黄金国（2）Onewhogoestouringonfootwithasinglevolumeinhisknapsackreadswithcircumspection?pausingoftentoreflect?andoftenlayingthebookdowntocontemplatethelandscapeortheprintsintheinnparlour;forhefearstocometoanendofhisentertainment?andbeleftcompanionlessonthelaststagesofhisjourney.AyoungfellowrecentlyfinishedtheworksofThomasCarlyle?windingup?ifwerememberarightwiththetennote?booksuponFredericktheGreat.“What!"criedtheyoungfellow?inconsternation?“IstherenotmoreCarlyle?AmIlefttothedailypapers?"AmorecelebratedinstanceisthatofAlexander?whoweptbitterlybecausehehadnomereworldstosubdue.AndwhenGibbonhadfinishedtheDeclineandFall?hehadonlyafewmomentsofjoy;anditwaswitha“sobermelancholy"thathepartedfromhislabours.Happilyweallshootatthemoonwithineffectualarrows;ourhopesaresetoninaccessibleElDorado;wecometoanendofnothingherebelow.Interestsareonlypluckeduptosowthemselvesagain?likemustard.Youwouldthink?whenthechildwasborn?therewouldbeanendtotrouble;andyetitisonlythebeginningoffreshanxieties;andwhenyonhaveseenitthroughitsteethinganditseducation?andatlastitsmarriage?alas!Itisonlytohavenewfears?newquiveringsensibilities?witheveryday;andthehealthofyourchildren'schildrengrowsastouchingaconcernasthatofyourown.Again?whenyouhavemarriedyourwife?yonwouldthinkyouweregotuponahilltop?andmightbegintogodownwardbyaneasyslope.Butyouhaveonlyendedcourtingtobeginmarriage.Fallinginloveandwinningloveareoftendifficulttaskstooverbearingandrebelliousspirits;buttokeepinloveisalsoabusinessofsomeimportance?towhichbothmanandwifemustbringkindnessandgoodwill.Thetruelovestorycommencesatthealtar?whenthereliesbeforethemarriedpairamostbeautifulcontestofwisdomandgenerosity?andalifelongstruggletowardsanunattainableideal.Unattainable?Ay?surelyunattainable?fromtheveryfactthattheyaretwoinsteadofone.“Ofmakingbooksthereisnoend?”complainedthePreacher?anddidnotperceivehowhighlyhewaspraisinglettersasanoccupation.Thereisnoend?indeed?tomakingbooksorexperiments?ortotravel?ortogatheringwealth.Problemgivesrisetoproblem.Wemaystudyforever?andweareneveraslearnedaswewould.Wehavenevermadeastatueworthyofourdreams.Andwhenwehavediscoveredacontinent?orcrossedachainofmountains?itisonlytofindanotheroceanoranotherplainuponthefurtherside.Intheinfiniteuniversethereisroomforourswiftestdiligenceandtospare.ItisnotliketheworksofCarlyle?whichcanbereadtoanend.Eveninacornerofit?inaprivatepark?orintheneighborhoodofasinglehamlet?theweatherandtheseasonskeepsodeftlychangingthatalthoughwewalkthereforalifetimetherewillbealwayssomethingnewtostartleanddelightus.Thereisonlyonewishrealizableontheearth;onlyonethingthatcanbeperfectlyattained:Death.Andfromavarietyofcircumstanceswehavenoonetotelluswhetheritbeworthattaining.Astrangepicturewemakeonourwaytoourchimaeras?udgingourselvesthetimeforrest;indefatigable?adventurouspioneers.Itistruethatweshallneverreachthegirl;itisevenmorethanprobablethatthereisnosuchplace;andifwelivedforcenturiesandwereendowedwiththepowersofagod?weshouldfindourselvesnotmuchnearerwhatwewantedattheend.Otoilinghandsofmortals!Ounweariedfeet?travelingyeknownotwhither!Soon?soon?itseemstoyou?youmustcomeforthonsomeconspicuoushilltop,andbutalittlewayfurther?againstthesettingsun?descrythespiresofElDorado.Littledoyeknowyourownblessedness;fortotravelhopefullyisabetterthingthantoarrive?andthetruesuccessistolabour.[end]