《ON BEAUTY》（談美）

作者：海外逸士

时间：2005-11-09 周三, 上午12:26

Beauty often dwells in youth. At sight of a charming girl, everyone will

exclaim, "My eyes! What a great beauty!" The male stares with a thrill

of admiration; the female gazes with a sigh of envy. Wherever she goes,

she becomes the focus of the attention. Men all yearn to win her heart;

women all feel a regret unable to stand in her shoes. A glance or a smile

from her makes the stingy empty his hoard of gold and the coward give

up his life for her. She enjoys her queenly position in society, proud

of the possession of such a beauty. But the merciless Time dogs her

steps, too. Her beauty is worn out with the years. She begins to fade away

and the hardship in life, if any would befall her, will bring more wrinkles

on her face. Then men turn their backs on her politely with a bow; women

look at her with indifference. The younger generation is magnetized round

another focus. The old queen has to abdicate and leave the throne for a

young one to occupy. Only a photo or portrait can preserve her beauty

in youth and no Time is capable of doing any injury to her preserved beauty

but the preserver itself.

Therefore, admire not the beauty without, but the beauty within. Such

a beauty will never wither though Time also plots to do it harm. In the

struggle against the adversities of life and the ruthlessness of Time,

it grows radiant, or even dazzling, just like a rock in midstream made

smooth and glossy by the current of both the stream and Time. Everyone,

in spite of the age and ★违反论坛条例！★, if aware of it, will sing its praise either

openly in words and letters or secretly in mind. It lives as long

as the possessor, or even much longer after her dust may be blended into

a vase with the clay around it.

The outward beauty can only be the object of admiration or envy while the

inward beauty, besides being a theme of the ode, can serve as an example

to learn from, for the former is always endowed by birth, but the latter

by self-acquirement. However, every man is free to hold his own notion

of what the beauty is and to choose whichever of the two beauties he prefers.

Only his love for his bride select should not degenerate with the shrunken

beauty.

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