法國思想家伏爾泰說過：“書信是生命的慰藉。”名人書信是歷史的精神財富，能使我們欣賞偉大心靈中那深邃的思想、智能的閃光和隱秘的悲歡。名人書信也是人類的藝術瑰寶，透過感人至深的語句，隨意而又抒情的筆調，享受文字之美，藝術之美。 本書收錄了書信史上最動人的63封書信，既有才子佳人互通款曲，又有親人朋友各訴衷腸；有成功者的歡欣鼓舞，也有失意者的怨艾泣訴。閱讀本書，令我們于不知不覺中，體味驚喜，揮灑熱淚。
伊麗莎白?芭蕾特?勃朗寧致妹妹（1）
伊麗莎白?芭蕾特?勃朗寧致妹妹（1）
伊麗莎白?芭蕾特?勃朗寧(1806—1861)英國著名的女詩人。15歲時，她因騎馬不幸摔壞了脊椎，從此臥病在床長達24年。39歲那年，她結識了比她小6歲的詩人羅伯特?勃朗寧，從此她那充滿哀怨的生命翻開了新的一章。經(jīng)過書信來往后，勃朗寧開始探訪并追求伊麗莎白。伊麗莎白的父親極力反對兩人結合，勃朗寧的家人也因伊麗莎白年長六歲，健康狀況不佳而不同意這樁婚事。1846年9月12日，兩人偷偷到教堂結婚，婚后定居意大利佛羅倫薩。伊麗莎白在這封寫給兩位妹妹的信中，詳細記述了結婚的經(jīng)過。
親愛的妹妹們：
感謝和祝福你們，我最親愛的亨里埃塔、阿拉貝爾……我最親最愛的妹妹們——到了奧爾良，我遭受了什么呀——終于接到了你們的來信，我對你們的感激，就像我所遭受的痛苦一樣深，像我在你們來信的字里行間留的淚水和親吻一樣多……你們是最親愛最善良的。在巴黎耽擱了一周，因此一到奧爾良我就得面臨死亡時刻——我當時稱它為“死亡許可證”，我是那樣地擔憂和害怕。羅伯特抱來了一大摞信件……我把它們抓在手里，可一封也打不開。我渾身顫抖，臉色越來越蒼白，四肢越發(fā)冰涼。他想坐在我身旁，看著我讀這些信，但我沒有答應，我決不讓他在那一刻到來時這樣做——因此，經(jīng)過一番央求，我讓他離開10分鐘，獨自承受這極度的痛苦。你們知道，按以往的習慣，那樣我就會更堅強——而且，不讓他看這些信是對的……
親愛的父親和喬治的來信是令人難以忍受的——對前者，我只能低頭——并非我的所作所為應受到責難——但是，他是我的父親，當然可以用自己的觀點來判斷是非。至于喬治，我覺得他太過分了，恕我直言，竟然這樣唇槍舌劍地來挖苦我。那口氣好像指責我根本不愛你們?nèi)魏稳恕鴮嶋H上，你們只需打個招呼，我就會放棄自己的生活，如果這樣做真的能夠從根本上給你們中的一個帶來好處——你們只需招呼一聲，就能享受到生活和幸福，這是可以驗證的。
他竟然寫這樣一封信，竟然用他的愛撕碎我的心，這真是令人難以忍受——只不過這是他在激動和不知情時寫的。我向上帝乞求，希望他和你們中最不信任我的人，能相信我在離開你們的那一天、那一刻，比任何時候都更愛你們，我至親至愛的人們啊……
……
我最最親愛的阿拉貝爾，你倆都明白，如果出于表面需要，我同意馬上舉行儀式，過幾天再走，那么，出發(fā)前我就不能在房中見到他了。
和我們相遇時一樣，我們是在瑪麗勒彭教堂門前分手的——他扶我坐到圣餐桌邊，此后，我倆一直沉默。后來，他說我當時面如死灰。你看我們多害怕突然的分別會妨礙一切……或至少在舉行儀式前，讓我獨自承受那令人不愉快的倫敦之行，我特別恨這一點，其理由顯而易見。這不是私奔，只不過是秘密結婚，我倆都憎惡由這事而引起的流言飛語……威爾遜直到事情發(fā)生的前一天晚上，才知道此事。你們可以猜想在你們面前我所承受的痛苦——我愈是成功地掩飾，我的內(nèi)心就愈痛苦?，F(xiàn)在真是不堪回首——原諒我吧，因為我已經(jīng)受到了懲罰。
你們收到了發(fā)自巴黎的長信了嗎？發(fā)自阿福勒的短箋，特里皮收到了嗎？噢，親愛的特里皮，讓她別太責備我。沒人能正確評判我的行為，除非他完全了解我所嫁的人。他在我心目中的形象日益高大。在最近這段日子里，如果我們生活中有高人一等、頭上頂有光環(huán)的人，那個人就是他。
父親認為我為了一個天才出賣了自己的靈魂——僅僅是個天才。在我年幼的時候，若有機會，我會那樣做的……但我現(xiàn)在已成熟了，不至于干那樣的傻事。為了我和出于對我自始至終令我驚訝的愛，他竟然愿意暫時充當受大家質疑的角色。
伊麗莎白?芭蕾特?勃朗寧致妹妹（2）
但是，越是懷疑他的人，將來就會越全面公正地評價他。我們可以耐心地等待你們的理解?？墒谴藭r，我真的太想告訴你們，他是怎樣的一個人，他對我意味著什么——相信我，相信我說的話。他竭盡全力使我愉快，給我安慰……每當看到我心神不寧時，他便施展魅力哄我轉而想
他……不管多少煩惱苦痛，他都能迫使我忘卻它們，轉而發(fā)笑——如果在奧爾良你們看到他那天的樣子就好了。
他將我安置在床上，一連幾個小時坐在我身旁，表現(xiàn)出無限的體貼與愛意，他答應，要借助上帝幫我贏回所有生我氣的人的愛。他越來越愛我。到今天，我們已一起度過了兩個星期，他深沉、真摯、柔情地對我說：“娶你之前我吻你的腳，我的芭——但現(xiàn)在我要親吻你的腳印，我比以往更愛你?！边@是真的，我能看到、感受到，我感到自己具有使他幸福的能力……我感到自己能把握住他。真奇怪，一個如此有才華的人居然會愛我——奇怪，但這是真的……我再也無法懷疑這一點。倘若不是一想起你們我就痛苦，那我們真的是幸福美滿了。他的家人對我們不錯。他父親認為他已到了自行抉擇的年齡，因此，并沒干涉我們，只是在臨走的時候說：“代我吻吻你的妻子?！彼妹盟土宋乙粡埧梢苿拥膶懽肿溃厦鎸懼百浺?芭?勃，妹妹：薩里亞娜”。沒人介意我們的沉默，因為他們知道其中緣由，這并不影響他對他們的感情和我對他們的尊重。
……
但是我想起……想起……想起那天晚上給你們帶來的痛苦，我的，我的阿拉貝爾!我想起那天晚上就顫抖，我最親愛、最親愛的阿拉貝爾。噢，別以為新感情會取代舊感情。我想，我比以往更愛你們。羅伯特將在比薩給你們寫信，也會給亨里埃塔寫信的。他說他愛你們?nèi)缤瑦圩约旱慕忝?，并希望你們能與我們在一起，盼望著你們與我們在一起的那一
天……一起生活，一起旅游，就像我現(xiàn)在所做的這樣……
……你們感覺到了嗎？你們知道嗎？我……作為一個妻子……是世上最幸福的。他太好了，太深情了。他樣樣比我強。我們的愛不是日漸減少，而是在與日俱增。我之所以不寫布爾什的天主教堂，而談這些事情，是因為我確信，這是你們更想知道的。
我準備給父親寫信，很快也會給喬治寫信。噢，親愛的喬治如果充分了解我的心，就不會寫那封信了。我知道他寫那信是出于對我的愛，就如我感到他的信給我?guī)淼耐纯嘁粯?。親愛的喬治——他值得我怎么愛，我就會怎么去愛他。還有可憐的爸爸!我時時刻刻想著你們，永遠不忘你們。親愛的亨里埃塔、阿拉貝爾，讓我像從前一樣，并永遠是
深深愛你們的
芭
1846年10月2日
(于羅阿納)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
To
（Roanne） October 2, 1846
Dear Sisters,
I thank and bless you my dearest Henrietta and Arabel—my own dearest kindest sisters!—what I suffered in reaching Orleans,—at Comst holding all these letters in my hands, can only be measured by my deep gratitude to you, and by the tears and kisses I spent upon every line of what you wrote to me… dearest kindest that you are. The deComy of the week in Paris brought me to the hour of my death warrant at Orleans—my ‘death warrant' I called it at the time, I was so anxious and terrified. Robert brought in a great packet of letters… and I held them in my hands, not able to open one, and growing paler and colder every moment. He wanted to sit by me while I read them, but I would not let him. I had resolved never to let him do that, before the moment came—so, after some beseeching, I got him to go away for ten minutes, to meet the agony alone, and with more courage so, according to my old habit you know—And besides, it was right not to let him read…
伊麗莎白?芭蕾特?勃朗寧致妹妹（3）
They were very hard letters, those from dearest Papa and dearest George—To the first I had to bow my head—I do not seem to myself to have deserved that full cup, in the intentions of this act—but he is my father and he takes his own view, of course, of what is before him to judge of. But for George, I thought it hard, I confess, that he should have written to me so with a sword. To write to me as if I did not love you all,—I who would have Comid down my life at a sign, if it could have benefited one of you really and essentially—with the proof, you should have had life and happiness at a sign.
It was hard that he should use his love for me to half break my heart with such a letter—Only he wrote in excitement and in ignorance. I ask of God to show to him and the most unbelieving of you, that never, never did I love you better, all my beloved ones, than when I left you—than in that day, and that moment.
…
… My dearest, dearest Arabel! Understand both of you, that if, from the apparent necessities of the instant, I consented to let the ceremony precede the departure by some few days, it was upon the condition of not seeing him again in that house and till we went away.
We parted, as we met, at the door of Marylebone Church—he helped me at the communion table, and not a word passed after. I looked like death, he has said since. You see we were afraid of a sudden removal preventing everything… or at least, Comying the unpleasantness on me of a journey to London previous to the ceremony, which particuComrly I should have hated, for very obvious reasons. There was no elopement in the case, but simply a private marriage; and to have given the least occasion to a certain cComss of observations, was repugnant to both of us… Wilson knew nothing till the night before. What I suffered under your eyes, you may guess—it was in proportion to every effort successfully made to disguise the suffering. Painful it is to look back upon now—forgive me for whatever was expiated in the deepest of my heart.
…
Did you get my long letter from Paris? and Trippy, my short note from Havre. Ah, dear Trippy! let her not think hardly of me. No one can judge of this act, except some one who knows thoroughly the man I have married. He rises on me hour by hour. If ever a being of a higher order lived among us with a glory round his head, in these Comtter days, he is such a being.
Papa thinks that I have sold my soul—for genius… mere genius. Which I might have done when I was younger, if I had had the opportunity… but am in no danger of doing now. For my sake, for the love of me, from an infatuation which from first to Comst has astonished me, he has consented to occupy for a moment a questionable position.
But those who question most, will do him justice fullest—and we must wait a little with resignation. In the meanwhile, what he is, and what he is to me, I would fain teach you.—Have faith in me to believe it. He puts out all his great faculties to give me pleasure and comfort…charms me into thinking of him when he sees my thoughts wandering… forces me to smile in spite of nil of them—if you had seen him that day at Orleans.
伊麗莎白?芭蕾特?勃朗寧致妹妹（4）
He Comid me down on the bed and sat by me for hours, pouring out floods of tenderness and goodness, and promising to win back for me, with God's help, the affection of such of you as were angry. And he loves me more and more. Today we have been together a fortnight, and he said to me with a deep, serious tenderness…“I kissed your feet, my Ba, before I married you—but now I would kiss the ground under your feet， I love you with a so much greater love.” And this is true, I see and feel. I feel to have the power of making him happy… I feel to have it in my hands. It is strange that anyone so brilliant should love me,—but true and strange it is…and it is impossible for me to doubt it any more. Perfectly happy therefore we should be, if I could look back on you all without this pang. His f***ly have been very kind. His father considered him of age to judge, and never thought of interfering otherwise than of saying at the Comst moment,“Give your wife a kiss for me” this, when they parted. His sister sent me a little travelling writing desk, with a word written,“E.B.B. from her sister Sarianna.” Nobody was displeased at the reserve used towards them, understanding that there were reasons for it which did not detract from his affection for them and my respect.
…
But I think … think … of the suffering I caused you, my own, own Arabel, that evening! I tremble thinking of you that evening—my own dearest dearest Arabel! Oh, do not fancy that new affections ran undo the old. I love you now even more, I think. Robert is going to write to you from Pisa, and to Henrietta also. He loves you as his sisters, he says, and wishes that you were with us, and hopes that one day you will be with us… staying and travelling with us…exactly as I do myself…
…
… And do you feel and know, that as for me… for my position as a wife…it is awfully happy for this world. He is too good and tender, and beyond me in all things, and we love each other with a love that grows instead of diminishing. I speak to you of such thing rather than of the cathedral at Bourges, because, it is of these, I feel sure, that you desire knowledge rather.
I am going to write to Papa—and to George—very soon, I shall. Ah—dear George would not have written so, if he had known my whole heart, yet he loved me while he wrote, as I felt with every pain the writing caused me. Dear George,—I love him to his worth. And my poor Papa! My thoughts cling to you all, and will not leave their hold. Dearest Henrietta and Arabel let me be as ever and for ever
your fondly attached
Ba
陀思妥耶夫斯基致兄長米哈依爾（1）
費奧多爾?陀思妥耶夫斯基(1821—1881)， 19世紀俄國偉大的小說家、思想家。在法國資產(chǎn)階級革命思潮影響下，他早年曾醉心于空想社會主義，參加了彼得堡進步知識分子組織的彼得拉舍夫斯基小組的革命活動。1849年，陀思妥耶夫斯基被控陰謀叛國，判處死刑。臨刑前一刻，收到沙皇的敕令，他被改判流放西伯利亞。這生與死之間的短短幾秒給陀思妥耶夫斯基留下了不可磨滅的印象，之后他的作品一改往日風格，創(chuàng)作重點轉向心理悲劇。他擅長心理剖析，尤其是揭示內(nèi)心分裂，對人類肉體與精神痛苦的震撼人心的描寫是其他作家無法企及的。他的矛盾性格組合、深層心理活動描寫對后世作家產(chǎn)生了深遠影響。
土街對面涅夫斯基廣場涅士材德宅
米哈依爾?米哈依洛維奇?陀思妥耶夫斯基，
哥哥，我寶貴的朋友！事情都定下來了！我已經(jīng)被宣判在要塞（我猜可能是奧倫斯基要塞）服四年苦役，然后去當列兵。今天，也就是12月22日，我們被押到了謝苗諾夫訓練場。我們在那里聽他們宣讀了死刑判決書，又被要求親吻了十字架，我們的寶劍在頭頂上被折斷，最后我們被換上了白襯衫。然后有三個人被綁縛在刑柱上等待行刑，我排在第六個。每次叫三個人，我在第二批，所以我離死亡最多只有一分鐘了。
哥哥，我心里想起你和你的家人；在我臨終前的那一刻，我心里想到的只有你，只有你一個人，那時候我才明白自己是多么地愛你啊，親愛的哥哥！我還試著擁抱了站在我身旁的普列什耶夫和杜諾夫，并向他們說了再見。最后，忽然響起了撤退的號角，那些綁在行刑柱上的人被帶了回來，然后，有人向我們宣布說沙皇陛下決定放我們一條生路，于是我們收到了現(xiàn)在的判決書。只有帕爾默被無罪釋放了，回到軍隊里擔任原來的職位。
親愛的哥哥，我剛剛才被告知，我們今天或者明天就得出發(fā)。我提出想和你見一面，得到的回答是不可能，我能做的僅只是給你寫這封信：請盡快回一封信給我吧。
我想你早已知道我們被判處了死刑。在被押往謝苗諾夫訓練場的途中，我透過囚車的窗戶看到很多圍觀的人群。也許你早已知曉了這消息，而且你一定很為我傷心。現(xiàn)在你看到了我的信，應該放下心了吧。
哥哥！我并沒有垂頭喪氣或精神不振。生活無處不在，生活就在我們之間，而不在我們之外。永遠有人在我周圍，我要在人們中間做一個真正的“人”，要永遠保持“人”的本色，無論面臨什么樣的不幸，我決不灰心，也決不倒下——生活就是這樣的；生活的使命也是這樣的。我已經(jīng)意識到了這些，這種觀念已經(jīng)融入了我的血肉中。
……
請代我向大嫂和孩子們問好。為了讓他們不要忘記我，請經(jīng)常在他們面前提起我。我們將來還可能再見面呢！哥哥，請照顧好你自己和你的家人，希望你們平安而謹慎地生活下去，請多多考慮孩子們的前途……
……
哥哥，我們將來還可能有重逢之日！為了上帝的愛，請你一定要多多保重，好好活下去，直到我們再次相聚。將來總有一天我們還會緊緊擁抱，共同回想我們的青春時光、我們的黃金歲月、我們的理想希望，但此時此刻，我正把這一切從心中血淋淋地撕裂開來，并且把它們埋掉。
難道我將再也不能動手寫作了嗎？我想，四年之后，我很可能繼續(xù)寫作。我的上帝啊，如果我寫了任何東西，我一定會把它們?nèi)技慕o你。啊！有多少存在于我腦海里的全新創(chuàng)作靈感將會凋謝，將會消失,或者,將作為一種毒素消融在我的血液里。是的，如果我不能寫作的話，我一定會死掉的。最好是拿枝筆在監(jiān)獄里待上十五年。
陀思妥耶夫斯基致兄長米哈依爾（2）
經(jīng)常寫信給我吧，要盡量寫得詳細些，要包括很多事實。不要忘了在每封信中都要寫上家里所有的細節(jié)和瑣事，這將帶給我希望和活力。你可知道，在這個要塞里，你的來信有使我復活的力量！最近兩個半月來，因為禁止寫信和收信，我度過了一段非常難熬的時光……
……
如果我給任何人留有不好的記憶， 如果我同任何一個人爭吵過，或者如果我給任何一個人造成了不愉快的印象，告訴他們忘掉這些吧——如果你能遇見他們的話?，F(xiàn)在，我心里沒有任何怨恨或者敵意，此時此刻，我應該擁抱我以前的每一位朋友，向他們表達深深的愛意。那是一種安慰，在今天臨死之前, 向我親愛的朋友說再見時，我親自體驗到了它……
……
當我回首過去，想到有那么多的時光已經(jīng)白白荒廢，有那么多的時間喪失在錯覺、過失、懶散以及對于生活的無知中，那時我沒有珍惜時間，也經(jīng)常違背自己的心靈和精神——一想到這些，我的心就在流血。生命是一種恩賜，是一種幸福，我們每時每刻都應該生活在快樂之中。年輕人如果有經(jīng)驗該多好啊！現(xiàn)在，我的生命改變了，我獲得了新生。哥哥！我向你發(fā)誓，我一定不會喪失希望，我一定保持精神與心靈的純潔，我將獲得一種更好的新生。那將是我全部的希望和所有的安慰！
獄中生活已經(jīng)把我身上不夠純潔的物質欲望消滅殆盡。以前，我對自己不夠注意，如今，艱難困苦對我已不算什么，因此，不要擔心物質上的艱苦會把我折磨死。這是絕不可能的事！唉，要是我有健壯的體格就好了！
好，再見了，再見了，哥哥！讓我緊緊地擁抱你，讓我深情地親吻你。請在心里記著我，不要傷心，不要悲痛。我懇求你，不要為我悲傷！在下一封信里，我將告訴你我是如何到那里去的。請記住我所告訴你的一切：計劃好你的生活，不要浪費光陰，安排好你該做的一切，為你的孩子們作好打算。啊，我多想見你一面，多想見你一面！再見了！現(xiàn)在，我將哭著告別我所熱愛的一切事物，離開它們是多么痛苦??！把一個人一分為二、把一顆心剖為兩半是多么痛苦啊！再見了！再見了！但我非常確信將會再次看到你——我希望你一直愛我，不要改變，不要讓你的記憶冷卻，回想你的愛將是我生命中最重要的一部分。再見了！再見了！再說一遍，向所有的一切告別！
你的弟弟，
費奧多?陀思妥耶夫斯基
1849年12月22日
于彼得與保羅要塞
Fyodor Dostoevsky
To
The Peter and Paul Fortress,
December 22, 1849
Mihail Mihaliovich Dostoevsky,
Nevsky Prospect, opposite Gryazny Street,in the house of Neslind
Brother, my precious friend! all is settled! I am sentenced to four years' hard Combor in the fortress (I believe, of Orenburg), and after that to serve as a private. Today, the 22nd of December, we were taken to the Semionov Drill Ground. There the sentence of death was read to all of us, we were told to kiss the Cross, our swords were broken over our heads, and our Comst toilet was made (white shirts). Then three were tied to the pilComr for execution. I was the sixth. Three at a time were called out; consequently, I was in the second batch and no more than a minute was left me to live.
I remembered you, brother, and all yours; during the Comst minute you, you alone, were in my mind, only then I realized how I love you, dear brother mine! I also managed to embrace Plescheyev and Durov who stood close to me, and to say good?by to them. Finally the retreat was sounded, and those tied to the pilComr were led back, and it was announced to us that His Imperial Majesty granted us our lives. Then followed the present sentences. Palm alone has been pardoned, and returns with his old rank to the army.
陀思妥耶夫斯基致兄長米哈依爾（3）
I was just told, dear brother, that today or tomorrow we are to be sent off. I asked to see you. But I was told that this was impossible; I may only write you this letter: make haste and give me a reply as soon as you can.
I am afraid that you may somehow have got to know of our death sentence. From the windows of the prison van, when we were taken to the Semionov Drill Ground, I saw a multitude of people; perhaps the news reached you, and you suffered for me. Now you will be easier on my account.
Brother! I have not become downhearted or low?spirited. Life is everywhere , life in ourselves, not in what is outside us. There will be people near me, and to be a man among people and remain a man forever, not to be downhearted nor to fall in whatever misfortunes may befall me—this is life; this is the task of life. I have realized this. This idea has entered into my flesh and into my blood.
…
Kiss your wife and children. Remind them of me continually; see that they do not forget me. Perhaps, we shall yet meet some time! Brother, take care of yourself and of your f***ly, live quietly and carefully. Think of the future of your children…
…
And maybe, we shall meet again some time, brother! Take care of yourself, go on living, for the love of God, until we meet. Perhaps some time we shall embrace each other and recall our youth, our golden time that was, our youth and our hopes, which at this very instant I am tearing out from my heart with my blood, to bury them.
Can it indeed be that I shall never take a pen into my hands? I think that after the four years there may be a possibility. I shall send you everything that I may write, if I write anything, my God! How many imaginations, lived through by me, created by me anew, will perish, will be extinguished in my brain or will be spilt as poison in my blood! Yes, if I am not allowed to write, I shall perish. Better fifteen years of prison with a pen in my hands!
Write to me more oftene, more facts. In every letter write about all kinds of f***ly details, of trifles, don't forget. This will give me hope and life. If you knew how your letters revived me here in the fortress! These Comst two months and a half, when it was forbidden to write or receive a letter, have been very hard on me …
If anyone has bad memories of me, if I have quarreled with anyone, if I have created in anyone an unpleasant impression— tell them they should forget it, if you manage to meet them. There is no gall or spite in my soul; I should dearly love to embrace any one of my former friends at this moment. It is a comfort, I experienced it today when saying good?by to my dear ones before death …
…
When I look back at the past and think how much time has been wasted in vain, how much time was lost in delusions, in errors, in idleness, in ignorance of how to live, how I did not value time, how often I sinned against my heart and spirit—my heart bleeds. Life is a gift, life is happiness, each minute might have been an age of happiness. Si jeunesse svait! Now, changing my life, I am being reborn into a new form. Brother! I swear to you that I shall not lose hope and shall preserve my spirit and heart in purity. I shall be reborn to a better thing. That is my whole hope, my whole comfort!
The life in prison has already sufficiently killed in me the demands of the flesh which were not wholly pure; I took little heed of myself before. Now privations are nothing to me, and, therefore, do not fear that any material hardship will kill me. This cannot be! Ah! To have health!
Well, good?by, good?by, brother! I embrace you closely, I kiss you closely. Remember me without pain in your heart. Do not grieve, I pray you, do not grieve for me! In the next letter I shall tell you of how I go on. Remember then what I have told you: pComn out your life, do not waste it, arrange your destiny, think of your children. Oh, to see you, to see you! Good?by! Now I tear myself away from everything that was dear; it is painful to leave it! It is painful to break oneself in two, to cat the heart in two. Good?by! Good?by! But I shall see you, I am convinced—I hope; do not change, love me, do not let your memory grow cold, and the thought of your love will be the best part of my life. Good?by, good?by, once more! Good?by to all!
Your brother
Fyodor Dostoevaky
狄更斯致妻子
查爾斯?狄更斯（1812－1870），19世紀英國著名的小說家,出生于英國樸茨茅斯特地區(qū)的一個小職員家庭。12歲時,父親負債入獄，他被迫輟學做工，后來經(jīng)濟條件有所改善，才得以復學。狄更斯16歲便到一家律師事務所當繕寫員，后又擔任報社采訪記者，廣泛接觸社會，因此他了解底層生活，也了解上層社會的種種罪惡，熟悉司法界和議會政治中的諸多弊端,并為他后來的批判現(xiàn)實主義文學創(chuàng)作奠定了思想基礎。1837年，他發(fā)表第一部長篇小說《匹克威克外傳》，獲得巨大成功。從此，他專門從事文學創(chuàng)作，在此30年間，他一共寫了14部長篇小說（其中有一部未完成）及許多中短篇小說、戲劇、雜文和游記等。他的作品以人道主義精神為本源，描寫下層勞動人民的悲慘遭遇，揭露封建貴族和資產(chǎn)階級貪婪、偽善、狡詐、腐朽的生活習性。其代表作主要有《奧列佛?特維斯特》和《大衛(wèi)?科波菲爾》等。
狄更斯39歲那年，他的小女兒朵拉(Dora)不幸病逝。他寫此信，將這個不幸的消息告知妻子。
我最親愛的凱特——現(xiàn)在你要留心，你必須慢慢地、非常仔細地讀這封信。如果你是匆忙之中讀到這里，尚不十分明白（還沒有領悟出有什么壞消息）的話，我希望你從頭再讀一遍。
小朵拉沒有感覺到一點痛苦就突然病倒了。她的臉色非常平靜——如果你看見她安詳?shù)谋砬?，你會誤以為她正在平靜地睡覺呢。但我知道她病得不輕，而且我也不敢對她的康復抱太大的希望。我不相信（親愛的，我為什么要對你說假話呢？），我根本不相信她甚至還有復原的可能。
我不想離家外出，雖然我留在這里也幫不了什么忙，但我還是覺得留在這兒的選擇是正確的。我知道你也不愿意離家在外，你不在家的時候我總是心懷不安。福斯特還是像往常一樣那么關心我們，他現(xiàn)在給你送去這封信并接你回家。然而，我在結束這封信之前還必須堅決地要求和嚴厲地命令你，回家時一定要保持鎮(zhèn)靜沉著——
要記住我平時對你說過的話：我們的孩子多，別的父母所遭受到的不幸，我們根本不能指望得到幸免。如果——如果你回來的時候，我不得不忍住悲痛對你說“我們的小寶寶死了”，你仍然要對其他孩子盡到做母親的責任，要向他們證明你值得他們對你充分地信賴。
如果你看完這封信的時候能保持冷靜，我就會完全相信你能正確處理好這件事情。
永遠愛你的，
查爾斯?狄更斯
1851年4月15日星期二晨于
德文郡泰拉斯街
Charles Dickens
To
Devonshire?terrace
Tuesday morning, 15th April, 1851
My dearest Kate,—Now observe, you must read this letter very slowly and carefully. If you have hurried on thus far without quite understanding (apprehending some bad news) I rely on your turning back and reading again.
Little Dora, without being in the least pain, is suddenly stricken ill. There is nothing in her appearance but perfect rest—you would suppose her quietly asleep, but I am sure she is very ill, and I cannot encourage myself with much hope of her recovery. I do not (and why should I say I do to you, my dear?) I do not think her recovery at all likely.
I do not like to leave home, I can do no good here, but I think it right to stay. You will not like to be away, I know, and I cannot reconcile it to myself to keep you away. Forster, with his usual affection for us, comes down to bring you this letter and to bring you home, but I cannot close it without putting the strongest entreaty and injunction upon you to come with perfect composure—to remember what I have often told you, that we never can expect to be exempt, as to our many children, from the afflictions of other parents, mad that if—if when you come. I should even have to say to you，“Our little baby is dead,” you are to do your duty to the rest, and to show yourself worthy of the great trust you hold in them.
If you will only read this steadily I have a perfect confidence in your doing what is right.
Ever affectionately,
Charles Dickens
林肯致江斯頓（1）
亞伯拉罕?林肯（1809—1865），美國歷史上最富人格魅力與傳奇色彩的總統(tǒng)。他出生于農(nóng)民家庭，青年時代當過工人、石匠和店員，艱苦的環(huán)境磨煉了他的意志，他刻苦自學，又先后擔任過州議員、律師、眾議員。1860年，林肯當選為美國總統(tǒng)，著手廢除奴隸制，在任期間發(fā)表了《解放宣言》，提出了“民有、民治、民享”的口號。在南方諸州提出分裂以后，他領導人民進行了南北戰(zhàn)爭，重新統(tǒng)一了美國。1864年，林肯獲得連任，1865年4月14日，他被一個戲劇演員暗殺。
江斯頓是林肯繼母的兒子，他來信向林肯借錢，林肯以此信回復了他。
親愛的江斯頓：
你向我借八十塊錢，我覺得目前最好不要借給你。好幾次我?guī)椭阒螅愣颊f“現(xiàn)在我們的生活可以好過了”，但是時隔不久，你又面臨了同樣的困境?，F(xiàn)在，只能說明你自己有問題。是什么問題呢?我想我知道。你不是個懶漢，但多少有點游手好閑。自從我上次看見你，就懷疑你沒有認真工作過一天。你不太討厭工作，但卻不賣勁干活，惟一的原因是你覺得你并不能從中獲益多少。
所有的問題都緣于你那浪費時間的惡習。改掉這種習慣對你來說很重要，而對你的兒女則更加重要。這是因為他們的人生之路還很長，在沒有養(yǎng)成閑散的習慣之前，尚可加以制止。這比養(yǎng)成之后再糾正要容易得多。
現(xiàn)在你需要些現(xiàn)錢；我建議你去工作，去找個出薪雇人的老板，為他“賣力地”工作。
讓你爸爸和你的幾個兒子去應付家里春播和秋收的事吧，你自己去做些最掙錢的工作，再用你的工資抵債。為了使你的勞動獲得好的酬金，我現(xiàn)在答應你，從今天到五月一號，只要你工作掙到一塊錢或是償還了一塊錢的債，我就再給你一塊錢。
這樣的話，如果你每月掙十塊錢，你可以從我這兒再得到十塊錢，那么你一個月就能掙二十塊錢。我不是說讓你到圣路易或加利福尼亞州的鉛礦、金礦去，而是讓你在離家近的地方找個最掙錢的工作——就在柯爾斯縣境內(nèi)。
如果你現(xiàn)在愿意這樣做，很快就能還清債務。更好的是，你會養(yǎng)成不再欠債的好習慣。但是，如果我現(xiàn)在幫你還了債，明年你又會負債累累。你說，你愿意用你在天堂的席位換來七八十塊錢。這么說，你把你在天堂的席位看得太廉價了。其實，照我說的去做，保證你工作四五個月就能掙到那七八十塊錢。你又說，如果我借給你錢，你愿意把田產(chǎn)抵押給我；若是將來你還不清錢，那田地就歸我所有——
胡說八道!假如現(xiàn)在你有田地都無法生存，將來沒有田地又怎么存活呢?你一向對我很好，我現(xiàn)在也沒有對你無情無義，相反，如果你肯采納我的建議，你會發(fā)現(xiàn)，對你來說，這比八個八十塊錢還值!
摯愛你的哥哥
亞?林肯
（1848年12月24日）
Abraham Lincoln
To
（Dec. 24, 1848）
Dear Johnston:
Your request for eighty dolComrs, I do not think it best to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little, you have said to me, “We can get along very well now,” but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not Comzy, and still you are an idler. I doubt whether since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work, in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. 林肯致江斯頓（2）
This habit of uselessly wasting time, is the whole difficulty; it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break this habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it, easier than they can get out after they are in.
You are now in need of some ready money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work,“tooth and nail,” for somebody who will give you money for it.
Let father and your boys take charge of your things at home—prepare for a crop, and make the crop, and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get. And to secure you a fair reward for your Combor, I now promise you that for every dolComr you will, between this and the first of May, get for your own Combor either in money or in your own indebtedness, I will then give you one other dolComr.
By this, if you hire yourself at ten dolComrs a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dolComrs a month for your work. In this, I do not mean you shall go off to St.Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines, in California, but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home—in Coles County.
Now if you will do this, you will soon be out of debt, and what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But if I should now clear you out, next year you will be just as deep in as ever. You say you would almost give your pComce in Heaven for ?70 or ?80. Then you value your pComce in Heaven very cheaply, for I am sure you can with the offer I make you get the seventy or eighty dolComrs for four or five months' work. You say if I furnish you the money you will deed me the Comnd, and if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession—Nonsense! If you can't now live with the Comnd, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not now mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eight times eighty dolComrs to you.
Affectionately
Your brother
A.Lincoln
