高級英語教材第22課

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先讀課文﹕
TOO DEAR FOR THE WHISTLE
by Hunter
When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled
my pockets with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys
for children; and being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met
by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all
my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house,
much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers,
and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me
I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind of
what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed
at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection
gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.This, however, was
afterwards of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often,
when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, "Don't
give too much for the whistle"; and I saved my money. As I grew up, came
into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many,
very many, "who gave too much for the whistle." When I saw one too ambitious
of court favor,sacrificing his time in attendance on levees, his repose,
his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain it, I have said
to myself--"This man gives too much for his whistle." When I saw another
fond of popularity, constantly employing himself in political bustles, neglecting
his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect, "He pays, indeed," said
I, "too dear for his whistle. " If I knew a miser, who gave up every kind
of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the
esteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for
the sake of accumulating wealth--"Poor man," said I, "you pay too dear for
your whistle." When I met a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement
of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal sensations, and ruining
his health in their pursuit--"Mistaken man," said I, "you are providing
pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your
whistle." If I see one fond of appearance or fine clothes, fine houses,
fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts
debts, "Alas," say I, "he has paid dear, very dear for his whistle." In
short, I conceive that a great part of the miseries of mankind are brought
upon them by the false estimate they have made of the value of things, and
by their giving "too much for their whistles."