ore agreeable and salutary than playing a game which one likes； and the circumstance of doing it badly interferes with the pleasure of no real devotee of any pastime。 The man who minds whether or not he wins is no true sportsman—which observation is trite； but the rule it implies is seldom observed； and paratively few people really play games for the sheer enjoyment of the playing。 Is this not proved by the prevalence and popularity of handicaps？ Why should we expect to be given points unless it be that we wish to win by means other than our own skill？
“Ah！ but；” my reader may say； “the weaker player wants to receive points in order that he may give the stronger one a better game。” Really； I do not believe that that is so。 Possible； sometimes； a strong and vainglorious player may wish to give points； in order that his victory may be the more notable。 But I do not think that even this is the true explanation。 That； I suspect； was given to me the other day by the secretary of a lawn…tennis tournament； in which I played。 “Why all this nonsense of handicaps？ Why not let us be squarely beaten； and done with it？” I asked him。 “Because；” He replied； “if we did not give handicaps； none of the less good players would enter。” Is that not a confession that the majority of us have both realized the true value doing a trivial thing badly； for its own sake； and must needs have our minds buoyed and cheated into a false sense of excellence？
Moreover it is not only such intrinsically trivial things as games that are worth doing badly。 This is a truth which； oddly enough； we accept freely of some things—but not of others—and as a thing which we are quite content to do will let me instance acting。 Acting； at its best； can be a great art； a thing worth doing supremely well； though its worth； like that of all interpretative arts； is lessened by its evanescence。 For it works in the impermanent medium of human flesh and blood； and the thing that the actor create—for what we call an interpretative artist is really a creative artist working in a perishable medium—is an impression upon； an emotion or a thought aroused in； the minds of an audience； and is incapable of record。 txt小说上传分享
草草行事的重要性（5）
Acting； then； let me postulate—though I have only sketched ever so briefly the proof of my belief—can be a great art。 But is anyone ever deterred from taking part in amateur theatricals by the consideration that he cannot act well？ Not a bit of it！ And quite rightly not； for acting is one of the things about which I am writing this essay—the things that are worth doing badly。
Another such thing is music； but here the proverbial fallacy again exerts its power； as it does not； for some obscure and unreasoning discrimination； in acting。 Most people seem to think that if they cannot sing； or play the piano； fiddle； or sackbut； admirably well； they must not do any of these things at all。 That they should not indiscriminately force their inferior performances upon the public； or even upon their acquaintances； I admit。 But that there is no place “in the home” for inferior musical performances； is an untruth that I flatly deny。
How many sons and daughters have not； with a very small talent； given their parents—and even the less fondly prejudiced ears of their friends—great pleasure with the singing of simple songs？ Then one day there es to the singer the serpent of dissatisfaction； singing lessons are taken； and—if the pupil is of moderate talent and modest disposition—limitations are discovered。 And then； in nine cases out of ten； the singing is dropped； like a hot penny。 How many fathers have not banished music from their homes by encouraging their daughters to take singing lessons？ Yet a home may be the fresher for singing that would deserve brickbats at a parish concert。
I may pause here to notice the curious exception that people who cannot on any account be persuaded to sing in the drawing…room； or even in the bath； will without hesitation uplift their tuneless voices at religious meetings or in church。 There is a perfectly good and honorable explanation of this； I believe； but it belongs to the realm of metaphysics and is beyond my present scope。
This cursed belief； that if a thing is worth doing at all； it is worth doing well； is the cause of a great impoverishment in our private life； and also； to some extent； of the lowering of standards in our public life。 For this tenet of proverbial faith has two effects on small talents： it leads modest persons not to exercise them at all； and immodest persons to attempt to do so too much and to force themselves upon the public。 It leads to the decay of letter…writing and of the keeping of diaries； and； as surely； it leads to the publication of memoirs and diaries that should remain locked in the writers’ desks。
It leads Mr。 Blank not to write verses at all—which he might very well do； for the sake of his own happiness； and for the amusement of his friends—and it leads Miss Dash to pester the overworked editors of various journals with her unsuccessful imitations of Mr。 de la Mare； Mr。 Yeats； and Dr。 ： A wider amateur practice of the arts； and a higher； more exclusive； professional standard。 Until these are achieved we shall not get the best out of our souls。
The truth is； I conceive； that there is for most of us only one thing—beyond； of course； our duties of citizenship and our personal duties as sons； or husbands； or fathers； daughters； or wives； or mothers—that is worth doing well—that is to say； with all our energy。 That one thing may be writing； or it may be making steam…engines； or laying bricks。 But after that there are hundreds of things that are worth doing badly； with only part of our energy； for the sake of the relaxation they bring us； and for the contacts which they give us with our minds。 And the sooner England realizes this； as once she did； the happier； the more contented； the more gracious； will our land be。
There are even； I maintain； things that are in themselves better done badly than well。 Consider fishing； where one’s whole pleasure is often spoiled by having to kill a fish。 Now； if one could contrive always to try to catch a fish； and never to do so； one might—but that is another story。
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世界源于你的思想（1）
詹姆斯？艾伦
你的内心世界如何，决定着你生活的好坏。宇宙中的一切事物都源于你的内心体验。外界的影响微乎其微，因为这完全是你内心意识的一种反应。
你的思想影响着所有错综复杂的关系，因为外界的事物会如实、具体地反映着你的内心世界。
同样的道理，你所掌握的知识都是从以前的经历中得来。你每一点知识的积累，一定要经历时间的验证，最终才造就了如今的你。
你的世界是由你自己的思想、愿望和热情塑造的，对你来说，这个世界是环境优美，到处欢声笑语、祝福不断，还是丑陋破旧，周围唉声叹气、痛苦不堪。这些早已印刻在你的思想中了。
你可以用自己的思想改变或毁灭你的生活，你的世界，甚至你的宇宙。正是因为你用自己的思想塑造了自我，你周围的生活与环境也会相应地变化。
在无法阻挡的自然规律下，无论如何，你的内心深处都要坚持梦想，那么总有一天你会美梦成真。
动机不纯、肮脏、自私的灵魂一直与不幸和灾难藕断丝连；而真诚、无私、高贵的灵魂则与幸福和美好息息相关。
每个人的灵魂都是�