評論
打印
I do not think that, considered from the point of view of human culture and happiness, there have been more significant inventions in the history of mankind, more vitally important and more directly contributing to our enjoyment of leisure, friendship, sociability and conversation, than the inventions of smoking, drinking and tea.
我以為從人類文化和快樂的觀點論起來，人類歷史中的杰出新發明，其能直接有力地有助于我們的享受空閑、友誼、社交和談天者，莫過于吸煙、飲酒、飲茶的發明。
All three have several characteristics in common:
這三件事有幾樣共同的特質：
first of all, that they contribute toward our sociability；
第一，它們有助于我們的社交；
secondly, that they do not fill our stomach as food does, and therefore can be enjoyed between meals；
第二，這幾件 東西不至于一吃就飽，可以在吃飯的中間隨時吸飲；
and thirdly, that they are all to be enjoyed through the nostrils by acting on our sense of smell.
第三，都是可以藉嗅覺去享受的東西。
So great are their influences upon culture that we have smoking cars besides dining cars, and we have wine restaurants or taverns and tea houses.
它們對于文化的影響極大，所以餐車之外另有吸煙車，飯店之外另有酒店和茶館，
In China and England at least, drinking tea has become a social institution.
至少在中國和英國，飲茶已經成為社交上一種不可少的制度。煙酒茶的適當享受，只能在空閑、友誼和樂于招待之中發展出來。
The proper enjoyment of tobacco, drink and tea can only be developed in an atmosphere of leisure，friendship and sociability. For it is only with men gifted with the sense of comradeship, extremely select in the matter of forming friends and endowed with a natural love of the leisurely life, that the full enjoyment of tobacco and drink and tea becomes possible.
因為只有富于交友心，擇友極慎，天然喜愛閑適生活的人士，方有圓滿享受煙酒茶的機會。
Take away the element of sociability, and these things have no meaning.
如將樂于招待心除去， 這三種東西便成毫無意義。
