讀書(shū)或書(shū)籍的享受素來(lái)被視為有修養(yǎng)的生活上的一種雅事,而在一些不大有機(jī)會(huì)享受這種權(quán)利的人們看來(lái),這是一種值得尊重和妒忌的事。當(dāng)我們把一個(gè)不讀書(shū)者和一個(gè)讀書(shū)者的生活上的差異比較一下,這一點(diǎn)便很容易明白。那個(gè)沒(méi)有養(yǎng)成讀書(shū)習(xí)慣的人,以時(shí)間和空間而言,是受著他眼前的世界所禁錮的。他的生活是機(jī)械化的,刻板的;他只跟幾個(gè)朋友和相識(shí)者接觸談話:他只看見(jiàn)他周遭所發(fā)生的事情。
This is easy to understand when we compare the difference between the life of a man who does no reading and that of a man who does. The man who has not formed the habit of reading is imprisoned in the world in front of him in respect of time and space. His life falls into a set routine; he is limited to contact and conversation with a few friends and acquaintances, and he sees only what is going on around him.