the world i live in-海倫·凱勒自傳(英文版)

第7部分 (第3/7頁)

ches　a　star

night　after　night　for　many　years　and　feels　rewarded　if　he　discovers　a

single　fact　about　it。　The　man　deaf…blind　to　ordinary　outward　things；　and

the　man　deaf…blind　to　the　immeasurable　universe；　are　both　limited　by

time　and　space；　but　they　have　made　a　pact　to　wring　service　from　their

limitations。

The　bulk　of　the　world's　knowledge　is　an　imaginary　construction。　History

is　but　a　mode　of　imagining；　of　making　us　see　civilizations　that　no

longer　appear　upon　the　earth。　Some　of　the　most　significant　discoveries

in　modern　science　owe　their　origin　to　the　imagination　of　men　who　had

neither　accurate　knowledge　nor　exact　instruments　to　demonstrate　their

beliefs。　If　astronomy　had　not　kept　always　in　advance　of　the　telescope；

no　one　would　ever　have　thought　a　telescope　worth　making。　What　great

invention　has　not　existed　in　the　inventor's　mind　long　before　he　gave　it

tangible　shape？

A　more　splendid　example　of　imaginative　knowledge　is　the　unity　with　which

philosophers　start　their　study　of　the　world。　They　can　never　perceive　the

world　in　its　entire　reality。　Yet　their　imagination；　with　its　magnificent

allowance　for　error；　its　power　of　treating　uncertainty　as　negligible；

has　pointed　the　way　for　empirical　knowledge。

In　their　highest　creative　moments　the　great　poet；　the　great　musician

cease　to　use　the　crude　instruments　of　sight　and　hearing。　They　break　away

from　their　sense…moorings；　rise　on　strong；　pelling　wings　of　spirit

far　above　our　misty　hills　and　darkened　valleys　into　the　region　of　light；

music；　intellect。

What　eye　hath　seen　the　glories　of　the　New　Jerusalem？　What　ear　hath　heard

the　music　of　the　spheres；　th