小说园

等价交换原则 t dear fr the whitle（第1页）

本杰明富兰克林

BenjaminFranklin

WhenIwasachildofsevenyearsold，myfriends，onaholiday，filledmyocketwithcoers。Iwentatoncetoashowheretheysoldtoysforchildren。BeingcharmedwiththesoundofawhistlethatIhadseenbytheway，inthehandsofanotherboy，Ihandedoverallmymoneyforone。Ithencamehome，andwentwhistlingalloverthehouse，muchleasedwithmywhistle，butdisturbingallthefamily。Mybrothersandsistersandcousins，whenItoldofthebargainIhadmade，saidIhadgivenfourtimesasmuchasthewhistlewasworth。TheyutmeinmindofwhatgoodthingsImighthaveboughtwiththerestofthemoney，andlaughedatmesomuchformyfollythatIcriedwithvexation。Thinkingaboutthemattergavememorechagrinthanthewhistlegavemeleasure。

This，however，wasafterwardsofusetome，fortheimressioncontinuedonmymind，sothatoften，whenIwastemtedtobuysomethingIdidnotneed，Isaidtomyself，

"Dontgivetoomuchforthewhistle，

"andIsavedmymoney。AsIgrewu，cameintotheworld，andobservedtheactionsofmen，IthoughtImetwithmany，verymany，who

"gavetoomuchforthewhistle。

"WhenIsawsomementooeagerforcourtfavour，wastinghistimeatcourtgatherings，givinguhisrest，hisliberty，hisvirtue，anderhashisfriends，forroyalfavour，Isaidtomyself—

"Thismangivestoomuchforthewhistle。

"WhenIsawanotherfondofoularity，constantlytakingartinoliticalaffairs，neglectinghisownbusiness，andruiningitbyneglect，

"Heays，indeed，

"saidI，

"toodearforhiswhistle。

"

IfIknewamiserwhogaveueverykindofcomfortableliving，alltheleasureofdoinggoodtoothers，alltheesteemofhisfellowcitizensandthejoysoffriendshi，forthesakeofgatheringandkeeingwealth—

"Poorman，

"saidI，

"yonaytoodearforyourwhistle。

"WhenImetamanofleasure，whodidnottrytoimrovehismindorhisfortunebutmerelydevotedhimselftohavingagoodtime，erhasneglectinghishealth，

"Mistakenman，

"saidI，

"youarerovidingainforyourself，insteadofleasure;youareayingtoodearforyourwhistle。

"IfIsawsomeonefondofaearancewhohadfineclothes，finehouses，finefurniture，fineearrings，allabovehisfortune，andforwhichhehadrunintodebt，

"Alas，

"saidI，

"hehasaiddear，verydear，forhiswhistle。