, the

stars, the rising and the setting sun — all overflow with beauty. This beauty is so precious, and so

congenial to our tenderest and noblest feelings, that it is painful to think of the multitude of

people living in the midst of it and yet remaining almost blind to it.

All people should seek to become acquainted with the beauty in nature. There is not a worm

we tread upon, nor a leaf that dances merrily as it falls before the autumn winds, that does not

call for our study and admiration. The power to appreciate beauty not only increases our sources

of happiness — it enlarges our moral nature, too. Beauty calms our restlessness and dispels

our cares. Go into the fields or the woods, spend a summer day by the sea or the mountains, and all

your little perplexities and anxieties will vanish. Listen to sweet music, and your foolish fears

and petty jealousies will pass away. The beauty of the world helps us to seek and find the beauty

of goodness.

爱美之心是健全人性不可缺少的一部分，是一种道德品质。爱美之心的缺失不是谴责

的充分理由，但具有爱美之心则是拥有美好心灵的恒久标志。品德的高尚与美好所达到的

程度将与所感受到的美的程度成正比。

在大自然的殿堂中，美无处不在——绽放于春天的百花中，摇曳于树枝绿草间，徜徉

在深壑幽谷中，辉映于贝壳和宝石的光泽中。美不仅洋溢在这些小东西上面，还现身于海

洋、高山、云朵上，微笑于星辰、日出、日落里。美是那么珍贵，那么契合我们最温柔高

贵的感情，想到芸芸众生身在美中不见美，很令人痛心。

所有的人都应该努力去感受大自然的美。每一只我们踩到的虫子，每一片秋风中翩然

飘落的树叶，无不唤起我们的兴致和赞美。欣赏美的能力不仅增加了我们快乐的源泉，也

提高了我们的灵性。美抚平了我们心中的不安，驱散了我们的忧虑。走进原野和山林吧，

在海边或山中度一个夏日，你所有的困惑与焦虑将烟消云散。听听优美的曲子，你所有愚

蠢的恐惧和猥琐的嫉妒都将荡然无存。自然之美帮我们寻找并发现心灵之美。