My Wood By E.M. Forster (我的小樹林 英國 E.M.福斯特著)

MyWoodByE.M.Forster(我的小樹林英國E.M.福斯特著)MyWoodByE.M.Forster(我的小樹林英國E.M.福斯特著)/NUMPAGES9MyWoodByE.M.Forster(我的小樹林英國E.M.福斯特著)MyWoodByE.M.Forster(我的小樹林英國E.M.福斯特著)MyWoodE.M.ForsterEdwardMorganForster(1879-1970),Englishessayist,novelist,biographer,andliterarycritic,wroteseveralnotableworksoffictiondealingwiththeconstrictingeffectsofsocialandnationalconventionsuponhumanrelationships.ThesenovelsincludeARoomwithaView(1908),HowardsEnd(1910),andAPassagetoIndia(1924).Inaddition,hislecturesonfiction,collectedasAspectsoftheNovel(1927),remaingracefulelucidationsofthegenre.In“MyWood”takenfromhisessaycollectionAbingerHarvest(1936),Forsterwriteswithwitandwisdomabouteffectofpropertyuponhumanbehaviornotablyhisown.AfewyearsagoIwroteabookwhichdealtwithinpartwiththedifficultiesoftheEnglishinIndia.FeelingthattheywouldhavehadnodifficultiesinIndiathemselves,Americansreadthebookfreely.Themoretheyreaditthebetteritmadethemfeel,andachequetotheauthorwastheresult.Iboughtawoodwiththecheque.Itisnotalargewooditcontainsscarcelyanytrees,anditisintersected,blastitbyapublicfootpath.Still,itisthefirstpropertythatIhaveowned,soitisrightthatotherpeopleshouldparticipateinmyshame,andshouldaskthemselves,inaccentsthatwillvaryinhorror,thisveryimportantquestion:Whatistheeffectuponthecharacter?Don’tlet’stouchtheeconomics;theeffectofprivateownershipuponthecommunityasawholeisanotherquestionamoreimportantquestion,perhaps,butanotherone.Let’skeeptopsychology.Ifyouownthings,what’stheireffectonyou?What’stheeffectonmeofmywood?Inthefirstplace,itmakesmefeelheavy.Propertydoeshavethiseffect.Propertyproducesmenofweight,anditwasamanofweightwhofailedtogetintotheKingdomofInthesecondplace,itmakesmefeelitoughttobelarger.TheotherdayIheardatwigsnapinit.Iwasannoyedatfirst,forIthoughtthatsomeonewasblackberrying,anddepreciatingthevalueoftheundergrowth.Oncomingnearer,Isawitwasnotamanwhohadtroddenonthetwigandsnappedit,butabird,andIfeltpleased.Mybird.Thebirdwasnotequallypleased.Ignoringtherelationbetweenus,ittookfrightassoonasitsawtheshapeofmyface,andflewstraightovertheboundaryhedgeintofield,thepropertyofMrs.Henessy’sbird.Somethingseemedgrosslyamisshere,somethingthatwouldnothaveoccurredhadthewoodbeenlarger.IcouldnotaffordtobuyMrs.Henessyout,Idarednotmurderher,andlimitationsofthissortbesetmeoneveryside.Ahabdidnotwantthatvineyardheonlyneededittoroundoffhisproperty,preparatorytoplottinganewcurveandallthelandaroundmywoodhasbecomenecessarytomeinordertoroundoffthewood.Aboundaryprotects.Butpoorlittlethingstheboundaryinitsturntobeprotected.Noisesontheedgeofit.Childrenthrowstones.Alittlemore,andthenalittlemore,untilwereachthesea.HappyCanute!HappierAlexander!Andafterall,whyshouldeventheworldbethelimitofpossession?ArocketcontainingaUnionJack,will,itishoped,beshortlyfiredatthemoon.MarsSirius.Beyondwhich…Buttheseimmensitiesendedbysaddeningme.Icouldnotsupposethatmywoodwasdestinednucleusofuniversaldominionitissoverysmallandcontainsnomineralwealthbeyondtheblackberries.NorwasIcomfortedwhenMrs.Henessy’sbirdtookalarmforthesecondtimeandflewcleanawayfromusall,underthebeliefthatitbelongedtoitself.Inthethirdplace,propertymakesitsownerfeelthatheoughttodosomethingtoit.Yetheisn’tsurewhat.Arestlessnesscomesoverhim,avaguesensethathehasapersonalitytoexpressthesamesensewhich,withoutanyvagueness,leadstheartisttoanactofcreation.SometimesIthinkIwillcutdownsuchtreesasremaininthewood,atothertimesIwanttofillupthegapsbetweenthemwithnewtrees.Bothimpulsesarepretentiousandempty.Theyarenothonestmovementstowardsmoney-makingorbeauty.TheyspringfromafoolishdesiretoexpressmyselfandfromaninabilitytoenjoywhatIhavegot.Creation,property,enjoymentformasinistertrinityinthehumanmind.Creationandenjoymentarebothvery,verygood,yettheyareoftenunattainablewithoutamaterialbasis,andatsuchmomentspropertypushesitselfinasasubstitute,saying,“AcceptmeinsteadI’mgoodenoughforallthree.”Itisnotenough.Itis,asShakespearesaidoflust,“Theexpenseorspiritinawasteofshame”:itis“Before,ajoyproposed;behind,adream.”Yetwedon’tknowhowtoshunit.Itisforcedonusbyoureconomicsystemasthealternativetostarvation.Itisalsoforcedonusbyaninternaldefectinthesoul,bythefeelingthatinpropertymayliethegermsofself-developmentandofexquisiteorheroicdeeds.Ourlifeonearthis,andoughttobe,materialandcarnal!Butwehavenotyetlearnedtomanageourmaterialismandcarnalityproperly;theyarestillentangledwiththedesireforownership,where(inthewordsofDante)“Possessionisonewithloss.”Andthisbringsustoourfourthandfinalpoint:theblackberries.Blackberriesarenotplentifulinthismeagergrove,buttheyareeasilyseenfromthepublicfootpathwhichtraversesit,andalltooeasilygathered.Foxgroves,toopeoplepullupthefoxgroves,andladiesofaneducationaltendencyevengrubfortoadstoolstoshowthemontheMondayinclass.Otherladies,lesseducated,rolldownthebrackeninthearmsoftheirgentlemenfriends.Thereispaper,therearetins.Pray,doesmywoodbelongtomeordoesn’tit?And,ifitdoes,shouldInotownitbestbyallowingnooneelsetowalkthere?ThereisawoodnearLymeRegis,alsocursedbyapublicfootpath,wheretheownerhasnothesitatedonthispoint.Hehasbuilthighstonewalls