英語美文：論家庭

　　以下是小編整理的情感類英語美文欣賞：論家庭， 希望使你的心靈有所觸動。

　　THE joys of parents are secret; and so are theirgriefs and fears. They cannot utter the one; northey will not utter the other. Children sweetenlabors; but they make misfortunes more bitter. Theyincrease the cares of life; but they mitigate theremembrance of death. The perpetuity bygeneration is common to beasts; but memory, merit,and noble works, are proper to men. And surely aman shall see the noblest works and foundationshave proceeded from childless men; which havesought to express the images of their minds, wherethose of their bodies have failed. So the care of posterity is most in them, that have noposterity. They that are the first raisers of their houses, are most indulgent towards theirchildren; beholding them as the continuance, not only of their kind, but of their work; and soboth children and creatures.

　　The difference in affection, of parents towards their several children, is many times unequal;and sometimes unworthy; especially in the mothers; as Solomon saith, A wise son rejoiceththe father, but an ungracious son shames the mother. A man shall see, where there is a housefull of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons; but inthe midst, some that are as it were forgotten, who many times, nevertheless, prove the best.The illiberality of parents, in allowance towards their children, is an harmful error; makes thembase; acquaints them with shifts; makes them sort with mean company; and makes themsurfeit more when they come to plenty. And therefore the proof is best, when men keep theirauthority towards the children, but not heir purse. Men have a foolish manner (both parentsand schoolmasters and servants) in creating and breeding an emulation between brothers,during childhood, which many times sorteth to discord when they are men, and disturbethfamilies.

　　The Italians make little difference between children, and nephews or near kinsfolks; but so theybe of the lump, they care not though they pass not through their own body. And, to say truth,in nature it is much a like matter; insomuch that we see a nephew sometimes resembleth anuncle, or a kinsman, more than his own parent; as the blood happens. Let parents choosebetimes, the vocations and courses they mean their children should take; for then they aremost flexible; and let them not too much apply themselves to the disposition of their children,as thinking they will take best to that, which they have most mind to. It is true, that if theaffection or aptness of the children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross it; butgenerally the precept is good, optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo. Youngerbrothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherite

　　在子女面前，父母要善于隱藏他們的一切快樂、煩惱與恐懼。他們的快樂無須說，而他們的煩惱與恐懼則不能說。子女使他們的勞苦變甜，但也使他們的不幸更苦。子女增加了他們的負(fù)擔(dān)，但卻減輕了他們對死的恐懼。

　　一切生物都能通過生殖留下后代，但只有人類能通過后代下美名、事業(yè)和德行。然而，為什么有的沒有留下后代者卻留下了 流芳百世的功業(yè)?因為他們雖然未能復(fù)制一種肉體，卻全力以赴地復(fù)制了一種精神。因此這種無后繼的人其實倒是最關(guān)心后事的人。創(chuàng)業(yè)者對子女期望最大，因為子女被他們看作不但是族類的繼承者，又是所創(chuàng)事業(yè)的一部分。

　　作為父母，特別是母親，對子女常常會有不合理的偏愛。所羅 門曾告誡人們：“智慧之子使父親快樂，愚昧之子使母親蒙羞。”在家庭中，最大或最小的孩子都可能得到優(yōu)遇。唯有居中的子女容易受到忘卻，但他們卻往往是最有出息的。

　　在子女小時不應(yīng)對他們過于苛吝。否則會使他們變得卑賤，甚至投機(jī)取巧，以至墮入下流，即使后來有了財富時也不會正當(dāng)利用。聰明的父母對子女在管理上是嚴(yán)格的，而在用錢上不妨略寬松，這常常是有好效果的。

　　作為成年人，絕不應(yīng)在一家的兄弟之間挑動競爭，以至積隙成仇，使兄弟間直到成年，依然不和。意大利風(fēng)俗對子女和侄 一視同仁，親密無間。這是很可取的。因為這種風(fēng)俗很合于自然的血統(tǒng)關(guān)系。許多侄子不是更像他的一位叔、伯，而不象父親嗎?

　　在子女還小時，父母就應(yīng)當(dāng)考慮他們將來的職業(yè)方向并加以培養(yǎng)，因為這時他們最易塑造。但在這一點上要注意，并不是孩子小時候所喜歡的，也就是他們終生所愿從事的。如果孩子確有某種超群的天才，那當(dāng)然應(yīng)該扶植發(fā)展。但就一般情況說，下面這句格言是很有用的：“長期的訓(xùn)練會通過適應(yīng)化難為易。”還應(yīng)當(dāng)注意，子女中那種得不到遺產(chǎn)繼承權(quán)的幼子，常常會通過自身的奮斗獲得好的發(fā)展。而坐享其成者，卻很少能成大業(yè).