Expectations of Pleasure Frustrated
快乐的期待
Sammuel Johnson/塞缪尔·约翰逊
Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought.Our brightest blazes of glad-ness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.The flowers which scatter their odours ，from time to time，in the paths of life，grow up without culture from seeds scattered by chance.
寻找快乐是一件很难有结果的事。最明亮的火焰通常都是由意外的火花所点燃；生命旅途上不时散发出芬芳的花朵，也是由偶然散落的种子无意中生长起来的。
Nothing is more hopeless than a scheme of merriment .Wits and humourists are brought together from distant quarters by preconcerted invitations；they come，at-tended by their admirers，prepared to laugh and to applaud；they gaze awhile on each other，ashamed to be silent，and afraid to speak；every man is discontented with himself，grows angry with those that give him pain，and resolves that he will contribute nothing to the merriment of such worthless company.Wine inflames the general malignity ，and changes sullenness to petulance ，till at last none can bear any longer the presence of the rest.They retire to vent their indignation in safer places，where they are heard with attention；their importance is restored，they recover their good humour，and gladden the night with wit and jocularity.
快乐的计划总难让人如愿。把一些智者和幽默家从遥远的地方邀请来会聚一堂，他们的到来会得到赞赏者的欢呼与喝彩；但当他们面面相觑时，如果沉默，会觉得惭愧，如果说话，又会有顾虑，如此一来，每个人都会不自在，开始痛恨给自己施加痛苦的人，并最终决定对这种毫无价值的聚会采取冷漠态度。酒能够燃起仇恨之火，也可以把阴郁变为暴躁，直到最后再也无法忍受在座的其他人。他们退到一个更加安全的地方去发泄自己的愤慨，谁知又被留心的人听到了，于是他们的重要性又得以恢复，他们又开始变得幽默，并用充满智慧和诙谐的行为使整个夜晚变得欢快起来。
Merriment is always the effect of a sudden impression.The jest which is expected is already destroyed.The most active imagination will be sometimes torpid，under the frigid influence of melancholy ，and sometimes occasions will be wanting to tempt the mind，however volatile，to sallies and excursions.Nothing was ever said with uncommon felicity，but by the co-operation of chance；and，therefore，wit，as well as valour，must be content to share its honours with fortune.
快乐总是一种瞬时印象的效果，期待中的幽默也随后被破坏。在充满忧郁的冷漠影响下，最活跃的想像力有时也会变得麻木；但在某些特殊场合，又需要诱发仍然不稳定的心情去突破，去驰骋。这时任何巧妙言辞都是多余的，只需要机遇的配合就可以了。因此，才智和勇气必定会满意地与好运共享荣誉。
All other pleasures are equally uncertain；the general remedy of uneasiness is change of place；almost every one has some journey of pleasure in his mind，with which he flatters his expectation.He that travels in theory has no inconvenience；he has shade and sunshine at his disposal，and wherever he alights finds tables of plenty and looks of gaiety.These ideas are indulged till the day of departure arrives，the chaise is called，and the progress of happiness begins.
所有其他的快乐也同样是无法确定的。变换环境通常可以补救不佳的心境；几乎每个人都经历过心灵上的快乐之旅，这种快乐使他的期待得到满足。从理论上来说，旅行者做到这一点是没什么困难的；阴影和阳光任其选择，无论停留于何处，他都会遇到丰盛的餐桌和快乐的表情。这些想法一直徘徊在他的脑海里，直到出发的日子终于到来，他雇了一辆轻便马车，然后开始了他的快乐之旅。
A few miles teach him the fallacies of imagination.The road is dusty，the air is sultry，the horses are sluggish，and the postillion brutal.He longs for the time of dinner，that he may eat and rest.The inn is crowded，his orders are neglected，and nothing remains but that he devour in haste what the cook has spoiled，and drive on in quest of better entertainment.He finds at night a more commodious house，but the best is always worse than he expected.
才走了几英里，他就得到教训，知道了想像与现实是有差距的。一路烟尘滚滚，天气闷热，马跑得慢，赶车的又非常粗暴。他渴望着午餐时刻的到来，以便吃饱后可以休息一下；但旅店人满为患，他的要求也无人理睬，于是除了无奈地匆忙吃完令人倒胃口的饭菜之外，他别无选择。然后他又继续上路，另寻快乐。到了晚上，他找到了一间很宽敞的住所，但一切总比他预想的要坏。
He at last enters his native province，and resolves to feast his mind with the conversation of his old friends，and the recollection of juvenile frolicks.He stops at the house of his friend，whom he designs to overpower with pleasure by the unexpected interview.He is not known till he tells his name，and revives the memory of himself by a gradual explanation.He is then coldly received，and ceremoniously feasted.He hastes away to another，whom his affairs have called to a distant place，and，having seen the empty house，goes away disgusted by a disappointment which could not be intended，because it could not be foreseen.At the next house he finds everyface clouded with misfortune，and is regarded with malevolence as an unreasonable intruder，who comes not to visit but to insult them.
最后他踏上了故乡的土地，决定找故旧谈心，或回忆青梅竹马的情景来放松心情。他在一个朋友家的门口停了下来，想以意外到访给对方一个惊喜。不料，直到自我介绍之后他才被认出，而且是经过一番解释之后，主人才记起他来。他自然只能得到冷淡的接待和礼节上的宴请。匆匆告辞之后，他又去拜访另一位友人，但这个朋友又因事远走他方；看到人去楼空，他只好带着意外的失望怅然离去，因为这种失望总是让人无法预见。在走访的下一家．每个人都因不幸的事而愁容满面，他被视为讨厌的不速之客，好像他不是来拜访。而是来羞辱他们的。
It is seldom that we find either men or places such as we expect them.He that has pictured a prospect upon his fancy，will receive little pleasure from his eyes；he that has anticipated the conversation of a wit，will wonder to what prejudice he owes his reputation.Yet it is necessary to hope，though hope should always be deluded；for hope itself is happiness，and its frustrations，however frequent，are less dreadful than its extinction.
我们很难找到期望中的人或地方。凭借幻想绘出希望前景的人，都不会得到快乐；期望进行机智谈话的人，总想知道是什么样的私见成就了他的名声。然而，尽管希望常常被欺骗，却是必不可少的，因为希望本身就是幸福：尽管它常常遭受挫折，但比起希望破灭，这种挫折毕竟没有那样可怕。