四季隨筆-the private papers of henry ryecroft(英文版)

第27部分 (第1/7頁)

gardens；　that　tranquillity　and　security　which　make　a　music　in　the　mind　of　him　who　gazes……these　are　what　a　man　must　see　and　feel　if　he　would　appreciate　the　worth　and　the　power　of　England。　The　people　which　has　made　for　itself　such　homes　as　these　is　distinguished；　above　all　things；　by　its　love　of　order；　it　has　understood；　as　no　other　people；　the　truth　that　〃order　is　heaven's　first　law。〃　With　order　it　is　natural　to　find　stability；　and　the　bination　of　these　qualities；　as　seen　in　domestic　life；　results　in　that　peculiarly　English　product；　our　name　for　which……though　but　a　pale　shadow　of　the　thing　itself……has　been　borrowed　by　other　countries：　fort。

Then　Englishman's　need　of　〃fort〃　is　one　of　his　best　characteristics；　the　possibility　that　he　may　change　in　this　respect；　and　bee　indifferent　to　his　old　ideal　of　physical　and　mental　ease；　is　the　gravest　danger　manifest　in　our　day。　For　〃fort；〃　mind　you；　does　not　concern　the　body　alone；　the　beauty　and　orderliness　of　an　Englishman's　home　derive　their　value；　nay；　their　very　existence；　from　the　spirit　which　directs　his　whole　life。　Walk　from　the　village　to　the　noble's　mansion。　It；　too；　is　perfect　of　its　kind；　it　has　the　dignity　of　age；　its　walls　are　beautiful；　the　gardens；　the　park　about　it　are　such　as　can　be　found　only　in　England；　lovely　beyond　pare；　and　all　this　represents　the　same　moral　characteristics　as　the　English　cottage；　but　with　greater　activities　and　responsibilities。　If　the　noble　grow　tired　of　his　mansion；　and；　letting　it　to　some　crude　owner　of　millions；　go　to　live　in　hotels　and　hired　villas；　if　the　cottager　sicken　of　his　village　roof；　and　transport　himself　to　the　sixth　floor　of　a　〃block〃　in　Shoreditch；　one　sees　but　too　well　that　the　one　and　the　other　have　lost　the　old　English　sense　of　fort；　and；　in　losing　it；　have　suff