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座火山脚下，看到火山熔岩流的物质，大概是四年前冲下山的；现在山口只冒一点儿烟。我们只能在这里逗留几天，说实在的，目睹这样胜地美景的时间真是太短了。
1740年6月17日于那不勒斯
Thomas Gray
To
Naples；
June 17； 1740。
Our journey hither was through the most beautiful part of the finest country in the world； and every spot of it on some account or other； famous for these three thousand years past。 The season has hitherto been just as warm as one would wish it； no unwholesome airs； or violent heats； yet heard of： The people call it a backward year； and are in pain about their corn； wine； and oil； but we； who are neither corn； wine； nor oil； find it very agreeable。 Our road was through Velletri； Cisterna； Terracina； Capua； and Aversa； and so to Naples。 The minute one leaves his Holiness's dominions； the face of things begins to change from wide uncultivated plains to olive groves and welltilled fields of corn； intermixed with ranks of elms； every one of which has its vine twining about it； and hanging in festoons between the rows from one tree to another。 The great old figtrees； the oranges in full bloom； and myrtles in every hedge； make one of the delightfullest scenes you can conceive； besides that； the roads are wide； wellkept； and full of passengers； a sight I have not beheld this long time。 My wonder still increased upon entering the city， which I think for number of people； outdoes both Paris and London。 The streets are one continued market； and thronged with populace so much that a coach can hardly pass。 The mon sort are a jolly lively kind of animals； more industrious than Italians usually are； they work till evening； then take their lute or guitar （for they all play）and walk about the city； or upon the seashore with it； to enjoy the fresco。 One sees their little brown children jumping about starknaked； and the bigger ones dancing with castanets； while others play on the cymbal to them。 Your maps will show you the situation of Naples； it is on the most lovely bay in the world； and one of the calmest seas： it has many other beauties besides those of nature。 We have spent two days in visiting the remarkable places in the country round it； such as the bay of Baya， and its remains of antiquity； the lake Avernus； and the Solfatara； Charon's grotto； etc。， We have been in the Sybil's cave and many other strange holes under ground （I only name them because you may consult Sandy's travels）； but the strangest hole I ever was in； has been today at a place called Portici； where his Sicilian Majesty has a countryseat。 About a year ago； as they were digging； they discovered some parts of ancient buildings above thirty feet deep in the ground： Curiosity led them on； and they have been digging ever since； the passage they have made； with all its turnings and windings； is now more than a mile long。 As you walk you see parts of an amphitheatre； many houses adorned with marble columns； and incrusted with the same the front of a temple； several arched vaults of rooms painted in fresco。 Some pieces of painting have been taken out from hence finer than any thing of the kind before discovered； and with these the king has adorned his palace； also a number of statues； medals； and gems； and more are dug out every day。 This is known to be a Roman town； that in the emperor Titus's time was overwhelmed by a furious eruption of Mount Vesuvius； which is hard by。 The wood and beams remain so perfect that you may see the grain！ but burnt to a coal； and dropping into dust upon the least touch。 We were today at the foot of that mountain； which at present smokes only a little； where we saw the materials that fed the stream of fire； which about four years since ran down its side。 We have but a few days longer to stay here ；too little in conscience for such a place。
西奥多·罗斯福致泰德
西奥多·罗斯福（1858—1919），美国第26届总统。他出生于纽约市的一个荷兰家庭，父亲权势显赫。1880年，罗斯福毕业于哈佛大学，后入哥伦比亚法学院继续学习。他热衷于政治活动，对法律并不感兴趣。23岁时，罗斯福就参加了纽约州议会，成为共和党领袖之一。1900年就任副总统。1901年，麦金利总统遇刺身亡，罗斯福继任总统。罗斯福为人正直，力求公正。在任期间，他主张改革，大力提倡发展经济，关心广大民众的利益，政绩斐然，是一位对美国政坛具有深远影响的总统。
亲爱的泰德：
见到你我真的非常高兴，我们一起度过了愉快的时光。我觉得你干得很不错，离开时我是这么想的。我非常满意你在学习和体育方面的名次。我希望你体育好，更希望你读书好。但是，如果得第一需要你过度用功，甚至损害健康的话，我不期望你在这两方面名列第一。我一直坚信，做任何事，都要全力以赴，无论是学拉丁文还是学数学，练拳击或者打橄榄球，但同时也要均衡适度。如果不是为了远大的目标，绝不值得把人弄得精疲力竭或去冒巨大风险。我要你继续训练本领，一旦需要，就可以拿出你的全部勇气和力量投入竞争。但我不要你滥用这些本领，只是要你尽量打好橄榄球，在拳击和摔跤上赢得一席之地，成为二线队员的领袖人物，而学习要在班上排到二三名，做到这些就足够了。如果看到你在班上仅占中游水平，那我将很伤心，因为（你不到十九岁就不能上大学，因此就要迟一年走向社会）我要你充分准备，以便弥补这种耽搁。但我知道，所有你所能做的一切就是要确保目前你在班上所处的位置。我完全相信你，因为你从未让人失望过。
1901年5月7日于牡蛎湾
Theodore Roosevelt
To
Oyster Bay；
May 7th； 1901。
Blessed Ted；
It was the greatest fun seeing you； and I really had a satisfactory time with you； and came away feeling that you were doing well。 I am entirely satisfied with your standing ；both in your studies and in athletics。 I want you to do well in your sports； and I want even more to have you do well with your books but I do not expect you to stand first in either； if so to stand could cause you overwork and hurt your health。 I always believe in going hard at everything； whether it is Latin or mathematics； boxing or football； but at the same time I want to keep the sense of proportion。 It is never worth while to absolutely exhaust one's self or to take big chances unless for an adequate object。 I want you to keep in training the faculties； which would make you； if the need arose； able to put your last ounce of pluck and strength into a contest。 But I do not want you to squander these qualities。 To have you play football as well as you do； and make a good name in boxing and wrestling； and be cox of your second crew； and stand second or third in your class in the studies； is all right。 I should be rather sorry to see you drop too near the middle of your class； because； as you cannot enter college until you are nineteen； and will therefore be a year later in entering life； I want you to be prepared in the best possible way； so as to make up for the delay。 But I know that all you can do you will do to keep substantially the position in the class that you have so far kept； and I have entire trust in you； for you have always deserved it。
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威廉·柯珀致柯珀夫人
威廉·柯珀（1731—1800）生于牧师家庭，母亲安妮·多恩是诗人约翰·多恩的族人。柯珀6岁丧母，童年生活的不幸形成了他忧郁的性格。从威斯敏斯特学校毕业后，他开始学习法律，从事律师工作。不久； 柯珀精神失常，几度想自杀，被送入精神病院。治愈后，他退居乡间，寄住在牧师安文家，受到安文夫妇的悉心照料。两年后，安文去世，其妻玛丽继续无微不至地照顾柯珀达20余年。玛丽还积极鼓励他以写诗来排除忧郁。1785年，柯珀发表长诗《任务》，声誉鹊起，跻身当时第一流诗人之列。该诗属“沉思型”长诗，采用无韵诗体，风格接近华兹华斯。诗人兴之所至，随意成诗，对宇宙人生发表感慨。除《任务》外，柯珀还做有颂体诗、讽刺诗、抒情诗近200首，以及幽默叙事诗一篇。他还翻译出版了荷马史诗和弥尔顿的拉丁文诗歌。
我亲爱的堂嫂：
非常感谢你写的那封长信，虽然它看起来并不怎么长。也非常感谢你的那封短信，此信完全在我的意料之外。虽然它很短，但是它传达了两条有意思的信息：一条是你的热病已经痊愈，另一条是柯珀小姐的过世。我想，后者是意料之中的事情，她在我的记忆中——尽管我和她交往不深——她是一个上了年纪的人，随时有可能步入另一个世界。而你，正值盛年，可以随心所欲地思索死亡（你怎么想它都不会过分），但是我希望你能活下去，花上多年时光来思索它。我不难想像我那些已经上了年岁的朋友们又老了许多，我上次见到他们时情况的确如此。但是，我很难想像那些以前年轻的朋友们也正在慢慢老去。由于没有亲眼目睹时间在他们身上造成的变化，我对于他们以前的印象依然鲜活，记忆中呈现的依然是他们未变的形象。记忆虽然保留了原来的形象，但忘却了现在的形象早已失去以前的许多面貌特征，正是时光的流逝，才导致了这些转变。我不知道时光是否已在您身上留下了印记，虽然他的魔爪（我们祖母就是这样叫他们的）在很多人的脸上刻下一道道的皱纹，但他好像又用十倍的温情把它们遮掩着，似乎怕给别人造成伤害。不过，虽然他是人们外在身体的敌人，却是心灵的朋友，你自己已经有过这方面的经验了。尽管如此，他如何对待我们，也要取决于他从我们手中得到什么样的待遇。如果我们正确地对待他，聆听他的忠告和指导，那他就是一位真正的朋友；相反，如果我们没有正确地对待他，他就是我们最险恶的敌人。他每天都从我们这里拿走一些宝贵的东西，却不会给我们任何好的东西。他们正好跟你一样，能够站在群山之巅，能够站在人生的最高处，向下俯视，欣然回顾他们曾经穿越的山谷，有时候会兴奋得张开双臂，希望能够幸福地飞向那不朽的天堂。过不了多久，你的愿望就能够实现。
我们非常感激你母亲与妹妹的亲切问候。安文夫人仍患有疯癫，我想，这很大程度上要归咎于这久刮不止的东风，她恳求我代她向你致敬。如果你能见到我姑妈，以及给梅特兰夫人写信时，请务必转告一下我对她们亲切的问候，同时我诚祝她们健康幸福。如果你在方便的时候能够给我写封信，简单说说你家里的情况，我肯定会非常高兴的，因为我和我的家族之间虽然只有50英里的距离，但我对他们的情况却了解得不多，好像有万水千山横亘在我们之间。
我亲爱的堂嫂，您的
威廉·柯珀
1780年8月31日星期四
William Cowper
To
Thursday； 31 August 1780
My dear Cousin；
I am obliged to you for your long Letter； which did not seem so； and for your short one； which was more than I had any Reason to Expect。 Short as it was it conveyed to me two interesting articles of intelligence； an account of your recovery from a fever； and of Lady Cowper's death。 The latter was； I suppose； to be expected； for by what remembrance I have of her ladyship； who was never much acquainted with her； she had reached those years that are always found upon the borders of another world。 As for you； your time of life is paratively of a youthful date。 You may think of death as much as you please；（you cannot think of it too much） but I hope you will live to think of it many years。 It costs me not much difficulty to suppose that my Friends who were already grown old； when I saw them last； are old still。 But it costs me a good deal sometimes to think of those who were at that time young； as being older than they were。 Not having been an eyewitness of the change that time has made in them； and my former Idea of them not being corrected by observation； it remains the same； my memory presents me with their Image unimpaired； and while it retains the resemblance of what they were； forgets that by this time the picture may have lost much of its likeness； through the alteration that succeeding years have made in the original。 I know not what impressions time may have made upon your person； for while his claws （as our Grann'am called them） strike deep furrows in some faces； he seems to Sheath them with much tenderness as if fearfull of doing injury to others。 But though an enemy to the person； he is a friend to the mind； and you have found him so。 Though even in this respect his treatment of us depends upon what he meets with at our hands； if we use him well and listen to his admonitions and instructions； he is a friend indeed； but otherwise the worst of enemies； who takes from us daily something that we valued； and gives us nothing better in its stead。 It is well with them who like you； can stand a tip： toe on the mountain： top of human life； look down with pleasure upon the valley they have passed； and sometimes stretch their wings in joyful hope of a happy flight into eternity； yet a little while and your hope will be acplished。
We are obliged to your mother and your sister for their kind remembrances。 Mrs。 Unwin is still afflicted with a nervous malady； to which I believe this East Wind which has lasted so long； contributes not a little。 She begs me to present her Respects。 When you see my aunt； and when you write to Mrs。 Maitland； assure them of my affectionate rewards；and of the Pleasure I have in hearing of their Welfare。 When you can favor me with a little Account of your own Family without Inconvenience； I shall be glad to receive it； for though Separated from my Kindred by little more than half a Century of Miles； I know as little of their Concerns as if Oceans and Continents were interposed between us。
Yours；My Dear Cousin
Wm Cowper
弗朗西斯·菲茨杰拉德致女儿（1）
弗朗西斯·菲茨杰拉德（1896－1940），美国小说家。1896年9月24日生于明尼苏达州圣保罗市；父亲是家具商。他读完高中后考入普林斯顿大学，年轻时尝试写过剧本；1920年出版了长篇小说《人间天堂》，由此成名。小说出版后，他与吉姗尔达结婚。婚后携妻寄居巴黎，结识了安德逊、海明威等多位美国作家。1925年《了不起的盖茨比》问世，奠定了他在现代美国文学史上的地位，菲茨杰拉德成了20年代“爵士时代”的发言人和“迷惘的一代”的代表作家之一。他的主要作品还有《夜色温柔》（1934）和《最后一个巨商》（1941）。他的小说生动地反映了20年代“美国梦”的破灭，展示了大萧条时期美国上层社会“荒原时代”的精神面貌。菲茨杰拉德成名后继续笔耕不辍。1940年12月21日心脏病暴发，死于洛杉矶，年仅44岁。
亲爱的司各特：
我也没有多少时间给你写信了，希望你能把这封信读上两遍�