旅行的藝術(shù):Ⅳ 好奇心-10

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完成南美之旅多年后，洪堡臨終前曾帶著自憐和自傲的心情埋怨：“人們常說(shuō)我同時(shí)對(duì)太多東西感興趣，例如植物學(xué)、天文學(xué)和比較解剖學(xué)。但你果真能夠抑制一個(gè)人的求知欲，不讓他了解和擁抱周遭的一切嗎？”

Towards the end of his life, his South American adventures long behind him, Humboldt complained, with a mixture of selfpity and pride, 'People often say that I'm curious about too many things at once: botany, astronomy, comparative anatomy. But can you really forbid a man from harbouring a desire to know and embrace everything which surrounds him?'

我們當(dāng)然阻止不了他，更恰當(dāng)?shù)淖龇☉?yīng)該是對(duì)他表示支持和敬意。但在對(duì)他的旅程表示欽佩時(shí)，我們或許也不應(yīng)該排除對(duì)那些身處醉人的城市，卻偶爾有強(qiáng)烈賴床的想法和想立即回家的旅人表示一些同情。

We cannot of course forbid him such a thing-a pat on the back feels more appropriate. But perhaps admiration for his journey does not preclude a degree of sympathy for those who, in fascinating cities, have occasionally been visited by a strong wish to remain in bed and take the next flight home.